The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-14
AS WARRIORS DIE.

Three Brule Sioux were riding in single
file toward an elevation on the prairie near
the agency. They were condemned to die,
and it was the hour for the execution
They had been in rebellion against the
government. When the grass was long
and the streams were full, their savage
natures could not bear restraint. They
left the agency, and blood and fire marked
their course. The rebellion was suppressed.
The leaders sulked briefly in captivity, and
when the sentence of death was pro-
nounced they had but one request to make.
They asked 40 mercy of the white man.
They did not seek to avoid the death SEN
tence. They asked only to die in their own
way-not as criminals, with manacled
hands and Blinded eyes. but astride their
ponies, with warpaint on their checks
and hrows, guns in their hands and the
warcry of the Sioux on their lips-to die
as warriors die.
The commanding officer saw a grim
humor in the request and told them it was
granted. To each was given his horse, his
gun and blank charge of ammunition.
Around the base of the rising ground
were the United States troOps-veteranS in
savage warfare. There were no holiday
soldiers in these ranks. The helmet OF
parade and the fatigue cap of the garrison
life had given place to the white SLOUGH
hat of field duty, now soiled and battered.
Their uniforms were faded and worn and
stained by the earth and the elements.
Sun and wind had burned their faces al
most to blackness. The scared mark of
the bullet was on many cheeks. The scar
of the knife and blue powder burns on
others told of conflict at short range.
Nothing of the pride and ponp of war
was seen. The only brightness of their
arms was from usage. Near the battle
SCARED and weather stained dismounted
troopers of the Seventh cavalry were the
black fighters of the Ninth-the Buffalo
soldiers, !" as they are called by the A pa
ches, with whom they have had to cope on
deserts of Arizona, plains and canyons of
New Mexico, and in the recesses of the Mo
COLON mountains. No outward sign indi-
Gated the impatience of the troops, but
hate burned in their hearts and flashed
from their eyes. Comrades were missing
from their ranks. Thoughts of them
cleared their vision and steeled their nerves
as they watched the ponies of the Indians
move forward on a slow walk.
The sun blazed in the sky, but faint
breeze cooled by the SHOWS on the noun
tain range, modified the intensity of his
rays, waved the prairie grass into re-
semblance of ocean ripples and called forth
nodding welcome from the blood red
loco flower. A hawk circled high in the
air as the doomed trio moved forward. A
coyote leaped into view from behind q sage
brush. The gaunt, gray vagrant of the
plains-the renegade of beasts-stared
| but moment at the renegades of human
ity who had disturbed his slumber and
/ trotted away toward the mountain, lick
! ing his chops and casting hungry and
frightened looks behind.
The Indians have reached the summit
and dismounted. They seem to be holding
a consultation Their ponies are grazing
| beside them.
Softly, gradually the death song of, the
| Sioux is borne By that snow cooled breeze
to the ears of the soldiers. They watch the
swaying forms of the Indians as the wall
rises higher. There is solennity as we'll
| as fierceneSs in the scene. There is pathos,
despite the bitter hatred on both sides.
! The chant of the braves sweiis into a vol
ume of sound and then sinks into sigh.
For a second there is absolute silence
A yell, terrible in its shrillness, c1eaves
the stiffness. 1t is the warcry of the Sioux.
The death song has ended in the battle
shout. As the lightning leaps from a
cloud the Sioux leap to their horses and
face the troops. Again that savage cry
| goes up, and the three Brules dash in mad
! fury down the hill straight toward the
cleaning rifles of thousand men in blue
The line is apparently motionless. The
Indians ponies are stretched to full speed
They, too know the meaning of that yell
of defiance, and they spring toward the
troops as if they could trample them under
their unshod feet and carry their red riders
to safety beyond.
The Sioux are coming within range.
They brandish their guns. Then one of
them fires The discharge of the blank
cartridge is scarcely heard above the war
cry Tie long lines of blue seem to move.
MAKE ready!''
The command is in a cool, calm voice.
1t is repeated down the line until the last
man hes heard and obeyed.
The Sioux come rushing on. The brides
dangIe on the ponies necks. With their
guns swinging in the air, the Indians are
shouting maledictioHs.
Take aiml' comes the cold, methodical
command.
The Sioux see the barrier of steel. A
thousand rifle muzz1es are directed at their
breasts Two puffs of smoke tell that the
last of the blank cartridges has been dis