Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-13
HOW WAS BABY WARMED
The Child Said That He Saw His Father
Killed.

The Child Said That He Saw His Father
Killed.
From Harper's Weekly.
Among the many curious instances Of SEEM
ing second sight may be placed the following
incident Of that saddest tragedy of modern
days-the death Of Custer and his gallant fol-
lowers:
The love existing between Capt. Blank and his
biue-eyed, golden-curled boy. little "Buster, "
the pet and darling Of the whole garrison, was
something to be remembered. Wherever the
tall, soldierly figure Of the young father was to
be seen, unless on duty, that Of the. child was
sure to be close beside, sometimes riding on his
fathers shoulder, sometimes climbing to his
hand, always lifting to his eyes full of passion
ate love and content
When the dreaded day came that was to seps-
rate those fearless men from the women and
children who loved them Buster could hardly
be torn from his father, and my husbandtold
me that long after the child's shrek of utter
misery, unchildhke in Its intensity, rang in his
ears.
For some days the command had marched
across the low. purple hills, out Of reach Of
loving eyes. Buster drooped and pinned. But
he was a child, and tbs old childish eayety came
back to bis eyes, and his laugh, which rang ont
as happily as ever, almost jarring upon his
young mothers ear.
One warm June day at Fort Lincoln Mrs.
Blank sat sewing in her tiny parior, her baby
creeping about on, the floor 1t her feet. while
she chatted with two or three more lonely wives,
perhaps Of the loved ones far across the plains
and their possible return. Suddenly Buster
rushed in through the open door, eyes spark
ling, hair flying.
'Mamma," he shouted, 'my papa's s'ooting
his 'volver! heard him.
"Did you. darling?" his young mother said,
STOPPING to kiss the little flushed, eager face.
How very nice! wish be could come home
and SCOT it. Don't you?"
"He's s'ooting Injuns," the child went on,
'.and he'll shoot 'em all and zen he'll tome
home"
I'm sure I hope he will," sighed Mrs.
Blank: "Run out and play, Buster, and don't
Chow Buster does talk about his father!~
some one remarked. II often meet him run
ming along with some one, and child or man
soldier or officer, you can always catch the
words my papa If You listen to him"
Then the talk wandered on, always in q minor
key, for there had been quite an interval Of
time since the last letters, and there was always
unacknowledged anxiety, though all felt un-
bounded faith in the powers of the gallant
seventh.
Presently the sound of child's bitter crying
brought them all to their feet, and Buster ran
into his mothers arms At the door, sobbing
wildly.
mamma" he sobbed, 'the Injuns has dot
my papa. He's dot no more scots in his vol
yer; be sooted it all. Oh, want my papa,
and the bad Injuns has dot him.
Mrs. Blank knelt down on the floor beside her
boy, drawing him close TO her heart. =
"Hush, Buster" she said, very gently but
firmly; you must not be such . silly little
boy; the Indians can't get your papa. Gen.
Custer Is there. He will take care OF papa and
ell the men. Do you think r troop would lot
the lnjuns get papa? See, you are making ~
all feel very bad, and papa would say that you
were not his brave little lad. Now, stop crying
and 20 and play. You could not hsar pspa's
'volver 20 far away" "
Eyes, !" the child exclaimed earnestly, 81 tan
hear my papa's 'volver and know he's sootsd
It ALL" But army discipline prevailed and TIE
boy choked back his sobs, nesting in his
mothers arm and resting fhers strangely quiet
for the rest Of the long summer day.
That evening, whom the children were both
sleeping, and the daily bulletin TO her absent
husband had been written, Nrs. Dlauk at Tor
some moments IN silent thought, than drawing
sheet Of paper 70 her, wrote down ths dAts,
june 8. and poured out 10 her only hrothsr
the sching d har heart and tbs ssIaalan
anxiety caused BY the ehild's foolish vxda, ths
msmory Of which stiu stirred him In hi alssp,
for he sobbsd and tsssed n nlohA
On July 9. when The vhole Amy wzithAd and
dried ont In agony q tbe nsNS Tat AAd coms -
o.. Ne, 70 whom Nr. 3 haA blown m dslsr's
dearly sold his life, snA ha1 basn feand piros1
win many wouadi, his sanpty rsvuavee cIssue1
= Il stiaensd I'D. I'D - avsr n ~
nufak 49, NJ halsv No. ~ .>s,r,.A - - ~