The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-06-12

seven persons; the OtEef5 Dc tDs COl. i ON
EastIake, his ifteen-year- old san Dick. Gus
Rowland, jack Townley, Charlie Brooke
and the writer.
One evening We were returning from
hard days hunt in the hills, where we
had killed fine jaguar and two black
bears Brooke and 1 happened to be rid
ing side by side, aud gradually fell behind
the rest of the party.
Charlie appeared in low spirits. and was
unusually tscIturn; but. attrIbuting this
TO fatigue, did not force conversation
upOn him, and for several miles neither of
US spoke. At last he reused himself. as
If from painful reverie. and said:
That story which Ferris told us about
the ADaches the other night has reminded
me of the saddest period of my own life.
seldom refer TO il, but somehow feel like
doing so this evening. and If you care 20
listen 1 will give you the story in a few
words"
Ieagerly assented. and Charlie continued:
''It was IN the summer of 1876. l was
then a very young man, but had been for
the two preceding years, running a cattle
ranch on ella river. A. T., not far from the
southeast corner of White Mountain In
dian reservation.
up 10 Christmas day. 1875. there were
three of rs in faInily-myself. my wife and
her four-year-Old orphaned brother Fred.
Having no children of our own We were
perfectly wrapped up in this little fellow,
and he was the delight of our lives. We
were entirely happy, and the future seemed
full of promlse-a promise never to be full
tiled.
My beautiful young wife had been oil.
1ng, slightly as we thought, for several
weeks. / believed her TO be convalescing,
when pneumonia suddenly set IN, and she
died on Christmas day-almost her last
words being a tender request tia 1 would
always care for Fred.
"Of this terrible time / will not attempt
TO speak. No language can picture my
desolation. The companiOnship of the boy
alone gave me courage To 1--we. But let
that pass.
AT the time my miserable story opens. /
had been for six months a widower, and
was making every exertion to close out
my business, in order to return to civIliza-
ton with my precious charge, when q
frlghtful catastrophe occurred.
Il had found il impossible to secure
reputable white couple to look after my
house and take care of the child, and hence
had engaged a Mexican ana his wife-de-
cent. faithful people-to do so.
"When the weather was fine / usually
took Fred with me In my long rides over
the range. The little fellow would sit
perehed Up in front of my saddle, proud as
king. and the cowboys never tired of pet
ting him.
One day, early in July, however, / was
called suddenly 20 II distant part of the
run, and had To leave the boy at home.
shall never forget how he looked, standing
at the door, kissing his hand to me SO pref
lilly, and calling out. / rode away:
Go0d-bje, Charlie, good -bys.'
The job we were engaged in proved q
tedious one. and IL was late In the after
noon when accompanied BIZ four of nv
herders, 1 came TO the brow of a rise over
looking the ranch buiidIngs-no not the
buildings. but their smoking ruins for the
accursed Apaches had been there and
swept all away!
''Dashing like madmen down the slope.
we reached the smoldering pile. aud thrre
IN front of where the hOuse-aOor had been,
Jay the seaiped and mutiIated bodies OF tho
Mexican and his wifei
sick with horror, and for the moment
utterly unable 10 proceed, sat hOpeleSsiy
upon my saddle: but my men made n par-
sial search and could find no trace OF that
which so dreaded 10 see. Then joined
them In probing the hot ashes with long
poles; but We found nothing, and were
forced 10 conclude that my dear boy had
either been carried Off alive his little
body totally consumed.
mo help was at hand the nearest mill
tary post. Fort Thomas. being fifty miles
away. Ola mountains were, however, but
nfteen miles distant. and for these the saw
ages would certainly make. They mad
driven OF eight horses kept in the home
corral. and, as their own ponies as we'll as
the other animals, w0uld, of course, he
loaded down with plumber, il was barely
possible that We might oyertake at least
tie rear guard of the band.
Our rifles had been taken. and in the
way of arms. we bad only our belt revolt
veTs left. But our saddle beasts were corn-
psraiIvely fresh and all were swift of foot.
My cowboys, foamlng with rage and crazy
Tor revenge. urged an instant pursuit and
III less than twenty minutes after our ar
rival We i've men were squirting hotIy on
the Trail OF the murderers, Outnumberiny
US. probably, ten To one.
Il need not give details of the chase ex-
cept TO say that We dld como up with
the rear of the column, IN which were my
horses. just as it was entering the mount
ain detl'. Utterly regardless of our own
lives, we charged upon the hostIles at once,
and, though We shot down four of them
srampcdsd the others and recovered the
eight bronchos. not one of US received u
scratch"
One of the wounded bucks lived for a
minute or two after being shot but all eff
forts TO mako him give information as to
the childs fate. or, lnaeed. 10 speak ut al,
proved unayailing. and he died while
grooming his death-song."
10 have followed the main body of the
enemy into the mountain passes would
have been sheer madness. So. partly TO
stay pursuit. by leaving the sayages
most OF their plunder. partly To facilitate
brOdohos loads, retaining only few neees-
saries. and returned sorrOwfully to the
ranch-the Indians not daring to follow.
Within three days 4 sold out everything
Tor what l could get, and devoted one
Whote year thereafter To an extended
search for my little Fred. / hired Indian
runners white scouts aad old trappers and
penetrated the hRunts of tho hostiies wher-
ever possible: bu6 not one atom of iDtelli-
genee as 10 any captive boy did they or
ever gam. though our com bined efforts re-
suliec IN the rescue OF two WHITE women.
raining To receive tidings of tho child,
Notwithstanding the large reward offered,
anu 10 caielned bones having ever been
found IN the ruins Ii now seemed certain
that his tender form had indeed heen re-
duced to indistinguishable ashes. Finally
concluding tbat sucn must be the fact.
gave up the hopeless search removed TO
Texas and engaged in my present husi-
ness Six years have since passed AWAY
but the image OF that lovely boy as last
saw him, rises mp before Inc to- night as
vividly ever"
Ny friend sighed heavily as ho concluded
bis sad story. l offered no idle words of
consolation. Indeed the case seemed 10