Arizona republican., 1898-07-29
THE VOICE IN THE DESERT.
A Story inc Late Lieutenant Ord
 liked to Tell 10 His Friends.

Lieutenant J. G. Ord's death has oc- casioned particular regret. He made story teller. warm hearted and gener- ous, he was always a welcome addi- ton to any of the parties that gathered in the cafe of the Gibson house, which the Sixth infantry when on this side of the river
 4 party of nen who had known him we'll were sitting at the same table at which the dead lieutenant usually sat. talking of his fate and expressing re- gret- It was at that very table that Ord told the story of one of his most singular experiences on the plains He was the son of General Ord of the regu lar army, and wished to adopt the pro- fessi0n of arms, but was unable to get an appointment to West Point He enlisted in the ranks and won his com mission in that way As 9 cavalry man he had I great many adventures serving in 6 number of Indian cam paigns, and he used to love to tell about them
 It was when he was a sergeant and was with General Miles in the cam- pdign against Geronimo that lie was detailed to carry dispatches from Miles to one of the officers command ing a body of troops that had. been stationed miles away to head off the Indians retreat The assignment meant that he ran a chance of being caught by the Apaches, but he seemed delighted when he was selected. Just IS sundown came he mounted his horse and started on his dangerous mission He rode until midnight over the seem ingly endless, arid tract Suddenly he heard what he thought was a human voice; then he thought it was only the eruncfing of the sand as his horses hoofs sank into it He rode on a little further and still he thought he could hear the voice. Stopping his horse, he dismounted and listened
 Sure enough it was a voice. Taking Off the blue flannel army shirt that he wore he tore it into strips, with which he wrapped the hoofs of his horse in order that the sand would not crunch when the animal walked, and started cautiously toward the sound, which
 
 away.
 Leading his horse, and with his car pine ready for instant action, he start d ahead. and as he came nearer he could understand that the owner of the voice was singing. Working nearer and nearer he was able to distinguish the words and fancy his surprise when his ear caught the words of '.Oh, How
  the desert, miles from any white man. the words of the song floated to him clear and strong. At first he thought that he had the fever that comes to men when they ride too far without rest over the sand, but there could be no mistaking the song; it was no de- fusion; it was real.
 Ord suspected some Apache ruse, and, hobbling his horse, started to crawl toward the spot where the song came from. Throwing himself flat he worked his way along behind cactus and other bushes until he was within a short distance of the spot All the time the singer kept up, but it was evil dent the singer was not familiar with the song. All that he sang were the few words of the chorus. "Oh. How I
 
 then.
 After crawling for more than an hour Ord came to where he could see that the singer was an Apache, sitting in the middle Of some cactus bushes For a long time Ord watched him, and all the time the Indian kept repeating at the top of his voice, "Oh, How I Love Jesus" Finally when he became sat- isfied that the Indian was alone Ord covered him with his carbine and rush ed at him, ordering him to surrender. The Apache threw up both hands and made the sign of peace, continuing to sing, ''Oh, How Love Jesus.''
 The lieutenant took the Indian back to General Miles's camp, where it was learned through the interpreter that he had been sent out by one of the Apache chiefs to sat that the Indians were ready to treat for peace. He was the only Indian in that party who could speak word of English, and all that he could say was, "Oh, How Love Je- sus," which he had learned from a mis- sionary Hence he was sent out to meet the white men, and, sitting in the ces-rL growled forth the few words he knew until Ord came along. The lieutenant used to say that he had had many singular experiences on the plains, but that he never before or af- ter felt the sensation he did when rid ing along through the country of the most desperate Indians in the west he heard these few words of the sacred song-Cincinnati Enquirer.
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