The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-10-22
CHAPTER I.

shrouding its dcsolation, hiding its aC-
customed uglincss and warning scout,
soldier or cowboy to look we'll to his
landmarks before vcnturing forth upon
it's tracklcss sea, for even tho cattle
trails wero hidden and tho stage road
lost to view. Between its banks of glis-
tening whito the Platte rolled black and
swollen, for q rare thing had happened
-one SO rare that old trappcrs and
traders said they never knew tho liko
before since first they sighted "L0r'-
mie' peak or forced tho passes Of the
Medicine Bow--tlere had been three
days Of softly falling snow and not q
whisper of a Wyoming gallo There had
been q thaw in the Laramie plains, pre-
coded by a soft south wind in the park
country Of Colorado, and whole fcccy
hillsidcs, said the natives, were "slump-
ing Off" in the upper waters Of tho
river. And that was how tho Plato
came to be tossing high it's wintry wavo
under tho old stockado at the ferry and
sweeping in power, instead Of sleeping
In peace, beneath its icy blanket, around
the huge bluff where waved the colors
Of old Fort Fraync.
Tho roadway winding from the river
side up to tho adjutant's office at tho
southern end Of the garrison was still
unbrolcn. Tho guard at the fcrryhouse
had been withdrawn, and as for tho
veteran stockatlc, sole relic of the early
days or the overland stage route, it
looked now in it's silence and tlcsola-
tion. heavily capped as it was with its
weight OF snow, like somc huge, fat
tened ont charlotte do ruSSC--at least
that was what Ellis Farrar, daughter
OF tho post commander, hEcncd it to
as she pCrlCd from tho north window Of
their coZy quarters Oh tho crest Of tho
bluff. "And to think Of Christmas be-
ing almost hero and not chance Of
getting ~ wagon through from the rail
way" she murnured, "and SO lOngcd
to mako it bright and joyous for ,nothcr
It is always her saddcst scnson.'
These low toned words were addressed
to Captain Lcalo Of her fathers regi-
ment, % strong, soldicrly looking man
Of nearly 40 years, who, with ficldglass
in hand, had been studying tho wintry
landscape to tho north and east IIo
turned rs tho young girl spoke, and,
lowering his. glasses, followed her eyes
and looked anXio,Isly across the bright
army parlor to whcrc tho freight from
the blazing logs upon the hearth fell
full upon matronly woman whose
luxuriant hair WAS already turning gray,
and whose sweet, patient faco bore tho
unmistakablo trace Of deep sorrow. She
was seated at Il desk, an unfinished let
ter before her, and had paused in tho
midst Of her writing and dropped off
into tho drcamland Of faraway scenes
and memories. From q drawer in the
desk she had taken What was evidently
n portrait, u small photograph, and had
been intcntly studying it while tho only
other occupants Of tho room were busy
at the window.
''It &c you know-Roylc's, my
brothe' IIcture," whispered Ellis. 81
knC though l haven't seen it in
"yur so lOng---Gvo years, l think.
Again tho captain bowed, inclining
his head in tho slow, grave way that
was habitual with him. 81 know" he
said briefly, and tho gazc he fixed upon
his coloncl's wifo was full of anxiety
and sympathy. II have often wished
that your fathers promotion had
brought him 70 any other garrison i'll
the army. You remember he was sta
toned hero when lieutenant colonel,
and it was from hors that Roylc went
to West Point. "
II remember it bN&t vaguely. That
was nine years ago, caRtsin, and I was
but 2 Wo saw him dpfng his cadet
furlough two years later jill 1SS8--and
that was the last. Mother >oDy rarely
speaks Of him, and father nGVc, unless
unless" sho added, with fund ap-
peal, "he does to you. Docs hc%'
Captain Lcale paused a moment be.
fore replying. Only that very morning
had his colonel talked with him, tro'
most trusted Of his troop commanders,
OF Ellis long missing brother. Only
within an hour had Farrar sought again
his advice as to ono whom ho could not
bring himself to namo and referred to
In shame and sorrow as "my eldest, .
and only rarely rs "my son" First
born OF the ittlo flock, tho boy had
' been given his fathers namc. The only
child for several years, pcttcd, spoiled,
oVcrlndulgcd by II fond, puro hearted
nother' thcn reared among tho isolated
army garrlsons Of tho far west tho
handsome headstrong, daring youtj
but oil TOO early had shown tendency
to wild companionship and reckless liv
ing. Few men in the cavalry arm Of the
service were held in higher esteem thar
Colonel Roylo Farrar, who, entering tn,
service with tho first regiment to bt
sent to the front from NeW York citv i,
tho spring of 1861, had fought his wa,
to the command of q brigade in the las
campaign and then been commissioner
as q junior major of cavalry at the re
organization Of the regular army. Tb,
president himself had rendered Farror
long afterward, u cadetship for his son
and it was GRATEFULLY yet almost fca,
fully accepted Tho mother could no
be brought to believe her boy would no
strive to do honor to his namo at tn