The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-11-27
MISS ROYSTON'S GLOVES
Kept an Indian Bullet From Her
Brave Lovers Heart.

There is no pleasanJer corner in America
for a guest than the reception room of the
officers mess at West Point. Cosy chairs
generous hospitality, cirle of charming
fellows around the great mahogany table,
and it was there, on summer evening,
over good cheroot and bottle of prime
mess claret, Major Hallett told me this
story of "Iiss Royston's Gloves" Said
the Major with a sigh:
"Ah, my boy! The old days Of the regen-
cy in Arizona Good old days! l was s.
Captain in Blake's Light Horse-the dear,
steady old First Cavalry. We had gone
through the darkest early days of the Ter
ritory, and in 'G7 and 6S was stationed at
Fort Mcdowell. Two infantry and two
cavalry regiments held the Territory. We
had department commander, and no rail
road, no fuss and feathers, no worrying
from Washington. Four companies of in
Cantry and four troops Of ours" gave us
a good garrison, and from our mountain
nest we secuted and harried the Hualipais
the Tonic Apaches, White Mountain
Apaches and the Chiricahuas. Arizona
then was strange sad land of blood and
gold; great parched deserts, with gray sand
work or the ola Aztoos' gloomy georges
Hanged with lodges of rock, whose shadows
hid the red devils; rolling, arid mesa
where the coyote roamed at will, and tall
cacti pointed from hell on earth to
heaven above; treeless, waterless, barren,
and with a strange suggestiveness of a lost
land--a land of abandoned hopes and
forgotten histories. Heavy spinal ridges
hid beyond mysteries of danger and
dark adventure. On the heights at night
baleful, glittering Indian fires told us of
the movement of our troops ere they left
the reserve. Thornbush and mesquit grove
hid the mean, stunted, shock headed
wretches, whose name is the synonym for
craft, thirst of blood and devilish ingenu-
ity. For many weary miles we skirmished
over the old battle grounds, where for two
years the Apache had fought the mail-clad
Spaniard, the daring Mexican, and had
butchered in sad succession peaceful Jesuit
fathers, the weary emigrant and the lonely
scout or mail carrier. ThankleSS our task,
indeed; the Territory was peopled with
the border refuse of war, most of the old
timers had fallen under the hand of the
indian or succumbed to private fray or the
unerring stroke of frontier whisky. A few
hardy prospectors were hunting for the
treasures l have often galloped by troop
over Cut off from home, forgotten and
isolated, used to look at Montezuma's
grand sleeping profile in the western
mountains and sigh for the orders which
would take us to the buffalo country. De-
serterS, stragglerS, bushwhackers, retired
from active exercise OF their profession,
and wanderers with the brand of Cain,
were the usual loungers around the little
adobe stations" Weary trains, under
heavy escort, dragged our supplies from
Yuma-and beyond the Vulture mine at
Wickenburg, and the dim traditions of the
Mowry lead. mining was in its infancy.
From our hill fort we could reach Date
creek, Mohave, Prescott, Maricopa Wells,
Camp Thomas and Tucson. Our "fortn
was the usual quadrangle of adobes, sheds
and corrals, and little was there to exhibit
the dignity of great nation but the aut-
tering starry flag on the parade and stout
hearted spirited garrison.
Yes; it was strange there were q few
ladies. 1t is one of the most charming and
inconsequential features of the sex that
officers wives will do and dare what can
hardly be dreamed Of Unreasoning atfec-
tion takes delicate women where their
presence is often lin the service) desper-
ate responsibility. 1t was relief bless
ing and an unmerited privilege to see a few
pleasant faces and several lovely ones in
chat far-off stronghold in the old days.
The service is sadly changed now, for
humdrum WEAKNESS. by Jove, Captain,
an ambulance and LADY,
This unexpected break in the monotony
of our life was caused by the advent Of
Harold Royston, of New York, wealthy
partner of the Nulture mine, who appeared,
toilworn and dusty, to claim our hospi
tality on his way TO Wickenburg. The
thrill of excitement caused by the advent
of Miss Agnes, his daughter, will never be
forgotten at Mcdowell. The father had
vainly objected to his spirited child &C
companying him on long Western jour
uey. 1t was soon known that Miss Agnes
would remain for some weeks with Mrs.
Major Mortified, while her sire pursued
his business at the Vulture. Years have
gone by, but can yet recall Agnes Roys-
ton as She stood next morning at guard
mount Our ambitious band-master, Horn
blower, essayed Then You'll Remember
Me, during inspection of arms as a com
pliment to our bright and lovely bird of
passage. Don't ask me to tell you of the
graces of form and feature which set us all
weaving bright romances, from trim Major
Hatch of the lnfantry-wel-tod do and next
forpromotion--up or down to McSawbones,
our Scotch surgeon, whose hair was the
real vermillion dye and whose accent was
as broad as his shoulders. I'll saw nothing
about myself, but I've seen Dick Grahame
take rattling volley across canyon
more calmly than his introduction. He
was the new Officer of the Day., and was
asked at once why they all marched
around in such funny way