The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-11-16
A DEBT OF KINDNESS.


We had come upon an Indian village
along the banks of a creek close under
the steep sides of a mountain, and we
charged 1t at once and soon had pos
session. Most of the warriors We're
away on an expedition, but sub-chief
named Gray Wolf, who was lame from
a wound, was in command. Our revol-
vers and sabers made quick work of
those who opposed us, and, in seeking
to get away, Gray Wolf was knocked
down by horse and rendered uncon-
scious. He was one of the twentythree
prisoners we safely conveyed back to
the fort, and as he was known to be
one of the most bloodthirsty of his
tribe, his confinement was a rigorous
one. He was placed in a cell in the
guard-house by himself, loaded down
with irons, and all members Of the
guard on duty were permitted to stare
at him and outrageously abuse him by
word of mouth. Gray Wolf was
young man of dignity and pride, and
he perhaps felt the insults more than
the confinement, though he made no
complaint in either case. He had been
confined for three weeks when, as SER
one day and began a conversation in
his own tongue. 1t resulted in his show
| ing me that the irons were CALLING him,
and of asking protection from further
| insult. / reported to the officer Of the
day and the irons were removed, and I
got some salve from the hospital to
soothe the broken flesh. gave Gray
! Wolf news of his fellow-prisoners and
1t. 4x~.l> t.sl ~ +1,n, ,;o1- 80
censure spliced out his prison fare with
a part of my rations. I did these things
| for him as would have done them for
a wild animal, and not because I sym
| pathized with him as a human being.
An Indian may be technically called a
| human being, but it is nearer the truth
| to refer to him as human devil. In
| getting the redskin released from his
| irons I did him the turn he was hoping
| for. That might with a wide-awake
sentinel standing only six feet away,
| Gray Wolf tunneled under the base
| ment logs Of his prison and made good
| his escape, and it was only by close
| shave that I escaped court-martial.
The fellow showed the devil in his ma
| ture even as he fled. Coming across a
| teamster lying under his wagon in
| drunken stupor, Gray Wolf paused to
murder and scalp him, and from that
hour price was set upon his head, and
every soldier in the west was deter
mined to shoot him down, even if he Of
fered to surrender.
Two months after the escape Of Gray
Wolf, and while his tribe was still wag-
| ing relentless warfare, I was ordered
out of Fort Gray with a squad of troop
ers to bridge a creek about five miles
away. No Indians had been seen with
| in ten miles of the fort, and we knew
| for a fact that the main body of them
were raiding fifty miles to the west
Seven troopers, fully armed and exer-
| cising due vigilance, were thought
abundantly able to take care Of them
selves, and two hours after leaving the
| fort we were hard at work. We needed
a straight tree trunk twenty eight feet
long for one of the string-pfeces of the
| bridge. Leaving my horse at his pick
| ct pin, I started out alone in search of
| the right sort Of tree. We were on a
| forest-covered foot-hfll, with masses of
rock out-cropping here and there. I
| was about forty rods from the men and
| just passing one of these out-crops,
when I was struck down. / saw the
arm of an Indian and a club, and then
there was crash and legion Of fiery