The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-04-18
CHAPTER Y.

Next morning the "first call" Of the
bugle awoke Mr.. Raymer to conscious
ness, and without dallying with a strong
inclination to proloag his slumbers he
sprang out of bed and began dressing
for reveille. A bright fire which his
servant had kindled was filling the
chimney with ruddy flame. As he threw
his cape over his shoulders he noticed
that the fife and drum now sounding
the final call awoke no echoes. Their
vibrations seemed deadened. He walked
to the window, swept aside the curtain
and looked out.
The ground was everywhere covered
with snow, and the air was filled with
fast falling flakes Through the feathery
mist he could see the men running from
their huts, looking cold and uncomfort-
able. With the closing notes Of the call
he opened his door and walked, ankle
deep, through snow to his place before
the line, The first sergeant called the
roll, reported and dismissed the COM
pany. Promptly upon the order, "Break
ranks every man disappeared from the
parade except the officer. He turned and
looked out into the valley "La Sonora
Vieja will not be likely to leave us to-
day." he thought.
Looking up the ridge to the guard
house, he saw the wrapped and muffled
sentinel walking his post with rife at
secure and 90 columns of dark smoke
rising from the cabin chimneys and
floating off to the southeast. He then
entered the orderly room to give Ser.
geant Cunningham orders connected
with the camp routine
Sergeant, said he, "you may order
the cooks to send the Mexican woman
her breakfast from the kitchen. will
send some coffee and few other things
from my private supply"
eyes, sir. Shall we send anything to
the men?"
''You may let them have coffee and
firewood. They have rations of their
own. What do you think of this sudden
storm, sergeant?'
"It certainly did not look like
storm last night, sir. I think it is the
beginning of severe winter"
Have you heard anything Of the
valley winters?"
eyes, sir. The cavalry expressmen
say snow came last winter Just after
Christmas and staid till March. They
were frequently unable to get into the
valley until the infantry broke paths
through the drifts for Them"
''But snow rarely falls in other parts
of the territory where have served and
does not last week at most" said the
lieutenant.
''That is true, sir. No farther away
than the eastern side of the eastern
ridge, scarcely seven miles from the
edge of the valley, snow rarely falls
These close mountain valleys are quite
like the northern states for climate"
"We are likely to have some difficulty
drawing our wood, then?" asked the
officer
''The volunteers had to keep the road
to the woods open with shovels for some
time, and their wheels ran hard. )"
81 wonder if sled could be made
for hauling wood, sergeant?"
Il doubt if we have man in the
company besides yourself and me that
ever saw one"
''But we have carpenter and black
smith,
eyes, sir, good ones"
"Well, l can draw the patterns /
was born in snow and logging coun-
try and am familiar with the various
kinds of sleds.''
II suppose the lieutenant is aware
that there is no hard wood in the val.
ley, nothing harder than pine, hemlock
spruce and poplar, said Sergeant Gun
ningham.
"The hard pine will make excellent
runners, and bars can be made of the
holsters and axles of the two broken
wagons the volunteers left. We can
shoe the runners with the tires and
brace and bolt the sled with the other
iron. The tongues and reaches can be
used too. Yes, We'll make a sled-a
bobsled. After guard mounting, ser.
geant, ! will go to the woods with the
fatigue party and the carpenter and
select the tree from which to hew the
runners. Order the detail to remove
the wagon body from the wheels.
eyes, sir.
As the lieutenant returned to his
quarters he glanced toward the kitchen
and at that instant saw a delicate hand
sliding the window curtain along it's
rod. ''La Sonora Vieja has pretty
hand for one of her age" he thought.
"She may have been handsome half a
century ago, but it would be mistake
to say that now either of her person or
manners.
Entering his cabin, Raymer proceed
ed to perfect the hasty toilet made be-
fore reveille, and in few moments he
sat before his hearth, overlooking Gains
preparation of the morning meal The
soldier had just arrived from the COM
pany kitchen with portion of the lieu
tenants breakfast and was now placing
coffeepot and small steak upon a
bed of glowing Goals.
"You may put in q double allowance
of Java, CAIN" observed the officer,