Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-06-08
TIVE LUCK Of KILLING Day.


ed records for minstreIsy and savage
skirmishes to help form the headquarters
of the department Of the Platte at Fort
Ni0brara, were dismounting in front Of
their new 'dobe quarters between III
company and the suffers store. They
had been in the saddle almost continu-
ousiy for ten days, and were sore of limb
and little ugly in spirit.
The adjutant's niece, who had pulled
up her pony in the rear of the guard
house, fifty yards distant. was contem-
plating them attentively. She had never
experienced colored regulars before. Her
six months career on the Western from
tier, excepting g few days with a March
blizzard at Boise City, Idaho, lay entire
Iy at Niobrara, whittier she came from
the arms of her parents in Chicago.
They had sent her with fearful reluct-
ance away out to the post adjutant's
wife, to forget Chopin and Schubert,
and 3 O'clocks, and small gossip for a
While-to ''get out of the conventional, :"
they told their neighbours And While
she sat there straight on her pony and
Aeard the troops swearing softly over
ACT August sand winds in May, and
whiStling jigs to keep their teeth from
gritting, she believed she must be fulfill
ing her mission with great credit.
The two youngest lieutenants of the
Ninth easing the wet girths on their
horses, were eying her hard. They
hadn't looked on q pretty woman for
moue than eighteen months, and had al
a9sst given up hope; therefore, though
this one seemed to pay no special heed
TO their glances, she impressed them
considerably. On the ride down to the
stables while the girl was cantering
home, they admitted as much to one
another. And because they had come
out of West Point arm in arm, their
admissions meant great deal more than
you might suppose they would.
On the third day in barracks, after
they had unpacked their boxes and
chosen the most comfortable room in
quarters to shave in they called together
to pay their respects to the post adju-
Gant, smoked his perfecto cigars and re-
turned to their own rocking chairs and
pipes TO swap epigrams on the stately
1oveliness of his niece. The girl took
possession OF their heads very suddenly,
yea see, which was natural and excusable
under the circumstances. And she occu-
pied them with varying increments of
Senaci&y until one afternoon, two weeks
later, in the cobwebbed cellar of the
post hail. They were rummaging in the
corner used as the dressing room for
abe post theatricals.
StWel, what if she is Indifferent and
pious? A little religion in proper doses
wouldn't hurt me at all. And consider
her looks; she may not be a facsimile
Sf the Venus of Milo, but the resem-
biance is close enough to suit me. /
took particular care to study her last
zESg&f," said the younger of the two
youngest lieutenants from his perch OH
aS odd gunrack. His name was John
Sterling Mix, and his hair was blonde.
Moon talk" said Sandman, discover
ing hand mirror in a battered leathered
trunk. ITS time you quit studying
women, Mike; you're too young to I'M
sserstand them. Why don't you learn to
Taak Sioux, which is profitable in this
country? Something is going to break
loose on the reservation pretty soon, and
you'll be up a tree for an interpreter.
L haven't the slightest doubt that the
giH is Iovable and good to look att but
i shouldn't go much farther than calling
hex ny her last name. Hello! What's
shis nasty stuff in the pill boxes? Looks
hike salve."
Doris Sandham-he was entered in the
register as Lieut., D Company, 9th
Cav."-had got his fingers in some of
the grease paint and powder and burnt
s,ork left over from the last Fools day
performance. He daubed little rouge
on the end of his nose and squinted at
the cavalier on the gunrack. who grinned
and began TO count off the finer virtues
of the girl.
IF YOU don't let UP. Mike Sandman
shouted, 'I'll be obliged to smear you
with this rouge. + viii do you less
harm than the color on the cheeks of the
.adjutants niece"
Nix glowered for moment, while his
brain evolved an outlandish idea. Then
ne said:
"Dorrie, will make you proposition.
A understand they have a Killing Day on
the reservation every week-like our
Bloody Tuesday in the territory. There's
0ne next Saturday, and some of the peo-
Yte are going over with the colonel in the
ambulance. Now suppose we get out
OUR Jeggins, and borrow a shirt and ride
ln with the Indians. We can give those
skunk eaters few pointers on punch
ing. Come, boy, what do you think?
There's your grease paint-See if you
can aind any burnt umber in that trunk
Yes, there's enough to paint house.
think of the sport"
<'I think" Sandman answered, cycling
MIN quizzically, that you are one of
she most ingenious fools | ev-''
@@SNait," Mix interrupted; I'm looking
for sport, but I'll make it an object for
you-in dead earnest. If you kill first,
EsEt Of Course l may call on her as often
as she D3eases. If I kill"
81 accept the proposition, Mike" cried
Sandbam with absolutely no i'll feeling.
The sutler will drive US over, and we
can make some kind of a deal dressing
at che reservation. You are not only an
ingenious fool. but a daredevil. Come
along home. It's dinner time.
On Saturday. about an hour. after
guard mount, the two youngest lieuten-
ants got into double-seated blackboard
an front of the suffers store with bun
die that contained q small hand mirror
and three boxes of burnt lumber Then
box of Long Pine Havanas and touched
his whip TO the. nigh mule. The six,
mule post ambulance-which was used
on all occasions as a stage coach-had
gone on half an hour before with q dis
Ginguished and expectant party. BY the
tine the blackboard was out of sight Of
the post and across the Niobrara ford,
she two youngest and the sutler were
chatting merrily over their cigars.
~f0h, yes" the sutler was saying, Eve