Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-12-20

myself that he had a reasonable incentive for his speed. | had not the least idea in what direction we were going; when I opened my eyes, for 1 kept them shut tight for most part of the way-the punches of Sacaton grass, prickly pear plants, cresote bushes and mesquite trees seemed to run by with such fearful velocity that I was afraid of becoming dizzy and falling off After some time which appeared to me to be abo1t SIX hours, though in reality 1t was barely five minutes or less, l heard the neighng ot several horses. and presently Strawberry came to a sudden stop, whereupon 1 rolled off We had joined the herd, the object of my visit.
 The herders came running around me, turned me over and over, felt of me and questioned me in the bel ief a first that had been ambushed by Apaches on the way and seriously wounded. No wonder T felt very shalxy about the legs; my tongue clove to the roof of my mouth as if glued there and I suppose that my complexion had assumed that grey green ish-white hue which generally indicates that the heart and brain are under the ln huence of some sudden fear-inspiring ac- tion.
 A hearty drink of cold water and a lit tle rest brought me around quite soon and 1 explained the matter. Now if these cavalrymen and Mexicans had all started ill a good hearty laugh l should probably have joined them myself, ai- though the joke was certainly on me: but they sniffled and giggled and chuckled in such a mean, half-hidden way that 1t made me feel very bitter. l ordered them to unsaddle Strawberry, who immediate ly began to feast upon the luxurious and nutritious grass which was growing in those sectoLs at all seasons in great abun- dance thereabout. Then ! looked about me for a mount to return on. There were amongst the herd some six "old plugs that had been condemned by the inspection officer but not been dis posed of From these l selected an old veteran who may have slnelled powder in Moline del Key for all l knew; he was lame on the left foreleg, had a large bump or boil or carbuncle or something on the right hind leg; furthermore he was blind of one eye and in short, taken altogether he was far. very far, from having pre- possessing appearance. He went by the name of Blind Tom" When l ordered the saddle put on him the corporal of the herd approached (the rascal was chuck ling all over yet, inwardly, and grinnlng outwardly) and remarked:
 You are not going to ride him, sureiy:'
 Why not| snapped J.
 "Because, sir, he is dangerous
 What do you mean, by dangerous?'
 lie may, nay, he will lie down with you.r
 "Very good, let himr'
 With this l mounted Blind Tom, at 1 ko,,.lnI f1 4l,o eaD ti,,nl and ctartad for 10 post This trip was the exact counter ' part of the one on Strawberry. The old 1 veteran had indeed frequent inclinations 1 towards spreading himself on the ground, 1 but as he gave due notice thereof by com ! ing to q halt and assuming musing at 1 titude, found means to CircumYent him i by the frequent use of the point Of my ! toad sticker At all events he brought me safely home after picking up my car | on the way. When 1 approached the cavalry stable l saw Grew surrounded by l a small crowd of his men standing ready l to receive me. At first he feigned or tried
 to feign astonishment; but the all-arOund grin was too plain an evidence that they 1 one and all had not expected me to return
 on trawherry; and when Grew, no longer
 my friend Grew for some time. asked me
 for his horse or his whereabouts, his
 wrinkled india rubber face wore such ( ] hideanl. diaholic grin that l could not re-
 frain from hiSsing at him tCfI.i3 tilI5;
 though it was) with a whitening look
 "D-m you and Strawberrym
 Although l am not yet through witt
 my Christmas luck I shall first finish the
 outcome of my ride before 1 relate the
 second adventure.
 ] soon perceived that I would never
 hear the last of my unlUcky first adven
 ture on horseback. Tine herders had, ot
 course, probably with much eXaggeratior
 as to appearance, etc, related the manne
 of my arrival at the herd, while my return
 on the dilapidated Rosinanti had beer
 witnessed by about the whole garrison
 As 1 could not possibly fight whQlt
 company of sneering and limiting cavalry
 men, 1 waited till the following Sunday
 after the usual inspection 1 got Grew tC
 assemble his men, whom 1 addressed a'
 follows:
 Now you men of the cavalry have {
 good joke on Us of the infantry; you havt
 it through me. We'll and good but
 think that it is time to stop. Ii you vii
 give me your word as men and soldier
 that l shall hear no more about it l shal
 give you all fine dinner, as fne as thi
 commissary holds, with a hot pune
 thrown in. ol New Years day"
 That settled it. Said dinner was know
 for years after as Blind Toms treat" Misfortunes come seldom singIy, an ol proverb says. There lived at the post on ] Barnett, a funny little bit of an Englist man; he was a member of the infantry con , pany and was every bit as mean in min as he was small in body. He was marie 3 to a rather pretty young Irish woma } who performed the duties of laundres
 for the company. 1t was well known { ? the whole garrison that owing to th . quarrelsome temper Of the man the tW ,, did not live happily together and althoug s at that time no open rupture had take g place between the two, yet 1t was Il e secret that they indulged in more or le. a serious "tiiis" in the privacy of their wal l tent As before stated the post "; r established on a but of mesa land! = bordered west upon the low groun j. through which the river flowed; on Il t east side immediately behind the soldier - tents one descended into a steep bl e shallow ravine; between the tents of u r two companies and about 20 yards di l. tant from each were the quarters of Ba a nett and wife. Barnett himself was l. | melnDGC CL Lu4 guard OH ILdb tluys Ottu V it was bitter cold and the "guard-houst l. consisted of an old "Sibley tent" part 7. rotten and torn, 1 allowed part of Il 1t guard to warm themselves in their tent q or bakery or wherever there was an o 2 portunity while not activity On dut ,r When the ten o'clock relief came in t. night I gave Barnett permission to repa d to and stay at his quarters for two houl st then 1 retired to my room and thre e myself upon the bed, of course witho ,r disarming or undressing. l felt tn t, Strawberry ride in my bones yet.
 I About Il o'clock ! heard the guard m the gate of the old carral where [ Ie cavalry horses were kept, utter a fer Ie challenge. I jumped out and found tn ct an old Frenchman named Magentie &, n two Mexicans had just then arrived up ye tue Santa Cruz road; they reported hagl " seen and hidden themselves fsGn, 9 pal ID of Apaches on that same afternoon q K maintained that these Indians were tray if! ing in the direction of our post. In VI ne of the fact that short time before nu | Der of raw-hides had been stolen from sy very roofs of our grain-rooms l report d. the matter to the commanding officer. eft ordered me to take Marigildo, guide, a 1t- six men of the guard and to patrol de ravines and gullies around the post q he to search the bushes along the ri' !, I Marigildo was sick with pneumonia; li- we started without him As we "