The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-29
A TRAGEDY
OF FRIENDSHIP

, Damon and Pythias but for the denou-
ment, which. 1 warn you, is not a par
ticularly joyful one; still, if you fell
lows don't mind the tragic, here goes:
About 20 years ago two young fell
lows, whom Wen call Tom and Jack,
started out to seek their fortunes
ranching in Arizona. The ranch fever
was just then about at its height. En-
gland and Australia, as well as our
own east, were sending out idiots in
droves to the west. Young fellows,
many of them well educated and Of
good birth and brought uD to every
luxury, simply went wild over the
primitive freedom of that adventurous
life until, with capital exhausted,
downright hard work and privation in
evitable, they came to wiSh-heaVeu
knows how bitterly some of them
wished it-that they had never ex-
changed the commonplace comforts of
civilization for the intoxicating I'M
certainty OF frontier life. These two
youngsters, having tidy bit of CAPT.
tai between them on coming of age
concluded TO invest it in cattle and
fixed upon Arizona as the most faV-
orable spot for their financial expert
ment.
In surprisingly short time they
had conquered every difficulty and
made a good start. They built them
selves snug little house, were joint
owners of quite a bunch of cattle and
had several boys as helpers. They had
always been the closest of chums.
these two, born in the same town.
schoolmates in boyhood, classmates at
the same university-you never knew
two chaps more devoted.
tom was a big fellow, blonde, with
rudy skin, honest blue eyes and a
laugh-well, 1 tell you, it did a fellow
good Just to hear him roar in his
hearty way when one got off joke.
Jack was a little fellow, bit deli
cate, not really equal to roughing it,
He used to complain that Tom did the
biggest share of the work: but Tom
never would hear a word of that, and
while they smoked before the rough
stone fireplace, in their one room, of
evenings, to hear Tom defer to Jacks
judgment and consult about business
matters was TO think Toms little part
ner one of the biggest and cleverest
business heads of the age.
For some time there had been ru-
mors of an Indian outbreak. The
Apaches were getting restless and al
ready several small bands had stolen
away from the reservation to hiding
places in the mountains. There was,
[
home and property, especially where
there were women and children to be
considered.
Tom and Jack talked 1t over and
decided to stick to the ranch. To leave
was to lose everything, the hard-won
result of months of toll; for, of course,
if they deserted, the boys couldn't be
expected to stay. There was bare
chance of things blowing over, and in
vat -.l1f n
defense might save them, if the worst
did come.
so the ranch was Drovisioned for a
siege and fortified in every way; ada
cent outbuildings which might, through
nearness to the main building, become
dangerous, were rerloved-eVerythinS
in short, which could insure safety
when the critical moment arrived was
anticipated and done.
zone day a cowboy from neighbor-
ing ranch came riding in like mad, hat
gone, blood streaming down his face
His tale was of the worst. His
ranch had been attacked, the house
burned and every one killed but him
self He. although closely pursued, had
succeeded in Guiding the Apacaes, Who
were, however, close behind him.
Tonne was naturally the leader
at once called in all the boys; doors
and windows were barricaded, last de-
tails of defense completed. The horses
were brought inside to a place already
prepared for them, so that if need be
there would be means for attempted
flight and possible escape Every man
had his station, some at the loopholes,
some at the water casks. in readiness
to nut out the fires which would in
evitably be started.
1T was not a long wait. In a very
short time the ranch was surrounded
by band of whooping devils, who evil
IDENTIFY expected to find the house as
unprotected as the one they had just
destroyed. for. without moments
pause, they made a wild rush toward
it.
They were met by a whitening vol
ley from the various loopholes and fell
back with considerable loss. which. as a
wholesome lesson, had its effect, but
yet undoubtedly reused the Indians to
a still greater pitch of frenzy.
Three days went by, days of con-
slant vigilance and steady fighting.
The Apaches tried every dodge known
to their mode of warfare without any
success. Toms really mastery line
of defense and the plucky cooperation
of the boys seemed to make it probable
that they would be able TO hold out
until the arrival of the troops, who
were known TO be hot on the trail of
the Indians. The greatest danger to be
feared was fire. Already the Apaches
had made several attempts to fire the
house by hurting burning brands
against it. but the boys at the water
casks had been too quick for them,
while the aim of those at the loOpholes
We're so deadly that none of the In
dams had succeeded in getting near
enough to really start a blaze which
would be dangerous.
Still. it was an anxious time. Tbs
days went by, the strain was beginning
to tell on them all; several of them
were wounded, and suffering had
made them lose heart; they had given
up hopes of the troops or of firing out
the Apaches. The Indian loss. indeed.
had been so heavy that every one knew
the price which would be exacted by
savage revenge. Still, there was MOTH
ing to do but TO hold on. The Apaches
lay hidden but if by chance anyone
showed himself at the ranch there was
an instant rain of scattering bullets.
To complicate matters the water
supply began to run alarmingly low;
there was barely enough for the horses
and men, none to spare for the lavish
use demanded in putting out even a
small blaze. The suspense was horri-
BILE. Tom saw that something would
have to be done. That something was
very suddenly precipitated by the In
dams themselves.
Creeping up as close to the house
as possible they made a series of rushes
at the side least defended, and each
time. despite the loss of one or two
more of their number, succeeded in
throwing a lot of brush up against the
house. This was as dry as finder and