The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-09-21
COWBOY SWEID'S SHIRT.
Stolen by an Apache and Recovered With
the Aid Of Long Range Rife.

home OF Herman Sweld, who lives
few miles west of this place, is a shirt.
1t is not now a very good shirt, having
had hard wear, but it has story that
makes it valuable, at least to the fam
lily.
Several years age, when Geronimo
was alternately living on the bounty Of
the Government and raiding the scat
tered whites Of New Mexico, Sweid
moved to the Tulerosa valley, went to
work as a cowboy for one of the big
cattle companies Of this region, and at
the same time undertook making
ranch for himself AS cowboy Sweid
was conspicuous because of his love
for bright colors. Gorgeous shirts and
flaming neckerchiefs were good enough
for him, ard when his pony carried
him over the mountain top on the
round up, the boys within range recog-
nized him as readily as they recognized
the difference between prairie fire and
thunder cloud,
One day when Mrs. Sweid was in
Magdalena buying supplies her eye fell
on particularly bright piece of Scotch
plaid. Sweid had always bought his
shirts ready made, and SO had never
had one Of Scotch plaid. The wife,
to give him pleasant surprise, bought
enough of the stuff to make a good
shirt, and taking it home made it on
the sly. The first Sweid knew about
it was when he came home one night
from the range and found it hanging
on the clothes line, all spread out in a
way to exhibit its gorgeousness to ad-
vantage.
Sweid was much pleased with the
shirt, but be never wore it for a minute.
For some reason it was left hanging on
the line that night, and when morning
came 1t had disappeared. They searched
about the place, thinking an unnoticed
gust Of wind might have blown it away,
and then looked for traces OF a way
laring thief, but no trace Of shirt or
thief could they fiud. The mystery of
its loss was the talk OF Sweid's friends
for several months, and then the matter
of lost shirt and all ordinary topics of
interest were forgotten in the all-ab-
sorbing anxiety of the range people to
get news of the Apaches. Geronimo
was out, and every one wanted to know
which way he was travelling.
After time the news came. The
scouting cowboys found unmistakable
evidence that he was bound for the
Tulerosa, and they made haste to
gather the few women and children
into Pat Higgins big adobe house,
where they could be we'll cared for
while the men prepared for siege In
due time the Indians came. The
tourist in this region now hears the
stage driver say such things as this
This is the Apache Canyon. When
the Apaches came out here on that
raid / was telling you about, they
caught eleven Mexicans right over on
that knoll trying to get to shelter in
| yon 'dobe house. They killed them
all"
"See that little fence over there
That's around the graves of a couple of
men killed by the Apaches."
1t was a merciless band, and the
little party at Pat Higgins's place knew
1t, but they were well protected and
they had very little, if any, fear. In
deed, they were SO well situated that
the Apaches would not make an open
attack, but contented themselves with
hiding behind blocks of lava, hoping
to pick off careless or venturesome
man or some belated individual coming
for shelter.
While thus besieged the COWBOYS
frequently saw the Apaches walking out
of rifle range and now and then gather
in knots to discuss the situation. 1t
was aggravating to see the enemy so
plainly and yet not be able to down
any OF them, and when on the second
afternoon big Apache buck sat down
in the shade OF pinon and coolly be-
gan smoking pipe, Swed said that
the buck should have a scare, if no
more, although full three -fourths Of a
mile away.
Now, Sweid had one of those long
bennington rifles that were SO popular
among target shooters some years ago,
and, adjusting his sights to the range,
he told the boys to watch the effect of
a sighting shot at tiny black spot, pre-
sumably block of lava, beside a bush
in little draw some fifteen or eighteen
rods to the right Of the Indian and in a
depression out Of the Indians view.
Then Sweid pulled the trigger and a
little cloud of dust and a slight move
ment of the black object showed that
the range was exactly calculated and
the accuracy Of the marksman mar
lvellous
Showing in another cartridge, Sweid
turned his aim at the Indian in the
shade of the pinon, and at the shot the
bucks legs flew into the air and over
he tumbled dead enough,
A few minutes later the blast of a
bugle was heard away up the trail. The