The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-04-02
THE LAST SHOT.

THE LAST SHOT,.
The overland train was pushing its
way up the long eastern grade Of the
Rockies. The passengers. tired of the
monotonous surroundings of the jour-
ney, began to drift into talk and story
of the past experiences OF their lives
AS the train passed three wagons that
were slowly and wearily following the
trail, that ran for miles by the sids OF
the railroad, one of the passengers re-
marked on the difference in the style
of travel. "It must be very hard"
said one, Ito crawl along day after
day over these great plains" "You
bet" was the reply that came with
emphasis from man who had not
taken any part in the conversation.
Ever tried it?" asked another, at
tracted by the emphasis of the mans
words. "Well, yes" was the reply, and
he added, 81 was just thinking over
the hard time 1 had just few miles
ahead of this place" All were ready
for the story that seemed to be prom
ised, and they gathered around his
seat. "What made the hard time? ?"
asked one, by way of starting the
story. "Well," said the man, "you see
it was some years before the road was
built. when took notion to 60 to
California. I had not been very we'll
through the winter and l thought l
would like to get rid of the cold that
seemed to pinch me up. So in the
spring l sold off all my stock and stuff
and went to Omaha, and there l
bought an outfit OF team and wagon
and put in load of stuff that l
thought might turn little profit on,
when 1 got the other side of the Rock
les, or else in the mining regions, of
which l had only dim notion. 1
found that large train was to start
in few days, so waited over, as |
thought l would like the company.
and besides 1 had such yarns about
Indians attacking the trains poured
into my ears at Omaha, that thought
the more of crowd 1 went with the
better l would like it, While l was
waiting for the start, a young man
came and asked if l would not let him
go with me- At first l did not like
the idea, but he was pleasant fel-
low, and I began to think that it
would be less lonesome to have a
pleasant chum. So agreed that if
he would put in his share of grub
and take care of the team ne might
60 along with me. l was very
thankful that l had consented when
the long. dreary days came, and long
before we reached this part of the
SooH"y Attu lcdIucu W LOOK Oh MIN |
as brother We had got our plans
all fixed for the future, and day after
day would talk them over till We
felt that they were as sure as the
sun rising. Our train was so large
that it was divided into two parts,
and sometimes the head division
would get several miles ahead of the
other. Somewhere along here we
fell in with company of soldiers
that had been out through the coun-
try. scouting. 1t was quite an ex-
cltement to us, and we were glad to
learn from them that they had not
seen any signs of Indians. The next
LAY we pushed on in very good
spirits, for we had learned from the
soldiers that there was a good feed
ing place a short distance ahead.
we pushed on as fast as we could.
and, as l was ambitious, l was at
The head with my team. Our divi-
sion was strung out for long dis |.
,ance, and the other division was
'ome miles in the rear, as we had -.
started early, while they had waited T.,
o see the soldiers drill. Just as l ..
'ame to the top of a hill like that !,
me yonder l heard a burst of wells
md the report of several rifles. /
vas riding in the back part of the
wagon watching the long string of =
cams. 1 grabbed my rifle and !,
umped out, AS 1 got square on my !
eet there came another volley. "
aw my chum drop dead from his u
eat and the team turned and began u
o run, but the nigh horse had been VI
it, and he dropped dead. The :,
ther plunged and snorted, when u
here came another volley, and he fell =
cad, and l felt a sharp tingle on :
ny cheek, and putting my hand up :, :
found it covered with blood. This :
rought me to my senses, for 1 had :
TODD perfectly transixed with sur
rise after reaching the ground. l !,
licked up the ammunition that fell
0 the ground when l jumped from y
ne wagon, and turned and ran to- s,
,ardS the other teams We were CO ~
taken by surprise that the "
len left their teams as the Indians "
ppeared over tho hill Some had
anse enough 10 secure their nllns =