Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-09-13
slTTLE As A BOY SAW IT.
,.,racE coMBAr ~ THE CANE
MAKES OF LOUISIANA.
column Of Texas Hangers,
med win six-sbooters and Car
s,,e.. Ambushed a Federal Cavalry
troop.

hines, AmbuShea heuer"i cavalry
troop.
can close my eyes and see 1t now
saw it then-the dark-brown
.srs Of the bayou. flowing sluggish
,outhward between the steep and
i r..hy banks; the dusty road on the
s,r,her side, and beyond that the
M fat overgrown with paimettos
d IA bordered on the rear with
a ',,,t,h OF forest that to my boyish
80 Ind no limit of length or breadth
rrp. had been told that some
are out to the westward lay the
In country of the Atchafalaya. and
.,re time gone l had he;trd the faint
nam OF the big guns of the gum
s,ats that attacked the fort at Butte
7, Rose. on Bayou des Glaizes. but
NJ knowledge stopped with the inter
,ening swamp, and as to the rest
rss earelessly skeptical
From this forest or swamp a wagon
,oad had been cut to the highway
,ong the bayou, which IL intersected
N, a point opposite to where I sat
Es,Alng. 1t wound in and out Of the
dense growth Of palmettos. and could
Dot be followed with the eye for more
4 man 100 yards. Those who made 1t
never thought OF the use to which it
vas to be put that day. but it could
not have served the users better If it
had been designed expressly for their
Purpose,
The fish We're mot biting we'll The
August heat had driven them under
he shelter OF the banks, whence they
Regarded the worm on my hook with
asy Indifference. Fifty yards or go
10 the stream a big blue heron stood
On swaying log, balancing his hand
some body on one leg, as forgetful of
Hhs hnny prey as it was of him Not
leaf stirred on the bushes and cane
Eslong the banks; the only motion to
be seen was the heat mirage rising
I'm circles from the blistering road.
Esuing there in the shade Of mighty
EuYe oak. and as comfortable as only
= boy in light cotton shirt and pants
Hand palmetto hat could be in such
veather, thought of my brother away
wer in Georgia with Johnston's army
and wondered if he was on the march
under the blazing sun. devoutly pity
ng aim If he was.
The three little negroes who COM
posed my special bodyguard, and who
nlnistered TO my greatness day by
Day, were lying beside me, sleeping
tie sleep of the just. l faiu would
have slept also, So
II was about o'clock in the after
g. noon when, having made up my mind
At last to 60 home. | raised my line
nom the water, and, in doing 80,
Glanced to look across the bayou and
saw two horsemen ride swiftly out
from tile edge of the woods to the
main road. l knew them AT once. as
ShAy had stopped at my fathers house
few days before with scouting
party of Texas cavalry. The one vas
eaptaln named Merrill, the most per;
feet specimen of physical manhood
have ever seen-about middle height,
Toportioned equally for strength and
activity, his bron2ed face lit up by
pair Of bright blue eyes, and his we'll
shaped head crowned with red-gold
har, that hung in II curling mass TO
BIS Shoulders. He rode n black mus
iahg, Itself a picture to look at. with
he speed of thoroughbred and the
tmper of a flend. | knew something
about the brute's disposition, having
tarrowly escaped his teeth and hoofs
4 he day he made free with my fathers
e. rrnyppAar In. ma oil
\ Indian fighter, the most accomplished
roseman in the brigade Of matchless
Elders and his mount was almost as
amous as himself
Ills companion was n Comanche lad
n sho he had saved from the death
rNted out to party of raiders 10
Which he belonged by the captains
langeS couple of years before the
ume of this story. He was naughty,
Silent chap, who bore himself as II
lae earth belonged to him. But l con-
tiyed a violent affection for him the
,ay he was at our house, much to the
Lsgust Of Nanny Barbara, who
Mpngly dlsapproved of the young
master consorting on terms Of equality
WIN red niger" His name was
iehula, or 3omething of that sound,
shd he won my heart by making me
wonderful bow and arrow and show
w me how TO use 1t, Tchula rode a
ltue paint" pony.
Nhen The two reached the road he
aipped from his saddle and threw him
~ AZ fun length. with his ear TO the
ntound. For several minutes he lay
ells and then, rising qulclcly re-
guhled and spoke to the captain
plANhs % the road and using a slgn
a.spase that was all Creek to me. The
p'ain and he galloped back TO the
Du1s and / aroused ny budyguard.
ming was afoot, and / was de-
". shlned 10 get an inkling Of II. Mar
w me most active Of the three, was
'aered 10 climb tall. black gum tree
~ oy and survey the ground in
nI lie went up like n cat, took one
.eN and CANE down In a hurry, and
\ ~ ms eyes bullying out like marbles
MeunsN' he gasped. DE woods
lan Of 'em ] see dey orioles an
igurs er shiniu' Ike silver. Dey's keep
Hese lax doy waitiu' ter kltch Some
/ trss
A =, would never do for me TO accept
~ theory from such a source, SO IL
4 ntu'Fed TO me that had better
A any up the tree and AXE a ioolt for
Sset. did so, and Martins report
~ elniirmed, over on me edge OF
A. woods, concealed from the road
me nndergrowth. was a large body
AValry slttinE still IN their horses.
4 sNn see them yet, with Their lean.
srsh faces looking lut from the