Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1897-02-18
JOE BAKERS GAL.


That was the wsy she was refer
red to in q general way-'Joe Ba-
ker's gal'-and there were plenty
of soldiers, teamsters and others
| who did not know that her name
was Mary. Joe Baker was . hun
ter, Indian fighter, scout, prospec-
tor and miner, and he had cabin
and home up in the Three Buttcs
Of Idaho, to the west of Fort Hall.
Father and daughter were all alone
--he man Of so and she girl un-
Ser %. Wa q Che fort knew him
veil, ana We saw the girl quite Of
ten, but no one knew Joe Baker
well ehough to question him about
the past. For reasons of his own
he had taken mp his abode beyond
civilization, and though the life
was wild and lonely and full of
danger, the daughter seemed to
prefer it.
A girl Of about 1S when l knew
her, slight, blue eyes, short, curly
hair, a strong face, dressed for
climbing, riding and walking, and
one who commanded both admira-
tion and respect the moment you
laid eyes on her-she had a hand
shake for officer and private alike,
aud to US and all others who came
that way she was a border queen.
We said to each other that it was o
strange thing for Joe Baker to make
his home among the dangers of the
mountains, miles and miles from
the nearest settler, and to expose
his daughter to the hardships. pri-
vations and perils of frontier life,
but no one questioned him or her.
nor did either volunteer any expla-
tions.
The cabin was in bit OF valley
way up the East Butte, and was
built mostly Of stone and contain
ed three rooms. There were days
at time, when Baker was pros
pecting or scouting, in which the
girl must have been left entirely
alone, but she rode, hunted, and
fished, and now and then was the
guest of the colonel's wife at the
fort for two or three days at a time.
The woman may have found out
more about the girl than l have
told you, but If so the information
did not cross the parade ground to
the barracks.
For weeks the Indians of Idaho
had been sulky and sullen and
threatening. The force at Fort
Hall had been increased by fifty
men, all wagon trains were doubly
guarded, and every soldier or citi-
zen who understood Indian char
acter felt that an outbreak was at
hand.
One day, when Joe Baker was at
the fort consulting with the colonel
the latter advised him to abandon
his home and take refuge among
as. The old man realized the sit
ustion, bu: said he would wait and
see. He hated contact with the
world-even that infinitesimal por-
ton represented by a hundred peo-
pie ct q frontier post-and the
daughter knew no fear. We saw
him two or three times o week, as
he was then scouting among the
Indians and bringing in reports,
but we had not seen the glrl for O
month, when a sergeant's guard
was dispatched to East Butte 30
cut and haul telegraph poles for
the line which was to connect the
fort with the outside world. There
was danger that we might be cut off
il an outbaeak occurred, but there
was also need OF haste in complet-
ing the line.
That was our first glimpse of the
cabin, as we went to our work on
the mountain-side, and Mary stood
at the door to shake hands all
around and inquire after those who
were absent. She anticipated an
outbreak on part Of the Indians,
but expressed no fear. Only the
day before she had received q visit
from three sullen warriors, who de-
manded food and seemed on the
point Of committing violence, but
she ordered them away ut the muz.
zle OF her rifle and had no thought
of leaving the place until her fathe,
returned and advised the step.
Two miles east of the cabin WI
made our camp and began work,