The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-09-23

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| fTA MI L VIZ and while the
! tions for break
ing up were in
post Office. We had also planned lit
tie private excursion to the Indian bat
! tie ground on the opposite side OF the
river, which. just here in front of the
tent, went rushing along over It's rocky
/ bed with the roar of a cataract. Ford
ing was impossible, and the nearest
bridge was three miles away.
It was grand October morning. The
stormclouds of the night before were
settling down behind the gray peaks in
the north, while the western hills were
all ablaze with the rays of the rising
sun. Away up in the northeastern
slopes the snow that had fallen during
the night marked the courses of the
gulches and canyons in white zigzag
lines, while above them all. with its
suggestive symbol, pure as purity.
stretched out between the heavens and
the earth, lowered the Mount of the
Holy Cross.
The post Office, small addition to a
small log house, stood in the center of
q corral. Long before we reached it
we could see the sign, with its tall
white letters on black ground reach
ing nearly the height of the building.
We were met at the gate by a couple of
ferocious wolf hounds, who snarled
and growled, and displayed their long
yellow teeth in very threatening
manner. We closed the gate and wait
ed for further developments. Soon a
Small tow-headed girl came out of the
house, and with a judicious application
Of horse whip sent Uncle Sans
guardians flying right and left.
They won't hurt We, missus," she
said "They's only foolin'," and then
she ran around the corner of the house
shouting impatiently:
Come ma. Someunss here"
The postmistress was up to her Ell
bows in the washtub that stood in the
shade of a cotton wood tree near the
back door. She stripped the suds from
her muscular arms, and, smooth
ing her flying hair with her soapy
hands, she twisted it into knot and
fastened it with the knitting needle
that she held between her teeth. Civ
ing her damp skirts shake, she
pulled down her wrinkled sleeves,
wiped her face and hands on her gine
ham apron, and stepped behind the
short slab counter that stood in one
corner of the room.
The mail. which was brought twice a
week from the nearest town. forty
miles away, had Just arrived. She
spilled the contents OF a small wooden
box on the counter and allowed us to
select our own. when we started out on
our excursion and the postmistress re-
turned to her washtub,
The valley widened at the bridge,
making room for the low log school
house, where the brave little school
ma'am was drilling the half dozen pu-
pills in the multiplication table Their
shriil voices floated ont through the
open windows and followed us as we
crossed the bridge and started up the
Indian trail. 1t wound along the eide
of the almost perpendicular mountain.
at times several hundred feet above the
river. Possibly it might have been a
safe thoroughfare for the moccasined
feet Of the natives, but we worked our
way along slowly and painfully, scarce
~ daring to look down from the dizzy
heights, half expecting that each mo-
ment would find US tocoggzUing down
one Of the landslide tracks Now and
then a loose rock would Slip from under
our feet and start downward blowing
up the earth and rocks and trees IN its
way, the whole mass gathering force
as il rushed along, until at last, IN the
midst of cloud of dust, II would strike
the water with great splash
1t is rare sport to start the rocks
rolling down the walls Of a deep guich
or canyon, but a fine OF fifty dolla rs
makes it rather expensive
The battle ground is Gu mesa over
looking magnificent spread of scenery
The mountains rise tier on tier above
the winding valleys IN every direction
The low foothills bordering the willow
ahlaze with the f-oss-tirted foliage.
Behind them the points and peaks
arose, covered with sage brush, cedar
and pinon- with the rocks, in browuand
gray, red and yellow. cropping cut II
all sorts OF tantastic shapes ASove al
these are the srow-cOveTed "a. tops.
reaching far awaT many buod-eGs CT
miles into Wyoming AID Utah
The battle ground is covered with
huge brown porous lava rocks which
the Indians used for breastworkzs- IL
was here th4. the first s6a-raIsa IF The
Ute outbreak took place four years ago
a band Of Indians had !efe their Few
reservation and returned 20 their old
camping grounds when TIE hunting
season arrived The troFlbse began
when 3 party ~ cow boys demanded the
surrender OF one Of the braves = Aozn
they accused of horse stealing. Inc
state troops ware cGlie. out seTerzl
were killed and wounded on s*otn saesess