Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-01-28
INDIANS BAFFLED.
White Man a Heap Smart-He
lTalks With Lightning"

A few fictitious names have been use,
in this sketch, but the events occurrc
substantially as narrated:
The Cheyenne Indians are n restless
turbulent race. Ever since the re-
moval Of Il portion of the tribe from
lhelr reservation in Dakota TO the In.
dIan Territory, there have been heard
almost yearly, the deep muttcrings OF
dlacontent and the ominous threaten.
lngS OF an outbreak, On one of these
occasions dark words gave place +,
murderous deeds, and the wild, half.
mcohercnt chant of the s]calp-dancc
was succeeded by the deadly raid and
the torch Of the incendiary. This was
IN the year 1876. A portion of the
band i'll the Territory, by a precon-
'cr'ed movement, stole away from THEN
reservation, cyaded the notice of the
onltco states troops, and, ere the of.
Heals became aware of their absence,
were carrying CONSERVATION and death
INTO the peaceful homes of the settler,
OF Western Kansas. They Travelled
with almost incredible speed, leaving Il
inrid trail of burning dwellings. and
were half way across the State before
meg encountered any organized re-
siStancc.
Near the line of the Union Pacific
railway a half-cquippcd militia com.
pany' sent out hastily from Topeka,
Threw itself across their path. A sharp
contest followed, and the C]hcycnucs,
doubtless fearing they would be cut off
by troops from over the Santa Fr
abandoned their evident intention If
penetrating to Dakota, and began =
nasty retreat. They We're well mounted
and, as the militia company had no
serriceablc horses, it was impossible to
follow them. In their flight they drove
OIL The ponies of Il ranchman named
Watson; murdered Watson, his wife
and two sons, aud made captives of his
two daughters.
The inhabitants Of the little town Of
Percy, which nestled quietly in fine
biuii-protected valley of the Arkans,.
were filled with the deepest dismay
when, one pleasant afternoon, tbi,
of painted Cheyennes leaned
suddenly from the rayincs TO the
northward and dashed into the streets.
After some sharp but desultorv fight
ing, they fell back 10 the bluffs, and
The citizens Of the town took shelter
a strong adobe. Seeing this, the
Indians again advanced, and. shelter.
lng themselves behind the deserted
directed a rapid but Intellectual
against its bullet-proof walls.
B'ffled in this, they applied the torch
10 snch OF the houses as they did not
require for purposes of ~concealment,
and then began shooting burning mr..
rows ut the roof of the adobe, in the
hope of setting it on fire.
All this time the people crowded
the little structure were mn,
lille. The best marksmen amonr them
posted themselves at the small. suuare
windows, screening their persons rs
much rs possible, and, whenever
feathered head-dress appeared, Il bullet
sent in uncomfortable proximity
to 1t. Among the inmates of the
adobe was Sydney Realf, a youth of
about seventeen, the son of a ranch
man. Young Realf had for some time
been studying telcgraphy in the Office
the railway operator at Percy, and
he had made such rapid progress that
he babe fair soon to become an expert.
At the first onslaught of the Indians
the operator had abandoned his Office.
and when the short fight ended, hur.
lied, in common with the other citi-
Of the town, to the protection Of
the adobe, utterly forgetting, in his
excitement, to telegraph for helm.
There were only two trains a day. one
way, and they had passed hours
the Indians made their appenr.
ance. The people now began TO real
the possible consequences of the
operators neglect. Cooped up in
narrow quarters, with scarcely
enough food for II family, with only
one bucket of WAGER, and surrounded
by a band of relentless and bloodthirstv
Indians. the situation could scarcely
been worse. The telegraph Office
could only be reached by penetrating
ranks of the %Chcycnnes, and this
seemed certain death TO whoever at
IL. a dash in force might
have accomplished the object, but II
would have been at the expense of
many lives.
After discussing the matter fully, It
was decided that the only thing posi-
Bile TO insure the safety of all was to
Ia the adobe and stoically en-.
f0rc the consequent hunger and thirst
until the arrival Of the Eastern bound