Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-01-14


the lines, they were followed by anufn-
Der c&.soldiers, among whom, not lead
ing, but anxious to be "in the thick
OF it, was Lieut.. John Marcus Horton,
late OF West Point, who found himself
unable to brandish sword and shout
.eIplIoyg% mel" at one and the same
time, but who sprinted admirably,
nevertheless
Lieut.. Horton neverknewwhat did hap
pen that night, not exactly. Heremem-
bered. only that when the trouble was
ufl over in this, his first engagement,
he was the possessor of a shattered
arm, broken rib or two, cut head,
and small, blond prisoner, whom he
had captured at the point of the sword
when the troopers found the obscure
canyon in which the Indians, who had
evidently proposed TO emigrate to Mex
leo despite the season, had concealed
their families.
Horizons prisoner came along with
surprising willingness. Her complex
ion was tanned by the sun and winds al
most as dark as that of any Apache;
but the same influences had served only
TO bleach her naturally light hair to an
unmistakable tow-and-molasses-ta1fy
color or two. She must have retained
some recollection Of her scandinavian
parents else she had not come along
with Mr.. Horton so willingly, for she
had a temper, as was presently discoy-
cred by several persons. Yet she could
not or would not speak o word aside
from the Apache dialect, and we could
learn nothing, through the interpreters,
Of her origin or as to the time she had
lived among the Indians.
1t was not embarrassing, merely; it
was distressing, really, to all Of us, the
question Of what we should do with this
waif. Those of the Apache parentage
we could and would return to the reser-
vations But this one
T1leMomen had talked it over, with
doubtful shakes of the head, when John
MarcID Horton, with moro apparent
brayc,Ev than ne ever showed as q
''plehe," o cadet officer or in actual
lighting service, strobe modestly into
Che breach.
I'm attend to her case" he said.
Then seeing that the eyes OF the assem-
bed mothers of the community We're
upon him, he FLUSHED, but continued,
firmly my people will see to it that
she lacks nothing in the way of educa-
ton or training. Why not send her to
my mother in Ohio, and will attend to
the expenses of her chaperonage"
That was the end of Olga for time.
Five years afterward she came back to
US, and her readvent was the undoing of
many susccptiblcs.
Meanwhile there had been changes
while olga was AT school. John Horton
was no longer in the army, an uncle Of
his having died and left his interest in
several valuable mining properties, the
sole condition being that he resign his
commission as titled defender OF his
country; and Horton, it is needless to
state, exchanged his chances for glory
for this very substantial consideration
with all the alacrity that army regula-
tons would permit, thereby becoming
Col" Horton, by brcvct of his admir-
ing and envious fellow citizens.
That was three years back, and twice
during that time he had been in Ohio
10 visit his people, only to return with
glowing accounts Of the manner in
which Olga was getting on with her
music, her other studies, and the ways
Of polite society. After each OF these
trips, twas "Olga this" and olga that"
until we were tired Of hearing of his
little Norwegian Apache" as one of
the boys ungallantly dubbed her one
time when Horton was not present,
Had Horton been anything but good
fellow (and wealthy MANI he might
have been called down" scores Of
fines blythe bored ones. AS it was, how
ever, we listened to him with what was
intended 10 be an interested expression,
drank his wines, borrowed his money!
and hoped we might never behold Olga
in the flesh.
But when, after his third visit east,
Morton returned to Silver City, bring,
Ing with him his mother and the little
Norwegian Apache" what changed
of heart and a surrender of hearts! IN!
stead of an angular, awkward young
person, possessed Of points that might,
make her, when developed, q beautyi
Of the oily" tz.pe. behold q petite young
woman, with q wealth OF pale-golden
hair, beautiful eyes and teeth, COM
plexiop of roses and cream, a decidedly
vigorous constitution which called for
lots OF horseback riding and other out
door exercises.
Of course Horton was persona gratG
at the post, having been stationed there
during the major portion of his brief
term of service as a lieutenant; where
fore the wives and daughters of the gar
rison strove to outyie each other in their
attentions to his beautiful little pro-
tege, suffering themselves, on her ac-
count, to listen to his mothers long
dissertations on pedigrees, especially
that OF the Horizons. As a general thing,
the female contingent of garrison So
ciety does its best to discourage "out-
Bidcrs," as being likely to prevent the
capture, in due form, of what it con-
siders its own legitimate prey. But in
this instance it was different-for
wasn't It possible that this merry
young stranger might captivate and
marry some penniless subaltern, there
by leaving the field open for some
spinster sister to cnsnare the very eli
gible and decidedly wealthy Horton?
Decidedly so; and upon this basis the
campaign won't on, much to the evil
dent amusement Of Olga, who, with
womanly intuition and a knowledge Of
the ways of women far beyond her
years, put two and two together and
told Horton it was all very funny.
Fancy those army frumps, Jack, being
jealous of me-poor me! Jack" (this
with mock solemnity), fare you in love
with ne9"