The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-09-12

DollJ all udy, duu WHICH, ulSh1 OohlOS
cover up my head close and go to sleep
and don't know no more till daylight.
Dave says there no bad vsrmints right
round here, and if Injins or Rangers
should come don't reckon they'd hurt
little girl like me. Do you think they
wouldP"
"No, little one, T." said the corporal, and
his voice softened. He was silent a mo-
ment and then spoke again.
"Dave won't come back any MORE"
he said. "He's-gone-gone up into
the big territory, and--he sent lis here
to look after you"
"Did he? Well, that's good of Dave
but then he always was good to me-
Where are you going to take meP"
ITO our camp"
"How far is it from here?"
"a long ways
''Can l take my dolly?"
Certainly"
"Then I'll pare myself'right away"
she said, and walked towards one ofthe
wagons hugging the doll to her heart.
The corporal sent two men up on the
mesa to bury the dead outlaw, and
others rounded" up the cows and
wagon stock. Our horses and the
wounded Ranger were brought up, and
in two hours time we were ready to
start. We followed the creek down to
Borilla Spring and then took the Gov
eminent road through Lympia and
Mooskie Canyons to our camp. Broncho
BERTHE rode in one of the wagons, and
when we reached camp and turned the
outlaws outfit over to the captain, the
child was formally adopted by the men,
and we pitched her tent alongside the
captains.
Rangers, as a usual thing, are a rough
lot, but the heart of every man in the
company was warmed toward the little
waif, and when she was ready to retire
they all clustered around the tent to see
her safely in bed. Before climbing in
she knelt on the ground, and clasping
her little hands raised her brown eyes
heavenward. Instantly every hat was
dotted and every head bowed, and the
eyes of some of the men were swimming
when the Broncho's simple petition to
the Throne of Mercy was finished. She
kissed each man goodnight, and there
was hush unusual and solemn around
the campfire that night.
She remained with us nearly a year,
and so potent was her influence that a
curse was never heard about the camp,
and Mad Milton hunted up an old Bible
which had been present when he left
"the States" but which had never been
opened since his arrival on the plains,
and began to study its sacred pages
during his odd moments of leisure. If q
man visited the post and did not bring
the Broncho present when he returned
he was considered guilty of high treason
Blackhawk Davis bought her a gentle
pony and taught her to throw the lasso
We dressed her richly but fancfully
and the captain gave her a miniature
Winchester and tiny six-shooter anC
belt. She was always in line a
roll-call night and morning, and gen
orally answered present when he
name was called. The lieuten
ant taught her to read and write ant
"Happy Halmon" gave her lessons el
the violin. She was merry-hearted
generous-souled little elf, and the sun
shine of her preS nee made our rud
camp always bri hit. Her quaint obser
vations and practical suggestions wer
, a constant source If merriment anon,
the men. Her favorite was "Reckles
jeff, " probably because he was merel
boy in years with a smooth, fresh fac
. and great blue eyes as large as her ow
Q brown Orbs. JEFF was a good-hearte
: fellow, as generous as a King, and a
( chivalrous as an old knight-errant, bu
e he had an unfortunate habit of takin
d aboard too much post whisky. TIL
g fiery liquor always inflamed his passion
e and brought out his worse traits {
e character When ''under the influence
: he could be moved neither by threat
nor entreaties, and his favorite amusC
ment was shooting EN- up" when HI
1t reckless but usually accurate marks
manship inspired universal terror in tn
# hearts of his human targets, for he col
e sidered it nothing remarkable to cut tn
a roll on a Mexican's sombrero with h
d bullets or shoot the buttons off COW
( boys jacket. The bottles and decantel
" on the bars of the casinos suffere
it whenever he "turned himself loose.
d One of his favorite feats, of which
n was very proud, was to shoot col
l. from the head of a man at distance
S. twenty yards. In camp he was alwa,
ID practicing with his six-shooter and Il
Broncho frequently became his large
r holder. She seemed to have no fear
only unbounded confidence in the acc
D. racy of her friends aim, and she won
7e laug gleefully and clap her hands VIII,
so a particularly close and dangerous sh
was made.
r. 1t was the first and only Christm
the Broncho spent with us, and in