Dodge City times., 1888-01-05
THE CAPTAINS PLEDGE.

-Anna {. Fritsch. in Yankee Blade
THE CAPTAINS PLEDGE.
How the Poet Scout Kept q Promise
Never to Drink-A Pathetic Mountain
scene-BiN Reeds Novel Signature.
''ln the campaign against Sitting Bull
in 1876, l was appointed Chief Of
Scouts, to succeed Mr.. Cody. Buffalo
Bill, he having resigned. Returning
one evening after two days scout my
horse became lame. 1 determined tc
turn him loose and push ahead on foot.
] had halted to remove the saddle and
bride, when the sound of song and
laughter reached me from further down
the canyon.
"''Tis the command muscd. 'and
it is not far distant. Brace up Chief,
noble old fellow, and we will soon be
where you can secure food and rest
II soon came in sight of large camp
fire, in the ruddy light of which were
grouped a number of scouts and pack
ers-rough. grizzly old frontiersmen
whose lives had been spent on the
borders of civilization. As drew near
the spot they were singing border
song, the notes of which echoed and
re-echoed through the great rock
ribbed gulch in weird and almost un-
earthly reverbations.
1.-The boys welcomed me warmly.
and soon learned that the command
was a couple of miles below at the
mouth of the canyon; that these boys
had secured jug of whisky in some
way and had made their present camp
away from the troops to have good
time rnmolested. The jug was fire.
quently passed around, and fun and
laughter reigned supreme.
"'Now. Captain Jack, said they, as
approached, you must fill up with
us on this tarantular juice. We cum
up var fur jamboree, an we're
havin' it in wild West style. Flood yer
innaris, Cap'n, an take hand in the
festivities.
"'No, thank you, boys l said, 4
never drink This respone was greet
ed with loud laughter, as if it were the
best joke of the season. The man
who held the jug approached and said:
That's all right. Cap'n, but on
special 'casions such as this every body
must drink. Let us have a good time
while we kin, for on sich an expedi-
ton as this we don't know when We'll
run into Injuns an leave our unoccu-
pied bodies a-layin' sort O. unconcerned
like among the sage brush in state O.
bald-headed inactivity; so let's make
all we kin O life while it stays with us.
Fasten yer claws on the jug, OIL boy,
an down with the rejuvenatin' fluid
81 took the protfered jug and set it
down on pine stump near my side,
and then said:
"'Boys, l always like to do my
share toward helping out in camp
festivities, but l prefer to do it in my
own way. Before drink with you, l
want to tell you little story.
81 well remember when l was a
little barefoOted, mischievous young
ster at my home in Minersville, in the
coal region of Pennsylvania. My home
was happy one. My father was kind
and indulgent and esteemed by all who
knew him. and was never so happy as
when sitting at home in the evening
with his little ones grouped about him
listening to his entertaining stories.
We loved him dearly and thought
there never was such another father in
all the great wide world. My mother
was a sweet, gentle creature, for
whom our alteration almost verged
into worship. She was bound up in
her children and they in her-bound
with the purest aud brightest links
ever forged for the golden chain of
love. The dove of peace rested upon
our happy home and cooed its sweetest
melodies.
When / grew to be quite chunk
of boy l had noticed gradual but
marked change in my fathers appear
ance and actions. His clothes grew
seedy, his face became flushed and he
would act strangely when he came into
the house. Mother would kindly but
sorrowfully get him to bed, and l often
noticed tears in her eyes when she
came from the bedroom. In response
to my boyish inquiries rs to what
grieved her, she would only say that
father was not we'll and the subject
would drop. He seemed to neglect his
home and nevermore took pleasure in
entertaining us as he once did. In
stead of taking delight in being with
us in the evening. he would remain
away until late hour, and if l hap
pened to be awake when he returned l
noticed that he staggered so that
mother was always obliged to help him
TO bed. did not know it then, but
when l grew older realized that the
demon rum had fastened its relentless
claws ON that once noble man and was
dragging him down. down, down,
day by day, into the depth of hell upon
earth. His children grew ragged, and
were by him entirely neglected. He
nevermore deigned to fondle and
caress us or speak kindly to lis. and
while the children of our neighbors
were attending school and securing an
education we were growing up as ig-
norant o; A B C as an Indian is of
Christian rectitude We felt that our
father was lost to us, and our young
hearts ached with grief
When the war broke out in 81 my
father was one Of the first to go to the
'front.' and two years later. much
against the wishes of nv darling