The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-08

heT son the best eGucaDOQ the territory
afforded, which was not much.
There was a school at Santa Fe and
another at Taos. both conducted by
Catholic missionaries. Just because Kit
CarSons home was then in Taos, and
he could keep an eye on the boy" it was
decided to send him to school there.
Young Kit, as he was called, was
man by the time he was IS. He was very
bright and handsome. but he did not
take kindly TO the discipline and text
books of the good fathers This panied
the mother, but it had an opposite effect
on the father, who delighted in the
knowledge that his son could shoot with
the best. ride like a centaur, and down
the Oldest hands in square game OF
draw poker.
Young Kit came home in his 18th year,
and his father. who had again taken
TO stage driving, turned over 10 the boy
the ranch with a few score cattle and
about 1000 sheep.
NO IDEA OF VALUE.
Men have become miIlionaires on
much smaller start, but young Kit had
as little idea of money as had his father.
Instead OF attending to his hocks,
Young Kit practiced on the fiddle by day,
and he went by night to all the fan
dangOes within reach. But his greatest
delight was to go TO Fort Union and play
poker with the enlisted men, many OF
whom had more skill and less honor than
himself. And this. no doubt was at the
bottom of the tragedy.
It was a long drive from Fort Union
10 Dul 1OI1 AudilS uScQ ~
make the round trip in Y hours, with re-
lays every ten miles. His only rest was
at either end of the route. Joe Hobart
drove down when Tom Adams came up.
The up coaches often carried consider
able gold dust from the placers in New
Mexico and the down coaches often car
ried paymasters with money for the
troops at Fort Union and along the Rio
Grande. Hold-ups there had been in
many parts of the west but SO far none
had been attempted on this route. I'm
munity from plumber did not give the
drivers overconfdence, for they were
always we'll armed and on the alert,
though they had no special guards.
Tom Adams was about to leave Fort
Union for Trinidad. 1t was early morn
ing. and the men VINO heard the talk 'pe-
tween the driver and his son afterward
recalled every word
Young Kit had been playing cards the
night before and, unknown to his father,
had not only lost all his money, but ran
into debt in his effort to win back.
rs Major Taggart coming back with
you, father?' asked the young man.
INDIAN TROUBLE.
This Major Taggart was Colonel David
Taggart of Pennsylvania, and al that
time payInaster for the department.
No" replied the father, he'll DO down
tomorrow with Joe Hobart. and rlgnt
smart pile he'll have with him, for the
boys amt been paid off for three months
on account OF. the lnJun trouble on the
plains.
Beyond l4lO OIQlIdly -AuAOos pcl4AC
milo. - '-Adios. muchacho,' that is all that
was overheard.
Tom Adams drove northward. and
abo-.t sunset he halted al the station,
/ where he passed the southbound Stage
and the passengers got supper and the
horses were changed.
Joe Hobart's family lived at Trinidad.
! He had left his wife in dying state and
was anxious to return. He stated his case
| to Tom Adams and proposed that he
| (Adams) should return TO Fort Union,
| Colonel TagSart and his clerk being the
! on1y passengers. while he went back TO
| his wife.
Tom Adams agreed to this at once
| indeed. the company had already planned
! 10 make Just this change and TO get an
! other driver for relief.
Colonel Taggart sat up on the box
| with the driver until near midnight, for
| Tom. when he liked his company, could
! be the most interesting man IN all the
mountains. and as all old army officers
| knew. Colonel Taggart'S heart was as
| big as his BODY, ana that IS saying much.
Tom was not ayerse toespeasr1g OF MINI
| self sbut the beauty and Inc Brightness
| of Young hit-were subjsetssof which he
never Wearied. According TO himself, Kit
| knew Spanish and Engllsh better than
| any man in the world, and as a fiddler.
| singer and dancer he was without rival.
| When the colonel said, with a smile.
| that the boy might one day De president,
! the old man took him seriously and de-
! ciared that he had long had that posi-
| bility in mind.
| CLICK OF A RIFLE.
About 11:30. the moon having dropped
! behind the Ration range. Colonel TaggarJ
entered the stage and tried 10 n ate
! his clerk by going TO sleep, but although
! an old traveller IN the western WHO'S ne
could not do So II was i've miles TO the
1 next statiOn-the longest stretch without
/ change on the line-Wher Tom Adams, as
was his custom. halted his painting horses
on the crest OF d spur, over which the
road wound. He fastened the lines 10
the brake and WIS II the act OF dis
mounting TO make sure that the harness
was ali right for the descent just be
yond when he was startled by the click
ing OF rifle. and from behind neigh
boring rock a stern voice commanded:
Halt and throw up your hands,"
Tom Adams. with the qUickneSs of
lightning, threw up his hands, but one
OF them held revolver
who are your demanded the driver.
There are four Of US, and well shoot
the nrst man that shows fight You have
tg-o men inside?
Yes, but they have no money
Order them out"
AS you seem to be bossing this job,
order them out yourself" said Iom
Adams. and he tried TO make out the
mans confederates.
The man advanced, still covering the
/ driver with his rife. and called out:
Come. Colonel Iaggart, we know you.
| Jump out with your friend and turn
over your money. We've no time to
spare
Colonel Taggart had drawn his pistol
| and was in me act OF Opening the stage
door when d flash near by blinded HIM,
and he heard the crack OF a pistol.
''Ha. l got you. cred Tom ADAMS as
! the robber, who had exposed himself for
| the fraction of a second. reeled and feil
| dead at his feet.
The man had no confederateS.
Tom Adams unscrewed d stage lamp
/ and held it down to the masked race OF u
| slender, graceful figure,
| He tore away the mask. Then the
| lamp dropped from his hand, and reeiiIs
! back he cried out in a voice Of piercing
agony:
''Oh. GodI 1t is Kit! My Kit!'
| With a. dead son and an insane father
inside the stage remained halted TIL
morning, when Colonel TaggArJ anu his
/ clerk drove it to the next station.
Tom Adams died a few months after
| this. and his friends even his heaE,-
| broken wife, felt thankful that his
reason never returned
| 60
7IEJluCISE flRA AYE.