Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-03-03
A TRAGEDY OF !
FRIENDSHIP.

FRIENDSHIP.
This last little Indian scare reminds
me of something that happened some
twenty years ago" said the ranchman,
clicking the ashes from his cigar. Il
might call it the story of a modern
Damon and Pythias but for the de-
nOucmcEt. which. | warn you, is not a
particularly joyful one, still, if you fel-
lows don't mind the tragic, here go"s:
About twenty years ago two Young
fellows, whom well call Tom and Jack,
started out to seek their fortunes ranch
, Ing in Arizona. The ranch fever was
just then about at its height. England
and Australia as well as cur own cast
were ser ing out idiots in droves to the
: West. Young fellows, many of them
well educated and of good birth and
brought up 10 every luxury, simply
went wild over the primitive freedom
Of that adventurous life. until. with cap
ital exhausted. downright hard work
and privation inevitable, they came TO
wlsh-heaven knows how bitterly some
of them wished it-that they had never
exchanged the commonplace comforts
of civilization for the intoxicating uI'-
certainty of frontier life. These two
youngsters, having tidy bit of capital
between them on coming of age, COP
Cluded TO invest it in cattle. and fixed
npOn Arizona as the most favora BILE spoI
for their financial experiment.
''In a surprisingly short time they haG
conquered every difficulty and made a
good start. They built themselves q
snug little house, were joint owners of
quite bunch of cattle, and had sew
eral boys as helpers. They had always
been the closest of chums, these two.
born in the same town, schoolmates i'll
boyhOOd classmates at the university
you never knew two chaps more de-
voted.
Tom was a big fellow, blond, with
= ruddy skin, honest blue eyes, and a
iaugh-wen, I tell you it did fellow
good just to hear him roar in his hearty
way when any one got off a joke.
Jack was a little fellow, bit deli
cate, not really equal to roughing it.
He used 10 complain that Tom did the
biggest share OF the work but Tom
never would hear 4 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, of
course. a big scare, people leaving
homes and property, especially where
there were women and children to be
considered.
TON and Jack talked it over and de
cided to stick to the ranch. To leave
was to lose everything, the hard won re-
suit of months of toll; for, of course, il
they deserted, the boys couldn't be ex-
pected to stay. There was bare
chance of things blowing over, and in
any case watchfulness and systematic
defense might save them, IL the worst
did come.
so the ranch was provisioned for a
siege and fortified in every way; ad-
jacent outbuildings, which might
through nearness TO the main building
become dangerous, were removed-ev-
erything, in short, which could insure
safety when the critical moment ar
rived was anticipated and done.
One day a cowboy from n 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 himself. He,
although closely pursued, had succeed
ed in eluding the Apaches, who were,
however, close behind him.
"Tom-he was naturally the leader
at once called in all the boys: doors and
windows were barricaded, last details
OF defense completed. The horses were
brought inside TO place already pre-
pared for them, so that il need be there
would be means for attempted flight
and possible escape. Every man had
his station, some at the loopholes, some
ut the water casks, in readiness to p,it
out the fires which would inevitably bs
STARTED
1T was not a long wait. In a vert
short time the ranch was surrounded
by a large band of whooping devils
who evidently expected to find the
house as unprotected as the one they
had just destroyed, for, without a mo
ment's pause, they made wild rush to
ward it.
They were met by witherinS vol
ey from the various loOpholes and fei
back with considerable loss, which, rs
4 wholesome lesson, had its effect, hui
yet undoubtedly reused the Indians to
st.H greater pitch of frenzy.
''ihree days went by, days Of con
itant vigilance and steady fighting !
The ipaches tried every dodge known |
70 their mode OF warfare without any |
success. Toms really mastery line OF
defense and the plucky co-Operat ton OF
the boys seemed to make 1t probable
tnat they would be able to hold out un
Ill the arrival of the troops, who wers
known 10 be hot on the trail of the In. |
tanS. The greatest danger to be feared |
was fire. Already the Apaches had |
made several attempts to fire the house
by hurling burning brands against 1t /
but the boys at the wster casks had