Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-06-21

climbers, just such a pair as you
have there, my friend -and the
narrator pointed to Louis's spurs
which lay beside the latter's chair.
Then ] unslung the little coil
of wire from the saddle, and with
it gave the pony a rousing slap on the
flank to set him running, for you
see | didn't want the beast lettering
around to attract attention"
Il climbed the pole, and on
reaching the cross-arm screwed my
vice on to the wire and hauled the
strap taut. Then with the pliers,
! cut.
81 had slack enough so that the
wire overlapped. Then | COM
menced touching the two ends to-
gether, making dots and dashes.
The fort S call was ID. S., and ! made
it like this" and the old man took
pencil and paper and made the
characters of the Morse alphabet.
Il kept this agoing FOR some
time, and then signed my office sig
nature which was b. Then I'd
wait while, until ! was pretty
sure there was music i'm the of
flee of the fort.
Then | wrote: Indians at
Bemis's. Send help. Indians at
Bemis's. Send help. Then d. S.
again and repeated the message.
This j kept up for a solid hour,
trusting to good fortune that it
would be understood at the fort.
when about to give up and
come down from the pole to rejoin
my friends, a wild yell broke
the stiffness of the night and a
bright light illumined the
heavens in the direction of Bemis' s
home. | knew that the reds had
begun their work and fired the out
buildings of the settler.
mo use for me to try to get
there now, | said to myself. The
safest place now is right here on
this pole. So | hung there and
just watched and listened. | could
hear the crack, crack of the rifles
and | knew the old man and his
neighbor were getting in THEN
work.
Slowly the night wore away
when just as few streaks of light
appeared in the east, the clear cal
of bugle rang out on the morn.
ing air.
Then came volley of musket.
ty, followed by the clatter of pom.
les hoofs as they were driven
madly over the plain.
The Indians are beaten off and
are coming this way, ! thought
Now, lothian, it'll be a complete
good idea for you to hug this pole
close, and maybe the red devils will
pass and not see you.
But they didn't. For as the
dusky band came tearing by, one
of their number caught sight of a
strange object astride of the cross
arm.
with whoop he let fly an ar.
row, which caught me in the left
shoulder. Then his companions
followed suit, and in an instant
resembled a frightened porcupine
But none of their weapons happil!
struck a vital part, for you see
was hugging the pole.
"They couldn't get at me, TO
you see they couldn't climb, ant
the soldiers didn't give 'em time t.
cut down the stick.
THE blue-coats were after then
close, and as the latter passed nm
der my perch, gave hearty hur
rah, and then to the astonishmen
of the rescuers, slid down to tn
ground and fell in a heap at tn
foot of the pole.
They carried me to the cabin
where my wife, here, helped breal
the arrows i'll two and pull then
out. And do you know / though
so much of her for fixing me up
that when ] got well | asked her t,
marry me, and here we are. But
boys, tell you that one night on
cross-arm, and the dozen Apach
arrows aged me more than a scor
of VANS