The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1885-11-28
NUMBER 81.

remained at the fort was found in Bes-
sic Carter's pet pigeons, genuine
homers," as Bess called them. The
pair of old birds had been given to the
child by friend of the family, and she
had named them Possum and TIppet
She had raised two young ones, Chip
and Spark, and all were great pets with
her. When she was at an Indiana
school she had used Possum and Tippet
for sending messages home, and on
that account they had been priced by
her parents nearly as much as by her
self.
The Carriers moved to their new home
in the spring, and it happened that be-
fore they had settled down in the new
house some Sioux who had been re-
moved to the Indian Territory became
dissatisfied with their location. broke
out, and started toward their old North
ern home, plundering and numbering
as they went.
A report of this raid reached the
Carriers, but too late to enable them to
seek safety in flight, and when they
were ''struck" by the hostiles there was
nothing for them to do but defend them
selves as best they could.
This seemed to be an almost hopeless
task, as there were but three fighters at
the omestead-Jacob Carter, his near
ly grown son Harry and Andrew
Patchin, the hired man. But they bar
ricaded the doors and windows of the
cabin, seized their rifles, and fought for
dear life.
1t was small party of Sioux that
made the first attack, and they were
easily repulsed; but others arrived, and
the situation became more serious.
Angered by the desperate defense of the
cabin, the Indians showed a determine
ton to stay right there and capture 1t
at all hazards.
When Andrew Patchin was severely
wounded, Mr.. Carter began to despair,
and he sadly told his wife and Bessie
that he saw no chance to escape from
death or capture.
IF it comes to the worst" he said,
''vou two must die rather than fall into
the hands of those fiends. There is nc
hope of help, and no one OF us could
pass the Indians to take message to
the fort, even if they had not got our
horses"
There is one that can 60, pa,
spoke up Bessie.
What do you mean, child? Who
can go? Not Harry?"
"Not Harry, pa, but Chip or Pos
sum-"
Mr.. Carter had not thought of the
pigeons, and he eagerly seized the idea
'Do you think that either Of them
would fly to the fort?' he asked.
Eyes, sir. We were so long at the
fort. and the birds have not yet got 10
think Of this place as home. am
sure they would do 10 -
'Get one OF them, Bess, and i VIII
write q ursss-
Bessie had 1-e- ght hel pigeons into
.t5e house for safety, and it was easy to
secure Chip. The message was fast-
encd to- him, and he was LET loose
Alter circI.Ag in the air for q minute OF
so he settled upon his course, and flew
away in the direction of the fort
Another message was sent by
Possum. and then they waited. They
had to fight, too, as well as wait, and
Mr.. Carter and Harry continued to
make their rifles crack in the hope of
keeping the Indians away from the
house as long as possible.
The hours of the afternoon were long
and painful. and it could be seen that
the Sioux were only delaying their at
tack until darkness should put the be-
Sieged party at their mercy.
Darkness came, and they started to-
ward the house yelling and firing. But
other shots were quickly heard. and the
galloping of many horses. and a we'll
known cheer, as the blue-coated cav
airy dashed down upon the red raiders
and scattered them.
Captain Morris, Mrs. Carter's cousin,
had caught sight of Chip when the bird
flew to his old quarters at the fort. and
he at once secured him and found the
message.
In very short time the men were
mounted and speeding away over the
prairie, and so the Carter family were
saved by Bessie's pigeon. .--EdUGrd
WtLlett, in Harper's Young People.