The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-10-15

"rlICKEY DONOVAN"
A Regular in c Troop.
FY W. P. COULTER.

entered tne Dafr2Ck room ana calIeu
for Private Donovan.
"Here" answered voice from the
lower end of the room.
"Report to the adjutant, mounted,
for courier duty as soon as you can
possibly get ready" and the sergeant
closed the door with a bang.
The young fellow who had answered
the sergeant's inquiry was not more
than 10, but tall and welI-made, with
that trim appearance for which the
American soldier is noted. AS he was
rolling a blanket and getting together
the articles usually required for such
duty, the first sergeant again entered
and impatiently commanded him tc
make haste.
"Never mind any extras, Mickey
the adjutant seems to be in terrible
hurry to get you off; so just take al
extra hundred rounds of ammunition
and enough rations to last you for one
day, get your horse and report to him
at his quarters. The sentinel has Or
ders to let you in the stable to get the
animal out"
"All right, sarge, old boy" sale
Mickey, with an utter disregard of the
difference in rank that was common il
the days of frontier service.
Twenty minutes later Donovan drew
rein at the adjutant's quarters anC
dismounted, but before he could tie NJ
his horse the door opened, and Lieu
tenant Haley appeared,
''Private Donovan, G troop, reports
for detached service, sir, and Mickey's
right hand was raised to his hat with
military promptitude.
Every we'll, Donovan, tie your horse
to that post and come inside"
When he entered the room the lieu.
tenant addressed him in serious tones
II want to tell you, Donovan, that
the duty you are about to enter upon
is fraught with great danger to your
self, and, in fact, you stand a good
chance Of never returning; for I want
you to ride to the railroad with a mes,
sage to the commanding officer, who
has gone there to meet his daughter,
I have just received news by a scout
that the whole Cheyenne nation will
probably be on the war-path by day
light tomorrow"
Mickey did not vince, and the
lieutenant went on: eff you succeed
in getting through, the general can
remain there until the mounted troops,
which will Immediately follow you,
arrive to escort him to the post. II
you can get through Dead Mans
Canon very early in the morning you
may be in time to cross the open
country before the Indians are astir. "
eff there is such a thing as reaching
the place I will deliver your message
to the general" said Mickey. "Any
written message to be carried, sir?"
eyes; here is paper you will de-
liver to General Farr, if you manage
to get through, which explains your
journey to him. The train is not due
at Rock Creek until about 10 o'clock
in the morning, SO you have time to
ride the distance with good horse. :"
Donovan took the orders, placed
them in the inside pocket of his blan-
ket shirt, unhitched his horse and
leaped into the saddle. He crossed
the parade at a sweeping gallop and In
a few minutes was lost to sight in the
darkness. General Farr was an off,
Ger who commanded the respect and
goodwill of every man in his regi-
ment. His daughter was worshipped
by all the enlisted men because of her
kindly ways and the interest she man
Tested in them upon her annual visits
to the post! She had discovered on o
previous visit that Mickey was the
pupil of an intelligent man in one Of
the troops, and she at once interested
herself in his studies, assisting him
In many lesson while he was on duty
as orderly at her fathers quarters.
To this young fellow, whose only
memories were of kicks and cuffs,
homeless wandelings and starvation,
this lovely young girl seemed being
of another world. He thought of her
as he rode along through the darkness
and felt thrill of pride in the fact
that he had been selected to warn her
father of the threatened danger and
probably save her from death at the
hands of the Indians.
At the end of three hours Mickey
had reached the first range of hills,
and he knewit must be after midnight.
He did not want to push his horse too
hard at the start, for if he succeeded
in getting through the canon there
was still a stretch of level prairie
over which he must race for 80 miles
to reach the railroad, and if the In
dams were out again it might end in
race for life.
After allowing his horse to browse
for few minutes, he frightened the
saddle-girth, mounted and set out for
the next range. 1t was difficult work