New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-08
SPECIFIES ON THE OVERLAND
TRAIL.

,nute If The old overland rail. camped one night In
dhe cage Oi Iook forth over broad, open plain
II was already after shutdown. Inc E s nor
picketed and having yirb nv gun had brought
down an hour or earlier. dlsposeu us i Len
night and as the stars IL S saRG Su' 10y '
coIoT,ao 1Sbaby in the small hours OF night that
aW0ke ana rose TO sky With not feather of cloud
in her course and every object sood ior'n d. ''"''
B n int was not for me contemplate in auietde
the rare beauty OF the night In almost 1 oe soWy
ment Of consciousness stsncs II was one Of those
familiar IN the early days of overland travel 10 Cai
II was approaching almost directly toward me- ana
gd h tsveIl1c thus and so late at night could
NOT Imagine. The movement was heavy, a. II li i
horses were jadcd and the man who Waihcd ny their
soT ns1 Minutes passed the vehicle approaching
nearer ana ness from me it suddenly stopped. and
The man looking about seemed 10 oe cons'ucrhs inc
WISDOM b Gi nont suddenly realized that the approach
of the wagon had been utterly nois Iess MOI Ghuck
Of the wheel h3 hrtbeTmorc there was no in.
dcation that lad been discovered although should a
NAH n%, This meant was dreaming No. was never
more awake Was this hallncinatonf No, for the
40 Who had been arussl by my movement In
aWskcniTg now turned his head in tho direction OF
the new arrival, and uttered low growi laid my
hand on him 10 keep him quiet.
The man now stood by the forward wheel looking In
AZ The opening OF the canvas top, and though hearu
M voice Imagined that he speaking 10 some one
Within 4 woman's head appeared, and after glance
around gave nod of assent and the man proceeded
Then after a moment in which he seemed 10 be
anxousIy surveying the trail over which they had
And now their movements greatly puzzled me
walking 10 and fro, they seemed to be searching for
some particular spot of ground; AS said above,
had selected my camping ground In the outer edge Of
the forest They were moving about therefore amid
was visible. Finally the woman pointed
to a space between two young trees and
the rear end OF the wagon and brought forth spade
With the edge of this implement he married on
to dig All this lot IL be remembered was In alb
solute silence Here were apparently living oel9 9es
actively engaged. and not moro ,than hundred icet
away and yet sound was borne TO me on Inc
Here was a contradiction Of common sense! c0ild
not believe that what saw was real; these beings ,n
the dog. as alert as T. and trembling with an impulse
to investigate whllc obedenl to my hand OF restrai
being CO. some five feet OF depth was soon reached
and then the man threw ont the spade upon me
ground. The woman, meanwhile had been biich arS
branches Of evergreen. bringing them IN armulS ana
throwing them beside" the grave | thought ana ana
now with the utmost care and patience. inc WOE noe
cavity was lined with these spgs OF evergreen hcn
in place by wigs thrust into the banks on either se
This done. the sprang out. Inc TWO surveyor
their work for moment, and then. after gazing once
more If in anxiety over the route py which my ~
the canvas on one side they lifted out small mat,
tress depOSiting IL upon blanket Whlch they nan
TITS mat mattress was not without its burden. The
beams Of the fun moon enabled me 10 Fad ecare
lived out three years. The pretty whne
hands were folded over the breaSt, L ThS
face which could with astonishing clearness
was wonderfully beautiful in its aspect OF Innocence
and bore lfeke smile, as If in answer 10 mo faian
queen Of the sky who seemed 10 be smiling, TOO. as
She looked steadfasty down upon the living and the
dead. ,
The mother forthwith proceeded TO arrange the
spreads upon the child. tucking them and smoothing
bed although while I heard no sob nor any expires
Of grief could see that her breast was heavinc
with sorrow and her face was visited by tears. ,
The two now knelt either Side. kissing Their
darling many times, and weeping over her though
mutual wrctchednoss, II pechance there might come
IN their hearts calm Ike that with which the moon
sti sending down her beams to lilnine the tear
Then laying hold Of the blanket they carried their
darling the grave and by the aid of the brdlerelns
Jet the precious burden down into the place which they
had carefully prepared Green boughs weG scat
tered her until they covered The beautiful form
many inches deep, and thcn the clods were gently
replaced, and a little mound was heapei ana thc
child transferred from her mothers bosom sleeping
az last In the bosom Of that greater mOther-Earth
The two sad mouncrs knclt again beside The grav''
and seemed to be engaged In prayer lining heir iac's
now and then the sky, as II In It's Infinite clear
depths they tho future hopes
awakened I'm the keeneSt interest and sympathy
But my. attention was now suddenly diverted I, TO ~,
line of figures in the distance, somewhat Deyond Ine
spot where l had seen the wagon when ! first awokf
These hOrScmcn, who came sweeping on AT a
rapid pace II engaged In eager pursuit. From the
manner I'm which they rode knew they were Indians.
All saw II all now. and understood why these spec
in the direction from which they had approached.
These pilgrims across the plains had seen signs OF
sevages. and had used the night TO push on beyond
their reach, If happy they might bury their dead in
peace and fnd safety FOR themScNcS' But INC foe
had discovered their trail and followed them, bent on
massacre.
edge of my blanket that might join I'm the defence.
and was about 10 cry out I'm warning OF the danger
hpt I saw approaching but Instantly behoughr my
self that this was lnreaiy, mere vision, calm.
for practical action, and | might better let these
shadows work out their tragedy to the
acated whether because he what / was seeing
or out of sympathy with my emotion-I know not
The two at the grave seemed unconscious Of the
threatened danger until their enemies were within
The woman also 10 her feet. They turned towarl tho
wagon, as If 10 gain its shelter and secure weapons
for defence. II was too late. saw flashes OF fire
and also flight Of arrows. sim without sound how
ever. to break the calm of the night
They stopped and turned face to face throwing their
arms about each other az il realizing that this was
their last embrace Another Volev, and still clineing
10 each other in the agony Of death, they fell together
upon the grave of their child
Then catching the horses and Harvesting them into
The wagon they fastened away: a. though themselves
iu fear Of pursuit. ! watched them until they dis
appeared and then was alone with my thoughts and
the brilliant night
! realized that | had seen a vision. and though I
tuned myself resOlutely to rest my sleep for the
remainder Of the night was ntfn and disturbed
when finally I awakened again. the sun had risen
and under the Influence Of that great dispoller OF
Illusions. and in spite Of the viv dnes OF the nights
cyperonce / began 10 think that after all | might
have been only dreaming: especially when I SAW
that the space WHORE ] had seen the burial and IN,
tragedy thai followed not open and clear, BIZ
overgrown with brush and young tres.
Nevertheless, yielding 10 curiosity Of which !
was meanwhile almost ashamed. | soon made nv yay
into the bushes. Parting these with my hands as
went forward and scanning the grand
closely, ] shortly experienced shocl oil
surprise For there In tho exact spot marked Il the