Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-03-09
THE CAPTAINS WIFE.

Old Fort BALDWIN consisted of a row
of SQUAT, one-story adobe houses, built
i'm Mexican style, which were the quar-
tiers of the officers, and a similar,
though somewhat differently arranged,
line of buildings, extending at right
angle from the end of the officers quar-
tiers, that comprised the barracks occu-
Died by the three companies of infantry
and one troop of cavalry which made
ND the garrison. The storehouses, sta
bles. corrals, etc, completed all there
was of Fort BALDWIN.
1T was a sun-baked slope, extending
toward the ella, three miles away, but
along pretty stream, a redeeming fea-
1ure. having its source in the springs
at the base of the mountain which form
ed the background. The landscape was
still farther relieved by the extending
lines of cottonwood and mesquite trees
which bordered the little stream, called
by the Indians the "Shus-Be-To," or
Bears Water.
Around this post the Apaches were
everywhere, even stealthily crawling
inside the line Of sentinels at night, or
shooting their arrows at the sentinel as
he walked his lonely beat. On one dark
night they watched the guard at the
cattle corral, and during his short alb
sence from a selected spot. by an adroit
use of their rawhide lariats succeeded
fn dragging several of the smaller ami
mails through an opening they had fore
ed between the logs, without discovery;
whereat a soldier next morning rhym-
ed:
"ALo! the poor Indian, with untutored
mind,
Finds calves in the corral and chokes
off their wind
In the year which followed the close
of the war of the rebellion, to Fort
BALDWIN had come Captain Sigourney,
with his bride and his cavalry troop.
Gentle Mary Sigourney was a minis
1erS daughter, who in the far-away
New England town had joined her life
with that of the brave young captain,
that hero for whom she had forsaken
home and kindred, to share with him
the wild, unknown life on the frontier
The fair, girlish form seemed strangely
out of keeping with the rude surround
ings, but she was content.
Barely were the soldiers given time
to- occupy their quarters after the
weary march across the sandy deserts
It was Indians! Indians! everywhere
and at all times. Captain Sigourney,
the ideal of an American cavalry Off
Ger, was almost constantly in the sad
die, his form a tower of physical and
moral strength. His rough-riding troop
eFS were already a terror to the neigh
boring bands of Apaches, who felt that
4heir strongholds and mountain fast
MesSeS We're no longer places from
which they might defy the troops of the
Government
1t was Sunday afternoon. The Oc-
9ober sun shone brightly as stable call
was sounded at BALDWIN,; but, instead Of
answering the CALI both officers and
men had collected in groups about the
9agstaff, intent upon a strange some
thing which had attracted their atten-
ton Even the few members of the
officers families were there, in q little
knot but slightly removed, and the eyes
of all were riyeted on a common object.
Gradually it was seen to emerge from
the hazineSS Of the surrounding hills,
and soon forms were distinguishable.
But ere this the clear notes of the cav
airy bugle rang out, "Boots and sad
dles! and the long roll of the infantry
was promptly beaten. Captain Sigour-
ney was already in line with his troops
ON the flank of the post facing old
Mount Turnbull, near him the longer
line of the infantry battalion, had also
halted, and now, in ominous silence, do
the veterans so recently from the scenes
of civilized war, wait the approach Of
q savage foe.
With bated breath had been passed
from one to another the dreaded name
of "Cochise" that fearless Indian
whose proweSS had for years main
tanned an absolute supremacy through
out the Southwest, from the Rio Grande
10 the Colorado, the mention Of whom
might we'll cause the cheek of the Dor
der man to pale.
From his customary haunts Cochise
had heard of the work of the "blonde
soldier chief on the Shus- Be-To, and
had come to punish him. He haG
brought his chosen warriors, armed
with the lance, with bows and arrows
and with firearms, the spoils Of many
3 massacre in Arizona and Sonora. Con
,4rary to his custom, he had said ht
would fight the soldiers on open ground
and now, followed by horde of paint
ed fiends, he was riding on in hot hast'
TO the devoted garrison at BALDWIN.
On. on they moved, with almost mill
fxary precision. and in numbers mucl
greater than the little body of troopers
An occasional glimpse could be caugh
from beneath the overhanging clouC
Of dust with which they were envelop
ed, while so perfect was the disciplin
Of this wonderful savage that no wore
was spoken, the silence being broker
only by the pounding of the unsho
hOofs, and the snorting of the ponies
80 l. -.