The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-11-20

away. In time he wore narrow trail
over to the huts.
Pity vell, was what Tads would
gruut to me every day when he came
shyly into the office and greeted him
with friendly "How-de-do?" Then he
would shrug his should ,rs in a way that
wrinkled tho three rs into such be-
wildering folds that you could not have
read them unless you had known what
they were beforehand.
One day while lie was meandering
about the place, grulting 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 you,"
Then arose 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 her
highly demonstratiye burden.
Of course regretted my hot language
and wanted the little beggar back again
1t was 80 lonely there on the desert. The
wires walled 50 heart brokenly, while the
sun beat down so 6ercely in the daytime,
and the coyotes yelled so dolefully at
night. How he hal crept into my heart,
TO be sure.
1t was several days before we were on
satisfactory terms again. Tads wanted
to be white man. lie wanted TO make
talk marks" on "pupper" with feather
Il sometimes used a quill pen. be it re-
marked-and he wanted to speak with
his finger. Well, did manage to teat Il
him few letters from railroad post, r,
and he learned to drawl out "T-a-d-s" in
a droll way. With perseverance that
was really startling, afterward took him
in an uncertain way through a page or
two of Can You See the Fat OK and
50 on, wherefore his heart was glad.
I'll 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 60 over the hills. Apaches had
to search all over the 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 mas"
Apache papas are unbending and
Apache mammas are inexorable. Away
they whisked Tads. leaving behind him
a tenderfoot with a queer feeling in his
throat.
well, the boy has the instincts of
white man." l said, for l was proud of
what fancied l had made of him, land
he'll be a 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 cavalry
sergeant with half dozen of his men
about him, and in their midst were three
Indian prisoners who were being taken to
the fort to be shot.
They were fierce looking fellows, those
three savages. There was one, the young
est. who was perfect demon, the soldiers
said.
Killed three women and two babies
down at Mustang Wash last Tuesday"
said the sergeant to me, Just after one
Of them had given him his breakfast, too.
lie is young one, not more than II.
should say, but he's the worst red devil
ever saw"
Gazing at the boy captive, a strange
feeling stole over me. The stolid face
was oddly familiar.
His name? Blessed if know" said
the sergeant; "what do you call yourself.
young one?" he asked, giving him not
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 he?" asked the
sergeant, turning to me.
But | said nothing.