Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-07-22

| the army all my lie, so i ran away.
couldn't 60 off and leave her without a
| word, but neither could / tell her what
| was going 10 do, so left a note for
her, just saying that l wanted TO try
to make my own way in the world, and
that if | succeeded I'd let her know, and
that I'd go back to see her anyhow I'M
five years"
Don't you think that for her sake you
ought to give up this wild goose chase ?"
said the colonel.
mo, sir, for her sake / think I'd bet
ter go on" said Jeotfrys.
"She'd be very proud of you if she
knew" said the colonel.
"Oh, colonel, this isn't anything, and
she'd be proud of me anyhow" said
Jeoffrys with smile, you know how
mothers are, sir. Good-by. sir"
"Good-by," said the colonel, holding
out his hand.
And Jeotirys rode out silently into the
moonless night.
lie pushed on steadily, through des-
erts, through the narrow belts OF wood
that edged the water courses, across the
AAlgaA NAt liAAAt eAlftlllAHs w lAtA At ~ n
began to break he dismounted and led
his horse into a tangle OF brush on the
! bank of a little creek. He loosened the
girths, watered the horse, and select
ing a small. partially open spot m the
| Jungle, settled down TO spend the day.
lie drowsed along until nearly noon,
when suddenly, something-not noise,
ba . EaF.. Lsrso
of approaching danger-brought him to
his feet, and he saw through the leaves
six Indians coming straight toward
him. They were about 500 yards away.
He whispered "down" to his horse, and
owing to the perfect training of our
cavalry horses, down the creature went.
Jeoifrys crouched beside him, a pistol
in each hand. The brush was so thick
near the ground that he could not see,
but he could hear the Indians as they
came nearer.
After what seemed an interminable
length Of time, they We're close beside
his hiding place. He decided not to
fire until they were upon him-and they
passed byl For moment everything
whirled before his eyes, and then the
temptation TO shoot came on him. 1t
was so strong that he had 10 lay down
his pistols and elinch his hands until
the nails cut the flesh.
He kept his horse down nearly all day,
and started out again RS soon as il was
dark. At dawn he tied his horse and
climbed tree to take survey of the
country, and what should he see, not
three miles off, but the Seventeenth,
baggage train and ALI
They had been concealed from him
when he was on the ground by a slight
elevation. He scrambled down the tree,
mounted, and started toward the com
mand, shouting in rush of eXuberance
of spirits. As he went down the other
side of the elevation he came face to
face with three Indians who had been
hiding under bushes. watching the
troops.
If Jeoffrys had been a boy up to that
minute, il all died in him then. 1t did
not occur to him 10 value his life foI1
personal reasons-all he wanted was TO
accomplish what he had started out TO
do before he was killed.
When the troops came up-for the
firing attracted them at once-they
found JeoffIys' horse dead, two desper-
ately wounded Indians lying on the
ground, and Jeoffrys and the third In
dian yelling and hopping around each
other, the Indian trying 10 thrust his
knife into Jeoffrys, and Jeoffrys trying
to lunge his saber into the Indian.
The red men were soon disposed Of
Jeoffrys patted his dead horse good-by
with honest sorrow, mounted one of the
Seventeenth's led horses, and the COM
mand started toward the camp under
his guidance.
The Indians had been keeping faithful
watch, but had made no attack on their
bagged game. 1t had been their inten-
ton to starve them awhile, and then to
fall upon them, torture and butcher
them.
The men in camp were haggard and
worn. They had given up all hope of
rescue, and when, three DAYS after
Jeoffrys' departure, there was a sudden
uproar among the Indians, the ready
soldiers turned to meet an onslaught
with sublime recklessness-and while
they were in the thick of it, they heard
the bugles of the Seventeenth calling |
encouragement-pro quick re-
liefl Surely never had music been so
sweet before!
There was a sharp fght-and when |
the remaining Indians were galloping |
away for their lives, the Fourteenth and /
the Seventeenth rushed into each others |
arms. The Baby Trumpeter was cheered |
until the heavens rang. The men pulled |
him from his horse and Rugged him, and |
the colonel's eyes were wet as he clasped |
the young mans hand.
"You have saved your regiment by |
risking your own life, my boy" he said |
twas he thinking again of the little boy
who died?), land You will get medal |
of honor. l shall recommend you for |
examination for promotion from the /
ranks as soon as we get home. You /
have won your right to it by brilliant |
IL Il