Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-01-13
The Wait of the Plains.

An endless sea of sandy plain, almost a
dead level save the sand-duncs which
here and there, like pillows from some
far-otf sea beating upon the endless shore,
crossed the country in long lines lost in
the distance, cactus, sage-bush, and a
few wild flowers of vivid coloring, whose
very existence on the dry desert waste
was marvel, composing the only vegc-
tation visible. Occasionally in the dis
tance, along the banks of the sluggish,
twbid river which flows hundreds of
miles across the desert, could be seen a
few cottonwoods and willows which
form the cover for numerous antelope
Away in the opposite direction, however,
stretching into the far distance until lost
in the horizon, was the same dreary, mo-
notonous level waste. 1t was early morn
ing, and the sun was shooting its hori-
zontal rays across the gliStcning sands
Two horsemen were riding along the
trail, when small object, moving slow
ly along, sometimes seemingly walking
upright, anon crawling on the ground,
excited their attention and curiosity.
Nearer the object comes and, wonder of
wonders, the men discover while vet at
some distance that it is human being,
apparently child, Turning their horses
they rapidly approach the waif on this
watcrlcSs sea, and discover a child of
perhaps 3 years of age, now walking then
falling to the ground in its apparently
aim!ess journey Upon reaching the
lonely atom of humanity it is found to be
a girl with face and hands scratched and
bleeding and clothing torn nearly to
shreds from frequent contact with the
thorns of the cruel cactus. Upon the
approach of the men she ceased her cry
ing and @azed at them with a frightened
look. Where did she come from and
how did she get here? Did she drop
from the clouds? Nothing else Of life
was visible; the whole eXpanse of plain
was blank. 1t was some time before
the child could bc rcassured and coaXed
to talk, and then only incoherently be
tween her sobs. The men gathered that
some time about daybrcak an emigrant
train of two wagons with the child's
parents and several other persons had
been attacked by Indians, the women
carried off, and the men all killed. The
child tried to indicate the place of the
massacre, but was so bewildered by her
wandering that it was impossible to learn
anything from her confused talk. One
Of the men took the little thing on his
horse in front of him, and after fruit
less search for an hour or two, the men
pushed on, as the sun was getting high
in the heavens and there was a long jour
rey before them ere arriving at the
ranch and cattle corral for which they
were bound and wished to reach before
night. After some hours of hard riding
their destination was reached without
incident. On the following day one of
the men at the ranch, having business in
Denver, brought the founding to the
then young city. The child's story en-
cited considerable attention and smvpa-
thy from the citizens, and u childess
married lady of West Denver named
Clark, who had crossed the plains some
years before, adopted the waif as her
own. The only name the child could
give was Rita, and there was nothing
about her clothing or person to indicate
who her parents were or where she came
from. All she knew of her former home
was that it was in a large city far away
Rita grew rapidly, and in the course of
several years bid fair TO become Il beauti-
full young lady Her foster parents were
in thriving circumstances, and lavishcd
their means freely on the education of
the child, whom they cherished and low
ed as if she were of their flesh and blood.
One day Mr. Clark, having business at
Pueblo, was induced by friend to visit
the insane asylum. The official, in ac-
companying them through the different
wards, explained the various phases and
pcculiaritics Of the fancies of the patients.
Finally they reached an apartment occu-
pied by woman, whose case, the official
explained, was rather peculiar. She was
rescued from the Cheyennes several years
ago by the troops. How long she had
been captive was not known, but it is
supposed that the indignitics she had
suffered and the horrors she had passed
through had turned her brain, as when
found she was insane, and ever since the
burden of her talk had been massacres,
fights, and all the horrors Of Indian bru-
talities. Then she seems to have q child
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