The Grenada gazette., 1888-02-25

blanket after the manner of the coun.
try. Before | had dropped off to sleep
| heard the CHEEKY voice of Bill Cole:
"Young feller! Young feller!'
"Sir?" inquired, timidly.
Just call me Bill, young feller-
plain Bill. wy. as l was goin' ter
say, ef you feels suthin' a-crawlin'
acrost ye tonight, AS feels as ef it had
thousan laigs, and each laig was a
red-hot coal Of fire, wy them's senty-
peeds. An ef yer feels suthin' a sorter
borin' hole clean through yer carkus
like, wy them's tarantchula.- An CT
yer feels suthin' like a log layin' acrost
yer, an sorter sawin' away on its
own account, wy then1's rattul snaix."
Thanking him for this information, |
turned away, and in a few seconds
slept the sleep of the just, in spite of
the likelihood of receiving calls from
such hideous nocturnal visitors.
At about midnight l was rudely
awakened. Bill Cole never stood on
ceremony. so he merely grabbed me
by the hair and shook me few min.
utes. and cried in an undertone, "ln.
| juns!'
l awoke without further sdo. The
boys were all standing in readiness for
an assault. The moon came out from
behind cloud, and l saw in the dim
distance II small party OF Indians.
Contrary to my own anticipations !
did not volunteer to 60 out and van
quish the foe singlc-handed. had in
tended this in my youthful dreams,
that my very name should eventually
he ample protection from the wary
savage. But just at this moment felt
different. would have given my last
collar button to have been safe aboard
Missouri river steamer at that mo-
ment So when our chivalric leader,
Bill Cole, advised all hands to mount
and return to the wagon train, l was
the first on horse. My steed started
rather reluctantly at first, as he seemed
to recognize an old acquaintance among
the savagcs, but he gradually came to
and followed Bill Cole and the rest OF
the party with charming speed. But
60 as we would. our red friends gained
so rapidly on US that Bill exclaimed in
sheer desperation:
"Boys, less sell our lives es dear es
possible"
There! / had read those very words
in "Thundcr-Tom, the Terror of Taro-
tutcs" when the three old scouts
turned on defenceless little band of
four hundred Pawnees and drove them
across the mountains. Now 1 was to
see some real Indian. fighting! But in
my unsettled state of mind, I feared
that | could not enjoy the scenery as l
should, so while the other boys pre-
pared for war, and to get scalped for
their pains, l heroically volunteered to
return to camp for reinforcements, and
while the savages proceeded to shoot
Bill Cole and his companions full of
tlint-headed arrows, | returned 10
camp at my highest rate of speed l
arrived at daybreak and gave the
alarm.
After due delibcration, which lasted
until the danger must certainly be
past, and the Indians in Mexico, the
new wagonmastor, Sam Eppes, dis
patched twelve trusty rifemen to re-
turn with me and search for the re-
mains, if there We're any After ar
irving at the scene of the massacre, we
were not long in finding the remains,
which we carefully packed IN valise.
and returned to camp. The ride to
camp was very exhilerating, and it is
safe to say that the return was made in
one-tifth of the time that had been
necessary for us to reach the scene OF
battle that morning
On the following morning the re-
mains were reverently planted near a
bush. and appropriate cere-
monies conducted. which consisted in
all hands getting drunk, and waiting
for more Indians. Luckily, the whisky |
gave out in about week and the train
was again put in motion.
l lived to reach Fort Leavenworth
again, and just in time to witness
Judge Lynch's little game. The boys
didn't use the drop like they do in the
East. They merely attached the moose
end Of the rope to the victim and
launched him into eternity by throw
ing the rope over the stockade. and
the willing hands at the other end
backing off like q bay mare when it
sees brass band for the first time.
After the victim is pronounced "done
[er.' the committee on reception
throws in an accompaniment Of about
thirty loads of buckshot without any
further charges. In those good old
lays, being hung was the only luxury
lncharged for.
1t is needless to say that my return
rip on the Missouri river steamer was
. luxury. and when Brazos Pete killed
he monte man, mustered up courage
enough to ask him to take Il drink
which he did.
l have been IN the Far West many
ines since, and faced dangers more
rying by far. but have never enjoyed
hem so hugely as did that little run
I,:, |