Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1892-05-25

| llSy TtlSiu anu GOTH IOI Tile GTOOpS
down at Fort Lyon. OH the Arkansas.
had wife, as noble and ioviI gal as any
man ever sot his heart Oil, aud a boy jist a
year old. Are any of you married."
The men about the fire shook their heads
WAL, then thar's a new love and a
strong love that amt entered yer hearts
yit. Let M see, what WAS | a-sayin? Oh,
yes twas two years ago yesterday
started from home with a load of corn for
Fort Lyon | was off afore daylight, ex-
pectin to make the sixty mile thar and
back by night, for there was no neighbors
nigh, and Bessie was allus lonely with
out me-
"'Bout sun up met Cabassa, a Mexican
that had a ranch at the mouth of the river,
and as knowed him to be a good man, !
told him to have look in tho direction of
my folks till got back. and he said he
would. Thar was good deal ct talk Of
Injun war OH the plains, and although
didn't think it'd come so far west, I'll con-
fess it skeert me-all on account Ct Bessie
and the baby. .-
"Wnal, got down to Lyon and sold my
stuff. That was soon after noon; then after
restin the mules started back rs quick as
could
at came up cloudy and the air got close
and hot as it does in summer storm on
the plains But whipped up the mules
and cut through, for couldn't but think
of Bessie all alone with the storm roarin
round the ranch.
Now and then grew cold, for as the
day died out the howlin of the prairie
wolves sounded like the stgEal cries of the
'Paches. and kept my rifle on. my knees
and stared straight ahead.
Sat last the storm broke loose, as if the
mountains was a-rolln down on the plains
and dashin themselves to pieces-wind and
rain and fire, with the crashin of thunder;
III the stops the long hoWlin of the wolves
Once, by a ightnin fash, / thought saw
lot of mounted men OFF to the left, and !
lashed the pantin mules into gallop, but
declare to God it wasn't of my own safety
! was athinkin."
Il got to the top of q hill bout 'leven
o'clock, nigh as can jedge From this
point in daylight could see my own
house, and Cabassa's was nearer. / didn't
expect to see the MeSican's house in the
dark, but did. It was standin out agin
the sky, burnin like a torch, and around it
swarm of red devils was dancin and
shoutin.
u thought ia drop dead at the sight,
DuG IL Ncto Only lOE Gucl tu0
strength of a thousand men came to me.
cut loose the mules, let one go and jumped
on the other with my pistol pulled front
and my rifle ready.
II hadn't gone more'n mile before the
lnjuns rose around me as if they'd been
poured down by the storm, and right and
left came arrsrs and bullets. My mule
went down the first fire. and ! had just
TINA tn ors.tn INV faot yuhor, TriT
struck at me with his lance. He slipped
and fell, and he never rose agin.
My shot skeert them off, for they ran
like deer Then dashed away. maxim
straight for the cabin. whar I'd kissed my
Bessie and my baby boy goodby that
mornin."
Sam paused and rested his bronZed face
OH his hands, and tears trickled through
his fingers but other eyes were not dry.
II knowed," he continued ''it was no
Iise goin down thar. All was over with
me and mine Nothin left-but despair
and revenge. | crawled along breathin
hard till got within hundred yards ef
the fire, whar had been my house. when !
heard CabaSSa a-callin in loud whisper.
We came together, and then he told me ALL
Bout dusk the Injuns had tackled my
ranch and burned it down, takin Bessie
and the baby prezners. Then they went to
Cabtssas, but he made IL fight, and only
ran when his wife lay dead before him with
Il dozen arrers liz her body.
''Cahassa,' asked do you know where
my wife and bnby is?'
Yes he said; they're down the river
with part of the band
How many Injuns is there?
""Bout forty he said.
Then show me the way and I'll die
with them.'
"'Yes, Sam he said, a-takin my hand;
and I'll die with you If need be-
we crawled down to the Huerfano and
along the rim, sometimes neck deep in
water, but always keepin our rifles dry.
till we came to where we could see the In
juns had made fire in Il clump of cotton
woods But | didn't look at the fire; my
eyes was fixed on Bessie, tied to n tree with
the baby strapped to her breast, while a
dozen red devils danced about her.
I'VE had repeattn rifles, and creepin
closer we both fired at once, and two of
the iujuns went down. Again and again
we fired. and the Injuns rushed at Bessie,
one of them throwin y brrnin torch into
her face. Then my GOODNESS left me, Call
III on SaDaSSl TO IOl1OW, 1 u.eW my plSUOl,
and opening fire ran in, the Injuns fly
ing like hounds
at wasn't "A minute, l think, but before
the Paches could return had Bessie and
the boy unbound, and with my heart wild
with Joy at the thought hurried into the
darkness and over the river. | laid her on
the opposite bank and aus ! did so the hot
blood from her breast covered my hands,
but she raised her head and kissed me and
whispered, God bless you, SamP