Evening journal., 1891-05-26


goner on yer she wants you somewhar
onten yer latitude, so she can't gaze at yer
bootiful figure so often.S
The next day runners came into the post
bearing news that the tribes to the north
of us were all on the wArpath burning and
pllaging everything The cavalry troop
and one infantry company mounted were
sent in hot pursuit, leaving two companies
Of infantry to guard the post. OF course
we did not anticipate trouble at the garri,
son, so we divided our time at the susiers
and by indulging in plenty Of bunk fatigue;
only few men were kept on guard, SO we
had plenty OF leisure.
just at dusk few nights following the
departure of the scouting party, one of the
boys chanced to gaze over toward Lieuten-
ant Toms Quarters. Say, fellers, come
here and see this queer bundle laying in
front of our 'loot's' quartersn Presently
the door opened and Tom stepped out on
to the porch; then the queer bundle stood
erect, and Silver Dove threw her arms
around Toms neck
'Wall, I'll be darned, fellers. That's a
rum act; right here in front of the bar.
racks, too. But what the DEVILS upH'
Tom listened to Silver Dove a moment,
then dashed across to the commanding
officers house on a gallop Harkl bugle
call The general alarm is sounding. No
time to surmise further. Each soldier
grabs his rife with belt of ammunition
and falls in. Several Gatling guns and
mountain howitzers are brought and
planted at the most prominent points. The
commanding officer has just time to sing
out:
Boys, we are surrounded on all sides,
and the Lord only knows how many red
devils there are, but don't waste your am
munitionW
Then blood curdling, piercing yell
that shall never forget rings out OH hhe
still night air; then from out Of the sur
rounding darkness 500 duslxy forms are
discernible dashing toward the garrison.
But we were prepared for the onslaught:
when the red imps of Hades arrived at fight.
ing distance, laboring under the delusion
that they had taken us by surprise, we
turned the tables, and delivered such a
calling fire from rifles, howitzer and Cat.
ling guns that they fell back in dismay-
fought us hand to hand an instant, then
retreated in disorder back to the forest, the
most surprised redskins you ever saw.
After a partial recovery from the first
shock Of the melee, and we had time to re-
gain our wits once more, glad shout rang
out over the post. "Hurrah for Silver
Dovei She has saved us from a most hor.
rible fate" But where Is the girlY Have
the red fieuds revenged themselves by kill.
ing her?
An anxious search begins Naturally
every step was directed toward Lieutenant
Toms quarters, and there we find her the
dead body Of the Indian maiden lying
prone on the porch, the ivory hilt Of a
bfrn Il 4.
breast, and the body of poor Tom, shot
through the shoulder, thrown across her,
seemingly gasping in the last throes of life.
We raised them both tenderly, then sor-
rowfully entered the quarters Silver
Dove, for love of the youngster had
warned us in time; then, traitor to her
people, and knowing that they would hunt
her till the end of time in order to be re.
venged, had gone back, probably to get a
last look at her boy lover, and there at his
threshold had deliberately taken her own
life. Poor Tom had been shot early in the
skirmish, and crawling up to the porch
found the dead body of the Indian girl
then throwing himself across her became
unconscious
The Indians had laid their plans well.
Having drawn the greater portion Of the
command to the north, they would then
attack us, and after a general massacre
liberate the chiefs who were in confinement:
then the combined tribes would wage war
against all whites in the territory.
! was sergeant Of the guard at the time
Of the shirmish Just previous to the at
tack the head chief was out taking an air
ing under the eye of a sentinel. He looked
wicked, so l warned the sentry to beware
Presently heard a pistol shot, and run.
ming out found that the alert and vigilant
sentry had run a trowel bayonet clean
through the old chief. BY some unknown
means the Indian had obtained the pistol
and his shooting the sentinel was to be the
signal for attack, but the poor marksman-
snip displayed resulted in his own dearh
and the sentry received only slight hes
wound. After this fight and the death Of
their most noted chief the Indians never
troubled us again.
The next day we buried the sixty Indians
killed in the fight all in one hole near the
outskirts OF the reservation. Then all the
boys pitched in and built a high mound in
the center of the parade. In it were in
TERED with military honors the remains OF
twelve brave soldier boys killed in the
skirmish, and at the summit we laid poor
Silver Dove. Gently we lowered her be-
meath the sod, and as the bugle sounded
TAPS" not dry eye was visible among all
those hundred SCARED veterans. Lieutenant
Tom recovered later on, wiser and much
sadder individual.
l have ceased to be an Indian fighter
Fifteen years after had occasion to visit
this same locality, now grown to be one OF
the largest posts on the frontier The
mound was still there, however, covered
with verdant greensward, and from its
summit lowered a pure white marble shaft
erected by those who were saved from such
a horrible doom. Ascending to the top
bowed in reverence before it. Part way up
the side was carved dove with pinions
| spread; circled above it the inscription
Behold, l bring you glad tidings" and
beneath it, "Silver Dove" Ills legacy
left for Uncle Sans boys TO guard, and
they will guard it well.-Sergeant G. Rus
sell Downs, u. S. A.. in Detroit News