Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-05-04

him start in his growth. His being ; little
stunted might be owing to having 70 do so much
work. And what he said about the wagon load
of butter and things like that had some effect on
So at last he said. slowly, as he looked down
ON the wistful face of the boy: Well. Andy, 1
don't know why you couldn' Z 60. II your mother
show YOU Something or other of the world .
Andy's face lit up with delight, and he cried:
''I'n go and ask mother right away She'll let
when Mr.. Sinclair went into the house a few
minutes later his wife was sitting by the window
with the baby in her arms, ard andy was stand.
ing at her side. Whc1 she saw her husband
come into the room, Mrs. Sinclair looked at him
and said:
can gel along wi thout him, and guess it won t
do him any harm. He's just set his head on go
ing with you.''
That was a happy moment for Andy. He
could do nothing after that but talk and plan
and fuss about getting ready for the great jour
ney from his father farm in Illinois, nine hun
dred miles across the plains, with tram OF
provision wagons to carry supplies to the min
ers in the Rockies. He was to drive team with
Dozy and Silver.
tiful May morning in 1864 he was mounted on his
seat in the wagon, as the train OF eleven COW
cred wagons started from his fathers door. HIS
mother and the children stood there TO see MN
"Good-by, sadiel aood-by, sami Good
by, mOtheri" Andy was as PFouSd aS as turkey
growing in his mothers arms, then took of his
cap.
''Hurrah for the RockiesP' he cried.
"Ii you get any gold, Just bring some home, I"
Winnie stood looking at her big brother in a
fearful way as he drove Oh IN great style. Mrs
Sinclair smiled at him through her tears as she
murmered, "Good luck to you, Andy, dear
She stood and watched the line of white, COW
cred wagons as they filed down the road, and
then turned back and went into the house. She
felt little sad over this departure of her hus-
band and her eldest born. and thought gladly
that 1t was the last trip over the plains that the
farmer would make.
She never thought of complaining against her
woman's lot of having to wait at home and
work and endure the absence OF the men folk,
who were off getting what was needed to pay
the bills. Blu: She felt it just the same.
Slowly the Sinclair wagon train lourneyed to
Iowa, across the Missouri. and then on and on
to broad but shallow Platte. The spring was ad-
vancing, the trees were in full lear game plentl-
full and grass abundant Twenty-Five to thirty
miles were steadily made every day except sun
day, when the teams were allowed to rest all
day, and the teamsters did their washing, mend
ing and cooking.
It was Andy who one morning saw. something
very unusual among the distant hills.
30, Martini he gaid, do Just see what
tremendous drove of cattle.'' Martin cast =
glance in the direction indicated.
"Humpl" he said. .'if so be them's cattle,
they're cattle as nobody owns. Them buffalo,
sonny
1t was true There they were, scattered over
the rolling ground as lar as the eye could redcny
thousands and thousands of them. From that
time the camp well supplied with buffalo
meat, and many juicy steak was broiled over
the camp fires. Indian hunters were seen al
most daily but they were always friendly.
During these beautiful spring days something
was transporting almost in the shadow OF the
Rocky mountains, far in the westward. in the
valley of the South Platte, that BODIED no good
to the settlers, the Stage lines and wagon trains
In certain fertile bottom, favored with abund-
ant game, water, grass and timber, were en-
camped nearly 1000 Cheyenne and Arapahoe In
dians. Their property consisted almost entirely
of ponies, of which they had some 5000. The
Indians were on the best of terms with the set
tiers, gladly supplying fine fat antelopes for
cup of sugar or other trite. II the herds OF
ponies trespassed upon grass that any ranchman
had intended for his own use, motion OF the
hand was sufficient to cause the Indians to
quickly drive them away.
The relations between the whites and Indians
were as good they could possibly be until
some foolish person went to the nearest govern
ment post and said that the Indians were dis
turbing them. So, about shutdown one day, a
squad of men came with a brass six-pounder
and fired it off to scare them away. The next
morning every Indian and pony was gone, and
then the Indian troubles began.
Meantime Sinclairs wagon train was slowly
creeping up the Plat valley.
One evening camp was made at the foot of q
rather high ridge. The night had passed quietly.
The sun had risen; breakfast had been eaten;
the night guards had been called in long since.
Everyone was busy Harvesting teams, when
down over the ridge came forty or fifty Indians
riding pell nell on their ninble mustangs. A
glance showed that they were 1narmed. They
ca lied out in their usual friendly manner . How!
Howl'' to which the whites responded cheer
fully.
some on the other. Then in an instant bows
and arrows which had previously been concealed
under the blankets were whipped out, and before
resistance could be Thought OF the white men
were pierced with arrows. Andy hid in a clump
This dreadful massacre having been accom-
plished, everything of any value was taken.