Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-08-25


this point we could see the burning build
ings and the shadowy forms of the Apaches
as they danced about the fire, while their
shrill, exultant yells went echoing down
the valley.
1.-The blood that had been so chilled n
short time before now burned in my veins.
I felt my eyes were ablaze. l knew it was
madness, for felt my wife and children
were dead, still could not resist the i'm
pulse to rush forward and avenge them
even though died in the attempt.
II did not think the Utes, though I'M
doubtetily brave, would follow me in this
reckless charge, but they did. hoped to
surprise the Apaches, but found them on
the alert A shower of bullets and arrows
met us rs we leaped into their midst. using
our pistols and then clubbing our rifles.
"A quick glance showed me the dead
body of my wife and the four Mexicans
lying still and mutilated about her, telling
that they had fought to the last in her de-
Tense
lone thinks like lightning at such
times / could not see my children, and
/ remember that drew some comfort from
the fact that they might still be alive See
ing that nothing was TO be gained by fight
ing the Apaches, who every moment came
in thicker swarms about u.s. called to the
Utes to follow me back to the cliff where
our horses were But we never reached
the cliff
1--WE were forced to stand back to back
and fight the bowling mob that hemmed
as in. One by one my companions fell,
and found myself standing alone. 1t was
only for an instant. An arrow pierced my
sight breast, and the blow of spear rem
dered me unconscious and sent me to the
earth.
"We would all have been scalped had it
not been for Kit and Ouray, who had fol-
lowed close behind. They did not stop on
the cliff, but charged down on the Apaches
and put them to flight.
Il was restored to consciousness some
time during the night and found Kit bend
ing over me l did not need to tell him
about my wife, but asked about the chill
dren.
".One of them,' said Kit, SIS lying be-
side its mother, and dying Apache told
me that your Oldest child, Nina, has been
carried Off
"If anything could have given me COM
fort at that awful time it would have been
the knowledge that my darling Nina was
dead. But Kit told me to cheer up. He
had sent messengers to Fort Marcy for
doctor and troops, and he pledged me that
as soon as it was day he, Ouray and 12
picked men would pursue the band that
had carried off my little Nina and either
bring her back in safety or not return
themselves.
"Oh, 1 could fill q book telling you
about the awful time that followed! did
not care for the wounds, but the heart suf-
fcring of those days made me an old man,
though was not yet 80.
well, Kit and Ouray, with the IL picked
men, all mounted on the best horses they
could find, struck the Apache trail and fol-
lowed it up. Before sunset that night they
had crossed the Great Sierra Madre and
had come upon the ApacheS, encamped
upon a little canyon that runs into the San
Juan. The red dogs knew that Kit was
after them, and this frightened them more
than thousand troopers. Kit saw my
child crying in the arms of chief, and,
putting spurs to his horse, he rode directly
at him and cut his head in two with u
blow of a short cavalry sabcr he carried.
Exit was my little girls godfather, and
when she saw him she ran to him and
kissing him asked him to take her back to
papa and mamma.
There were enough Apaches there to
have gobbled up Kit and all his outfit, but
they ran like dogs, and I am told never
stopped till they got beyond the Colorado
Chi9uitO in Arizona.
That's all. i need not tell you that 1
got WELL SO far rs the wounds are concern
cd, but my little Nina never recovered
from the shock. She is buried over there
at Taos Let us drink, comrede, to the
memory of all the saints. Three Of them
are mine, and they are looking for me-"
As boy / had read so much of Kit Car
sons splendid exploits that l pictured him
as u powerful man, considerably over q
feet in height, with long black hair and
beard and piercing black eyes, and habi-
| tually dressed in the picturesque costume
of Il hunter
1t was after dark, and we had just fin
| ished supper in the officers mess at Fort
Garland, when Pfeiffer, at whose right
hand l was sitting, bent forward and
| whispered:
| "See! Kit and Ouray have just come
| in
looked toward the door, over which q
| lamp swung, and saw u man about 8 feet
| q inches in height, dressed in the common
blouse and gray shirt of a private soldier
| AS he advanced in Il modest way he re
| moved his black SLOUGH hat and saw tina,
| his eyes were blue his scant hair as fail
rs that OF child, and his mustache de
cidedly yellow. The shoulders were broad
and the chest deep AS l shook hand.
| with General Carson the old ideal van
ished, but the low, gentle voice, the firm
mouth and the quiet bearing told me
was in the presence of no ordinary man.
The other man was Ouray, Kit Carson'
companion i'll his rescue of little Nina.
Before this ! had seen many IDdian
and supposed that all the fine looking, 10
mantle ones were confined to the pages o
| Cooper 5 rOnances, but this was an excep
ton to the rule
Ouray stood feet in height, straight a
a pine. His face looked like that of
bronzed Roman warrior, and his pictur
esquc and ample costume would have de
lighted the soul Of an artist.
Years have passed since ! heard this stor,
and had this meeting with these remark
2blc men. The story l give for the frs
time TO the public. Meanwhile history an,
fame have taken charge OF my heroes
| ALFRED II. CALHOUN.
| Woman Cursed Him.