Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-09-12
A RIDE FOR LIFE.
A wOMAN'S DEVOTION "SADDEST OF ALL
is LOVING"
The Story Of The Colorado RanehsFs Wit-Th'
Ranch in the VaTsy-Fhs WSrning-A
Woman's Pahsnes-fhs Terrible
flight

things which could not but impress me,
and il was with something more than ordi-
nary interest. therefore, that | listened q
few moments later to his story, rs told by
the friend who had introduced us. As
nearly as possible l give it in his words:
need not consume time, he said, detail
;pg all the circumstances which caused Al
bert Harrington and his wife removed TO
Colorado. lmpatience with the slow
methods of mOneymaking in the East,
combined with a longing for that freedom
faom the strict cOnventiOnalitieS prevailing
there which the West seemed to promise.
were probably the chief causes, and the
voupG wife. who, if the truth had been
sDoken. would have preferred to remain
NOR amopg her own and her husbands
EinSGnIks nj home, was too c~OnsideHte OF
his ~inclinatiOuS to interpOse any objection.
40 the removal was made, and a lew short
weeks after bidding adleu TO New England
the couple found themselves settled and nj
upon a cattle range in Colorado.
Their feelings from the first partOOk only
of unmixed satisfaction. II is true their
surroundings were Of the rudeSt, their resi-
denee. while large, rOOmy and not lneon-
yenient. being built in T u cabin fashion,
rock. sod and hewn logs all entering into
its composition; but they were unusually
fortunate in choosing a range, that Whleh
they had acquired seeming TO promise, and
70 indeed. il proved in the end, To be all
that could be desired. Albert, with his
own natural business shrewdneSS ana the
friendly advice of n chance acquaintance
who had taken 4 sudden fancy to the new
romer. had also invested his capital well,
and when himself and his wife, after be-
coming something like settled in their new
home. rode out together on horseback one
day and saw their / sleek and well-teeo
herds ranging over their newly acquired
domains, both felt that they had indeed
done wisely in removing TO the West
But. after all, / am wasting too much
time, perhaps, in these preliminarles, 81
let me hurry On.
They had, OF course, not come to the
West without hearing alarming stories
about the Indians, but they had also heard
sufficient of 4 contrary character to preveni
them feeling anyway alarmed In tine mat
ter. And indeed the confidence they had
felt seemed justified for = time, for months
passed by, and though the dOings ofGer'
onimO and his cutthrOatS in other parts 81
the country were rs well known to them
rs To other residents, yet the trouble
seemed always a long way of, and no Zeal
whatever was felt in their neighhorhOOd.
By this term | include an area fifty miles
suuare or so. for neighbOrhOOdS are large
in this country. But the end Of il all came
ut last.
HarringtOn's range, together with q
number OF Others, lay on both sides Of i
shallow watercourse. from which the land
sloped gradually up on both sides into
ranges OF hills, and one morning two
mounted messengers, unkept and hagglrd,
their horses hot with foam, tore down the
valley from ranch 10 ranch, everywhere
giving the same grim warming, The
ApacheS are out. Ride in 1t once
''Ridein," meant To flee with all possible
speed 10 the nearest town or station, where
a defense could BE- made. which in this In
stance was n little hamlet lying away down
AT the lower eud of the valley near the
line of the railroad. Startling and uneN-
pected rs the news was, no n cared IL
await its confirmation. but rs quickly a.
they received it haSty preparations were
made and the settlers left their homes and
the larger part of their household goods
with scarcely a parting glance, the ranchei
caring nothing that his tlOckS and herds,
representing perhaps the accumulation Of
lifetime, would in all probability Don bt
lost to him forever, but praying only that
time might be given him to place his wife
and his children in safety. AsI have salt
all hurried away-all except the Harring
tons. And why? Simply because Albert
had ridden into the hills back OF his ranch
to make an examination Of some OutCrOp-
ming lodges of rock which had been reported
to him rs apparently gOld-bearing and he
had not yet returned. Mary absolutely
refused to stir without him. The iamilie,
IN the upper valley, all OF whom she knew,
came hurrying by. but all paused in aston
ishment upon discovering that the ranch
was vet inhabited. Imminent ~ all the
hying rancherS selt the peril TO be, not 5
party went by without spending many
moments, precious indeed rs they felt them
to be. in urging the brave little woman t.
ioin them and seek safety in flight. II
was urged that her husband had perhaps
already been driven into the station; that
even if he had not, and should yet return
to the ranch. a brief note left behind would
inform him of her safety, and he would
then be7able 10 flee all the more swiftly /
alone. Other arguments, cruel but meant
only in kindness and good will, were useC
when milder ones failed. 1t WAS repreSen
ted that her husband might have already
have been captured or killed, and that i
was her duty TO look after herself. All o
no use.
Il will not stir" she said. IF werC
away and he here, do You think he would
90 without me? No. Until he comes bacl
or until | hear that he is alive and safe, Of
until know that he is dead, | will no
60"
Nothing could move her, and these men
all of whom had their own wives and fam
lilies to look after, one by one rode on, tn
women CRYING and Sobbing, and many o
them begging that they might stay will
the lone wife, who cared not to save he
own life while unaSsured Of her husband!
safety. Finally, the last one had gone
and now she was indeed alone. Their
were herderS belonging to the ranch, o
course, but they were all away from tn,
mouse lGu AC 1AaAA III I'M bNNA SAhNAf yin
not one had returned to it afterward
Picture to yourself, if you can, that bray,
woman's situation. Miles down the vale,
she saw the last of her neighbOrs paSsin!
every moment further and further away
In no direction could q human being b,
seen. But there were Others about sh,
knew, and every moment she expected {,
hear the savage war cry that should tel
that death was near. If Albert would .Only
come! She had saddled the two esthOrses
and had them picketed ut the door. He
husband was mounted. she knew, but hi
horse would probably be fatigued, and
fresh one would be better should speed b
necessary. And while she had calmly pu
BY all thought of escape without him, sh,
was no weak enough to fail in taking ever,
%precautiOn which should tend to secure tn
safety of both. But if he would only come
Hours went by while she kept her lonely
watch, and still no sign of interruption
She began to hope that after all it had beer
but a false alarm. If so, Albert nigh
have time to return in safety. Perhap
the neighbOrs might have already heard a
the station that their fears were uncalleC
for, and might soon be coming back
Un,l1nrf fhay faal f,olisb IN NaSSiprr ha,