The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1895-02-27

something fearful and my loss was
greater still, for when the morning came
the girl was missing. Her people had
recaptured her.
THE morning found us in desperate
mood. The men were mad, and was
mad. We were all in the humor for a
tirst-class massacre, and laid my plans
accordingly. Our scouts located the
enemy, and that afternoon we penned
them in and had them at our mercy.
Our numbers were about even, but our
men were all old soldiers, thoroughly
disciplined, and so they fell easy victims
to our superiority.
at was about o'clock when the
fighting was at its worst, I showed
flag of truce, and few moments later
an Indian of commanding nature rode
out from the little fort they had built on
the top of the hill and advanced to the
center of the diminutive plain which
stretched between where the two armies
were posted. rode out alone to meet
him, for l could guess that he was the
chief of the tribe
I'VE saluted."
"'I offer you peace, I said to him, ON
two conditions; first, that you lay down
your arms and surrender; second, that
the girl you stole from US last night be
returned to me-
"'She is my daughter said the Indian
haughtily.
"'Then there is much more reason
why you should surrender, for I love
her; l would marry her, and l do not
wish to be at war with her people,
"'You are good replied the Indian
with a sneer, the first and only time
have ever seen sneer on the face of an
Indian. You offer me peace for honor.
Go back to your tents
"That evening at about 8 o'clock a
corporal came into my tent, saluted,
and said that an Indian girl wished to
speak with me. Ny heart beat violent
ly, and ordered the man to show her
in.
But it was not my love-not my
Wood Dove, as she had told me her
name was among her people. The girl
who stood before me was small and
wizened, with weak eyes, and in rags.
"'What do you wantP' asked her.
"'The Wood Dove could not fly to
you,' she replied, so she sent me.
They are guarding her, but she will
escape from them. She tells me to say
to you that my people will charge upon
you tomorrow morning, and that to
deceive you all OF our women will be
mounted and held in the rear, as if they
were men waiting for their turn to fight.
She tells me to say to you that she will
be mounted on a black horse, with
star in its forehead, and with two white
forelegs.
"'She will be in the front line when
the charge is made, and at your first
fire will fall from her horse as though
| she were wounded. You must then
manage to pick her body up before our
people do so. Her father is the chief
of our people, he was the chief with
whom you spoke to-day, and he was
very angry with her when he came back
to us She has pursuaded him that she
does not love you, but hates you, and,
though she is we'll guarded tonight, it
! is because of the fear of an attack from
you
"The woman left me, and returned. as
| she had come, to the tents of the peo-
| pie.
Il was excited naturally over this
story. l could not help realizing the
| real danger she would run of being
| killed, and was puzzled for some while
! as to what | should do. Then an idea
occurred to me, and, smiling to myself,
l went to sleep and rested peacefully
until the morning.
SIN the morning called my officers
about me, and told them what l had
learned. My plans were completed, and
| had but to wait. / had not long tC
wait either, for within an hour the war
riors came forth from under cover, anC
behind came what looked like seconC
regiment but what I knew to be the
| women.
"The Indians advanced and the bugl'
| sounded the order to mount. | rode ou
to my place and stationed six chosel
body -guardsmen Immediately behind mt
in the rank. For some while l coulC
not make out the horse l looked for, bu
at last saw it in the rear guard, ant
then, as the Indians galloped thei
horses, l saw it come out from among
the women and take place in the rank
of the men.
"The enemy came on now towards u
at brisk gallop, its line as straight a
an arrow, and as tightened my waist
band L caught sight again of the hors'
with the white forelegs. 1t was in tn
very middle of the line My Joy wa
almost complete.
"The enemy is now in the middle O
the plain, and the time had come fo
action. The bugle sounded and W
were off, slowly and quietly Looping owe
the ground at first Then as the enem
came nearer, laundering over th
parched earth. Within gun-shot W
came and the Indians opened on us.
few of our men dropped, but we did nc
reply. On we Numbered, and then
line of insipid, useless fire burst fror
our lines.
,, q heard cry. / saw tigure-th
figure of the girl loved. There was
rushing and a growing and q thunder
= ing of boots. We were among then
cutting to the right and left. We CT
out way through them. 1 dashed fol
ward to where my love lay waiting fo
+ me.
Il leaned forward over my horse
seized her in one hand and lifted hel
; with strength I knew not / possessed
|, and placed her on the saddle behind mt
1 My body-guard placed themselves in
: circle around me, the bugle sounded th
a charge again, the signal to commenc
firing, and then, wheeling, we opene
4 on them with sabre and carbint
e Through their lines we went again, m
4 guardsmen about me, moving a hole fc
4 me through the red men. And thel
4 safe in our own territory once more,
q gave my love into the safekeeping {
my six faithful fellows. and they r.
% turned to our camp with her.
4 "Is there anything else that l can te
q you? You know the result of that ba
:. tle and the Major here is old enough
- the service to remember the commend
y ton of Congress with which WI