The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-09-01
.owod by ten young mar-s ravov no,.e.

sowed by ten young uroycs Wnvou non DC,
wero fresh.
"Tho sun had dropped behind the Sierrs
Madrc whileI was yot four miles from
home. The light. directly III front, sont 9
chill through my blood, and my heart fol
tho moment stopped its beating. know
that my home hsd been attacked and fired.
Although driven to desperation, IA
miliarity with danger enabled me to retain
my presence Of mind. On the bluffs
above tho rivsr my Indian companions and
| mysclf staked our wearicd horses. From
this point we could SEQ tho burning build
ings and thu shadowy forms of the Apachcs
as they danced about the fire, while their
shrill, exultant yells won't echoing down
| the valley.
"Tho blood that had boon SO chilled o
| short time boforc now burned in my veins.
| felt my eyes woro ablazo. knew 1t was
madness, for felt my wife and children
wcro dead. still could not resist the Inn
| pulse to rush forward and avenge them
| even though died In the attempt
II did not think the Utes, though I'M
doubtedly brave, would follow me in this
reckless charge, but they did. 1 hoped to
surprise the Apaches, but found them on
the alert A shower of bullets and arrows
met us as we lcaped into their midst, using
our pistols and then clubbing our rifles.
"A quick glance showed mo tho dead
body of my wife and tho four Me1icans
lying still and 1nutilatcd about her. telling
that thoy Ind fought to tho last in her de-
Tense
"one thinks like lightning at such
times. ] could not SEQ my children, and
remember TINT drew some comfort from
the fact that they might still be alive Sco-
Ing that nothing was to DO gained by fight
bnn
In thicker swarms about us, called to tho
Utes to follow mo buck to tho cliff where
our horses were But wo mover reached
tho cliff
Two wore forced to stand buck to back
and fight tho bowling mob that hcmi cd
US In. Ono by one my companions foil,
and found myself standing alone. 1t was
only for m instant An arrow pierced my
| right breast, and the blow Of spear rem
dered mo unconscious aud sent me to the
| earth.
I'VE would all have been scalped had 1t
not been for Kit and Ourny, who Ind fol-
lowed close behind. They did not stop On
tho cliff, but charged down on the Apaches
and put them to flight
| II was restored to consciousness some
timo during tho night and found Kit bend
ing oycr Inc. 1 did not need to tell him
about my wife, but asked about tho chill
dren.
One of them, said Kit, is lying be-
side Its mother, and a dying Apache told
rho that your oldest child, Nina, Inns been
carried off,
If anything could hnve given mo COM
Fort ut that awful time, 1t would have been
tho knowledge that my darling MINI was
dead But Kit told mo to cheer up. He
had sent messengers to Fort Marcy for IL
doctor and II, ps, and no pledged me thnt
as soon us it was day he, Ouray and 10
picked men would pursue tho band that
had carried off my littlc Nina and either
bring her back In safety oE not return
themselves.
"Oh, could I'll u book telling you
about tho awful timo that followedl l did
not caro- Tor tho wounds, but the heart suf-
ierinB OF those days made me ON old man.
though was not yet 80.
well, Kit and Ouray, with tho i nclled
men, oil mounted on the best horses they
could find, struck the Apache trail and fol-
lowed II up. Before sunset that NIGHT they
had crossed the Great Sicrrn Madrc and
had como upon tho Apaclcs, encampcd
upon little canyon that runs into the San
Juan. Tho red dogs knew that Kit was
niter them, and this frightened them moro
Than thousand troopers. Kit saw my
chlld crying In the arms of chief, and,
putting spurs to his horse, he rcdo directly
ut him and cut his head in two with a
blow OF short cavalry saber he carried.
XII was my littlo girls godfather, and
when she saw him sho ran to him and
kissing him asked him to take her back to
papa and mamma
"Ihero wero enough Apaches there Ia
have gobblcd up Kit and oil his outfit, but
they ran like dogs, md I am told never
stopped till they got beyond tho Colorado
Chiquito in Arizona,
That's ali. 1 need not tell YOU TINT
got well, SO far as the wounds are concern.
CO. but my little MINI mover recovered
from the shock. She Is buried over there
at Taos. Let us drink, comradc, to the
memory Of oil tho saints. Three of them
are mine, and they arc looking for mo. -
AS boy had road SO much of Kit Car.
sons splendid exploits that pictured him
as powerful IMAM, considerably over {
feet In height, with long black hair and
beard and piercing black eyes, and hnbi
tually dressed in the picturesque costume
OF IL hunter.
IL was after dark. and wo had Just I'm
lshed supper in the officers mess ut Fort
garland, when Pfeincr, ut whose right
hand was sitting, bent forward nuc
whispered:
in" '"0' ''i'''
looked toward tho door, over which ,
lamp swung, and saw man about 8 fee
olhches IN height, dressed In the common
blouse and gray shirt OF private soldier
| AS ho advanced an n ,,,d,,. 49,, a.,