Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-02-11

'IN ~
knew how felt had been all along
there himself, He Informed me tina.
if l wished to be respected, to Kill {
man 10 and then, No man amount,
cd 10 any thing unless he killed hi,
man on the FIRST Friday of eyerymonth.
He concluded by borrowing Il dollar.
Being offered a situation with a
wagon train about To start versus the
plains by the Great Santa Fe trail to
New Mexico, | accepted As | was a
tendcrfoot, my wages must necessarily
be small, the agent Informed me, but
concluded arrangements by u guarau-
tee OF S15 per month, and Il free burial
should any accidents occur while in
the service, With this cheerful infor-
nation took my position.
Every thingprogreSscd paaceably I'M.
til about n hundred and ninety miles
out, when "A member of our advance
guard came ~galloping into camp in
great haste. At the first sight of the
returning scout, every man turned out
with his rifle, ready for business. The
wagonmas,cr was an old frouticrsman,
and had many times faced death with
the same quiet resignation as you or |
would a plate of turnip greens, ye-~
check blanchcd when he behold the
excited features of the incoming guard.
lnstinctivcly lie grasp his rifle more
firmly in hi, hands.
whats the mattcr;?" he asked, in a
l%ioarse. stage whisper.
"B-hoys, UNI outcn tcrbackcr,," was
the reply,
The wagonmastcr promptly shot the
advance, and commissioned me to take
his place, and return to the other BOYS
I with the required weed. With many
misgiyings | complied. but as my
motion seemed too slow forhis worship.
he shot a hole through my hat. |
hurried off without raising any dis
turbance with him for his familiarity.
for knew that if | should get mixed
mp with the entire troop, somebody
would yet hurt. | also feared that |
would never draw my wages, further
than the free burial promise, spared
no time in getting out Of the reach OF
the AMSTERDAM BeIden's-rcyohcr,
and catching up with the remnant Of
the guard.
Here | received a hearty welcome,
and when had informed them Of the
action OF Dan Beldcn concerning their
comradc' they decided to 20 back and
clean out the camp, Accordingly we
rode back TO where the train had
pulled up for the night, arriving at
about two a. m.
Recognizing that | was a new hand
at the business, Bill Cole, captain of
the guard, selected me to hold the
horses, while he and his four comradr,
should fall, all spread out, upon the
m,uspectlng camp and massacre it as
it slept,
In five minutes every thing seemed
awake. The bullets playfully whistlcd
over my head in a most astonishing
manner, but | got behind a horse and
bravely stood my ground, | resolved
to die a hero, at least, if a bullet found
its way through the horse.
In half an hour the bclligcrents re-
turned. Bill Cole playfully displayed
twelve human ear, strung to a wire,
explaining as he did 50, in his own
simple manner;
''Thlsh'crs what comes Of some
folkSes durnid sm]artncs,.'
The attacking party had cleared ont
the t~yraunicll element with but trivial
loss. Bill lost his right eve. three fin
gers and a pound Of flesh from his rioLt
thigh. Jake Summers lost one.b,lf If
his scalp, the tin of one ear, and Womb
have sustained a further loss Of six
teeth had he not swallowed ,hom drr.
inc the excitement. Dan Mace last -,
eve and an ear: Coon Smith four fin rar,
and the fin Of his nose vbilo r.,
Searle lost a quart Of whisky Tho Lot.
tie hayino bacn hr,knn ,Inrinu ,Lo
skirmi.h. All upit.d and used
resolution of symnatbv for Soorlo IN
hi, -,I l,