Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-01-11
A SOLDIERS SWEETHEART.

y COLDlLlN - CN EE IlEAhl-
"GOOd-byl'' 1t was n madness of
farewells. The two stood looking into
one another's eyes with blanched faces.
Would he ever come bOck7 Her wide
eyes grew desOlate AS she looked at
him. Then the lashes dropped over
them and she lay motlonleSS against
his breast for second, as though the
spirit had died within her.
"Jeannette-is this the girl titted to
be a soldiers wife2 Have you no re-
gard for my honOr2" His lips quiv-
cred, but his eyes looked down upon
her proudly.
Yes" She roused herself bravely.
"Nour duty is at the front L would
not hold YOU back -
She placed her hand on the bunch of
panses at her throat; royal beauties
they We're, with great velvety hearts of
purple and gold.
''Fhey are my colors. :" she whispered.
wv Tear them, my knight, and be true
10 your lady always"
Her trembling fingers pinned them
inside his coat.
God be with you" She kept the
tears back, smiling in.his face, though
the drum-beat sounding IN the street
below seemed like a death-knell. 1t
was the signal TO start. The signal
for the volunteers, the brave men who
we're of for the Indian war-the dread
ful war that had come like a blight
upon her beautiful Western home.
"Good-by, and God bless you'll The
pans,les Will be my talIsman-
\ last look in the dreamy, lifted
eyes, and lie was away. riding down the
street with dash and a clatter into
the midst of the excited men who were
armed To the teeth, well mounted and
equipped, ready to meet on his own
battle-ground the Indian Chleftain and
his war-like band.
The most intense excitement ragged
in the mining camp. Ever since the
news had come that the old chief was
ON the warpath, and the call had been
made for volunteers to defend the
settlers on the frontier, the town had
been alive with men anxious to Obtain
the scalp of the bloodtEIrsty redskin-
Two days before the militia had been
ordered out, and Just as the sun was
illuminating the TED Outtes in the wall
lev, the strains of the martial music
sound -S sadly in tile ears of those who
had loved ones in the ranks And now
these plucky volunteers were To follow.
\ determined set they were; most of
them hardy mOuntaineers, as well
trained TO the saddle as cowboys, and
as reckless of life and limb.
Among them none was more fearless
or more brave than Ned Ashby. He
was one of the young pioneers who had
struck "a bonanza in the mines. More
than that Ito use the phIaSeology of
the mining campl, he had located
claim on the prettlest girl IN town and
located it-a stroke of good luck that
had made him more envied among the
boys than even his mining shares in the
''May Queen"
He shared the universal feeling OF all
people upon the frontier that the red
man must become civilized or go"
Too long these untamed citizens had
committed their lawless depredations
and their fendIsh outrages- The white
settlers felt that their wrongs must be
avenged. II the Government had
handled these savages with gloyed
hands, all felt assured that the State
would not. Hence this call for volun-
teers To defend the isolated ranchmer
and their families.
Jeanuette, standing at the window,
gazed with n dumb despair ut the horse
men riding down the valley. Among
them none looked so handsome or so
dashing as her own lover, he whose
warm kisses still fingered on her lips.
The tears rose slowly in her eyes as
she looked after him. The world was
SO beautiful, why should it be marred
by such a thing as WARP Her eyes
wandered away from the horsemen now
lost in a cloud of dust To the fair
mountain that hemmed her in.
1t was September in Colorado, and
the beautiful queen, Summer, was
looking backward over the mountain,
leaving her smiles on the blossoms and
the green slopes that turned to gold
and crimson as she passed.
The next three days weIe days of
suspense and almost agony TO the
patient ones left 1T home. What II the
brave little band should be ambushed,
as were IhUrnburgh's companies9
The Meeker massacre was too fresh in
the minds of all concerned for them
not To think OF the terrible fate that
might befall these courageous men,
and when news came of their safe
arrival on the Indian battle-ground
there was a rejoicing which was uni
versal.
And with the good news came letter
for Jeanette from Ned-so full OF
tenderness for her, SO full or courage
and hope for himself. lie expected to
go on a scouting expedition the next
day with Major R, dangerous
affair, but his words were full oil
bravery and enthusiasm.
She trembled little as she read, for
she knew his reckless, self-willed na'
ture, so ready to risk life and limb IN
the service of others.
Then passed many weary days and
nights in which no word came-nights
which she spent in prayer i'll the pretty
chamber overlooking the vine-shadowed
porch; nights when she looked but
upon the silent, moonlit world. its
shadowy, up-reaching mountains al
most piercing the dim stars. with a
dark foreboding of evil in her heart,
trying IN vain to still the tumult that
saveredr ----in- Outlines. it seemed