Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-18
OUR YOUTHS DEPARTMENT.
EDITED By Francis HoDGsoN BURNETT

columns. for there may be shallow ravines to
cross before We get there. ''Bill'' and the Paw
nees cover the front, the latter wildly excited
| impede them in the fight keep we'll to the
! right, shouts the colonel to the chief Of fA''
troop. Dash around the village and capture
to the troop on the eastern flank, ''Pass around
and head them off on that side.'' Every bit is
foamIng now; Every carbine is grssped and
advanced. The officers have drawn their re-
volvers and now they twirl the cylinders to see
that all works well. Now the ground dips lit
tie and we lose sight of the distant slopes.
Now we are trotting up the gentle rise ahead.
Inc colonel looks back and shouts something
that the breeze seems to catch and carry away,
llne-gallop! are the prompt orders of the
captains. Up came the rearmost horses plung-
ing INTO Their new places and now in long line OF
dust covered blue. the battalion sweeps south.
ward to the attack. Every man knows well that
the village can not now be more than a mile
away few more yards and the pony heads
come into view: And now. Look! We are
seen! Riding like mad, swift q storm,
straight as hawk an Indian lashes his racer
across our front. We can see that he is yell
ing wild warning, but the wind-whistling
down from the mountains to the west, bears
his voice away Not an instant to lose now.
Look! Bill has reached the edge. He swings
his broad brimmed hat and gTasps his rifle.
Look! The colonel spurs to his side and turns
with one joyous wave of his hand. The trum-
peter digs spurs to his horses TANKS and raises
his brazen clarion to his lips. No one hears the
call NO one waits 10 hear It. Every man
knows and knows well that it means charge.
''Charge!' "C-h-a-a-r-g-e!' shout the troop
leaders, Come on. menl Hurrahp' is the
answering yell-and in instant we are
bursting after the chief and the scouts-racing
like mad down the long prairie grade beyond
the ridge am. there-nestling all along the shall
low dip-sheltered am ong the will ows at the
springs or spreading up and down the trickling
brook are scores of smoke stained tepees-the
lodges of the Sioux.
Crashi crashl bangi hurrah, Heavens! what
Wild thrill of exultatior there comes with it
all. Bang bang, crack. crack! go rife and re-
Volver. Thunder go the hoofs. With shrek
and yell squaws and braves come slashing their
way out OF the lodges, while others. after one
startled, terrified glance at the coming foe, dive
again within the friendly shelter and burrow
under robe or blanket. In the center OF the viii
lage the warning herder and the foremost troop
ers meet lace to face and down he goes, blowing
up the dust, to be trampled by the myriad hoofs
That come laundering after. eight and left our
horsemen dash, their cheers and rallying shouts
ringing with their carbines on the breeze. Ont
TO the south and west their comrades are
rounding up the great herds of startled
PONIES. Down winding ravine to the east
scores OF Indians are scurrying away. pursued by
the troopers of the left flank company. Here
and there in The struggling township fierce hand
to-hand fights are going on, but most of the In
dlans VINO are unable to escape throw down their
ing children are driven tog ether in the center of
the village, and while the fleeing
warriors are followed and fought
oy dozens OF the soldiery, quick search is made
for the captive women. Alas! True to their
savage custom the Indians have striven to re-
dead. The other still lives to tell her dreadful
story. But Tall Bull and fifty of his braves
have paid the penalty with their lives, and the
richest village on the plains is ours.