The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-12-18


over to the huts.
"Pitty vell," was what Tads would
grunt to me every day when he came
shyly into the Office and greeted him
with friendly "How-de-do2" Then he
would shrug his shoulders in a way that
wrinkled the three KS into such be-
wildeling folds that you could not have
read them unless you had known what
they were beforehand.
One day while he was meandering
about the place, grU, ting quietly to him
self, he upset one of NY battery j.rs.
"Tads, cried an rily, for the deserts
breath was hot upon me and was irri-
tating enough, let alone spilled vitriol,
you're little beastl Skip out of here,
or I'll take a stick to youi"
Then arose a great howl from Tads,
and he kept on bowling until an Apache
woman came over the sands from wick.
iups and gathered him up in her arms
She was his mother. She eyed me sus-
piciously and walked away with hei
highly demonstrative burden.
Of course regretted my hot language
and wanted the little beggar back again.
1t was SO lonely there on the desert. The
wires walled SO heart brokenly, while the
sun beat down SO tiercely in the day time,
and the coyotes yelled so dolefully at
night. How he hal crept into my heart,
to be surel
1t was several days before we were on
satisfactory terms again. Tads wanted
to be white man. He wanted to make
"talk marks" on "pupper" with a feather
i sometimes used quill pen, be it re-
marked-and he wanted to speak with
his finger. Well, did manage to teach
him few letters from railroad poster,
and he learned to drawl out "T-a-d-sn in
a droll way. With perseverance, that
was really startling, I Iafterward took him
in an uncertain way through a page or
two of Can You See the Fat Ok" "and
90 on, wherefore his heart was glad.
"Tll be white mans, heap sure, " he de-
clared in his bullfrog voice, after he had
accomplished this wonderful feat.
Great distress reached Tad's soul on the
fatal day when the wickiups were taken
down and the tribe mounted their mus
tangs to go over the hills Apaches had
to search all over tile station to find Tads.
At last they hauled him forth from under
my bunk, screaming like mad. OF no
avail were his screams; of no avail were
his cry, "Me yanter to stay wild him me
yanter be w'ite ma..si"
Apache papas are unbending and
Apache mammss are inexorable. AWAY
they whisked Tads leaving behind hin.
tenderfoot with queer feeling in his
throat.
well, the boy has the instincts of y
white man." / said, for was proud OF
what fancied ! had made of him. "and
he'll be shining light among those
devilish people of his. If we had few
more like him to put among them, the
Apache question would settle itself, and
we could set our soldiers to hoeing corn
Then l took up the restless life of a CITY
man, and big and busy railroad Office
claimed good share of my attention for
the next 10 years. Yes, it was fully
that long before / again set foot upon the
desert. Our train stopped at the old
station. How the pepper tree had grown,
to be sure! In its shade sat a cavalry
sergeant with half dozen of his men
about him, and in their midst were thre,
Indian prisoners who were being taken t.
the fort to be shot.
They were fierce looking fellows, those
three savages. There was one, the young
est. who was perfect demon, the soldier,
said.
Killed three women and two babies
down at Mustang Wash last Tuesday.
SAID the sergeant to me, Just after on,
Of them had given him his breakfast, too
de Is young one. not more than II, !
should say, but he's the worst red devil
ever saw"
Gazing at the boy captive, strange
feeling stole over me. The stolid fac,
was oddly familiar.
His name? Blessed if know" said
the sergeant; what do you call yourself
young one?" he asked, giving him no.
too delicate poke with the toe of his boot,
Me? Why my names Tads!" grunted
the boy.
Talks pretty good English for wild
devil who has been over the Mexican
border SO long, doesn't her" asked the
sergeant, turning to me.
But said nothing.