Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-02-17


the Pawnees who were among 1ne
scouts recognized our captive At Cncs
~ Bear Foot, q noted ana very "feN
chief. When the Sioux came 10 NM
self and realized that be was captive
he became furious. he surged and
strained at the bell rope. but 1t was all
in vain, and finally he gave 1t up.
when we had eaten our supper We
all went inte the round house-ssldiers
and all-for We knew the Sioux would
make q desperate effort to secure their
chief before the night was out
1T was long after midnight when
one Of the men on duty beard a low
scrapinG sound like that made by a hog
crawling under gate. A moment
later the noise was repeated, and when
the same sound had been heard three
or four times the lieutenant IN COM
mand flashed a bulrs-eye lamp in the
direction of the door and the light Of it
revealed three big braves standing close
together. while fourth was just creep
Ing in under the door. With q weare-
who appeared to be the leader. glanced
at his companions. Then, a. though the
idea had struck all Of them at once,
they threw their guns up and let 60
along down the ray Of hight, and the
Lieutenant fell to the ground severely
wounded.
'Appreciating the importance Of our
capture, the captain In command had
set four powerful Pawnee scouts to
ri hA
was no sure thing that we would be
able to stand the Indians of till morn
Ing, and as the storm had knocked the
wires down we had been unable to tele-
graph to Lawrence for reinfOrcements
The fact that their brave chief was
himself a captive would increase the
wrath of the red men without, and tax
ing even a moderate view Of the sltua-
ton. we were In a hard hole. l, for
one, would have gladly bartered our
captive and the glory of the capture
away for an assurance Of seeing the
sun rise on the following morning, but
1 dared not hint such a thing 10 the
captain, much less to the Pawnees.
The four Pawnees with their prfs-
Oner were placed in the coal tank Of the
locomotive, while the fireman and l &C.
cupfed our places In the cab and kept
the steam up to 140 pounds. If at any
time IL seemed to me the fight was go
ing against us and the Sioux stood a
chance to effect an entrance l was to
pull out for Lawrence with the captain
and fetch assistance, provided did not
meet a west-bound train and lose my
locomotive. l rather liked this arrange
ment, risky as 1t was, for II was pre-
ferable TO remaining In the round house
to be roasted alive. Then, again, l dis
liked fighting-that's what we fed and
hauled these soldiers around for. They
were so Internally lazy in time of peace
that l used almost to pray for trouble
that they might be given an opportunity
at least once week to earn their board
and keep. Now that the opportunity
seemed to be at hand / had no wish to
deprive them of the excitement and
glory of being killed in real battle. and
SO sat nodding in the cab OF the old 40
until the flash OF the bulrs-eye caused
me to look ahead.
The report of the rifles in the hands
of the Indians had been answered by a
dozen guns from the interior of the
building and Immediately shower of
lead rained and ratified upon the wood
en- doors from without. One OF the
scouts picked the bulls eye lamp up and
pla ced il upon the work bench. training
the light upon the double doors immedi-
ately in front of my engine. Our men
knew how useless ii would be To fire into
the sand-stuffed sides of the building,
and not caring to put themselves into a
position where they could fire effective
ly above the wainstcoting. they very
wisely kept close to the ground and al /
lowed the Sioux to empty their guns
into the sand
Presently, hearing no sound from
within, the attacking party ceased
firing and began to prOwl about the !
building in search of weak spo,
which they might effect an en- /
trance. The fate of the three early call |
ers who had hogged it under the door |
for the remainder of the evening. In |
a little while the whole place was as
still as the tomb save for the soft fiut- !
ter of steam from the safety valve of |
the 40. Bear Foot knew what was GO
ing on Even though he could see moth /
ing, he knew that his faithful followers /
were working for his release, and now |
when all was silent he shouted from the |
coal tank to his braves to break the |
door and come in. Before the Pawnee /
scouts could pound him into a state of |
bs ho n Inn no tod hio poarlo
the particulars Of his whereabouts, and |
the whole band threw .
against the front Of the .
building.
''Tbe house fairly trembled, the In.
1ians surged from without and the
great doors swayed to and fro, threat
,ning at any moment to give way and
ct the flood of bloodthirsty redskins in
lpon US.
Stand together, called the captain
o his men.
Put on the blower and get her hot
called to the fireman, for 1 knew the
rail structure could not Withstand the
strain much longer. As often as the
ireman opened the furnace door to
axe his fire, the glare of the fire-bOx
it up the whole interior and showed
hree dead Sioux near the door. One of
hem lay across the rail, and l found
myself speculating as to whether the
,ilot Of the 40 would throw him of, or
whether l must run over him. Now it
eemed that the whole band had thrown
against the building, and
he yelling was deafening. Above it
III 1 heard our captain shout: Get
eady, Frank
L am ready, said l.
All right, said he, shoot II to 'em,'
md l opened the sand valves and the
hrottie. l have often thought what a
it was for those soldiers to
cap upon the engine and make their
Scape, but, although they all under