The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-02
BY Margaret Spencer.

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gol'
We've got TO have corn and grain and
a lot Of things from the city this week.
Mother, now is just the time 60 bring the
money! Hurrah for Sam and Joe!'
There were no telephones or te.egra phs
from the valley camp TO Santa Fe; only
the weekly mail wagon, or special messen-
gers brought on horseback.
1T must be done, my boy. God viii go
with you The men must be paid, and the
camp saved from strikes and violence. Your
fathers honor is at stake"
When the sunshine was golden over the
hills, and the snow-capped Sandals SPAR
killed. in the distance, the boys set out from
camp. Sam, a colored boy of 90, Mr.. Rog-
ers' faithful servant, drove the fine norses
and was in charge of joe and supplies
and messages from the office TO the city
"Good-by, mother" shouted Joe, as he
stood up beside faithful Sam, in the wa
gon. Don't worry, mother. Wen bring
everything safe by tomorrow night!'
II.
In the little log house in the valley camp
one mother prayed that day as only
Christian mother prays for her boy in
peril.
In one hour puffs of dust blew across
their faces, the sun went under clouds, and
sudden storm, so common In Mexico,
swept down the valley. The wind whirled
over the tops of the mountains, and snow
came suddenly from the gray sky. The
wind Increased and shrieked through the
narrow mountain roads. Icy cold and pitt
less, 1t drove the boys to their faces on the
bottom of the wagon. The horses, blind
and shivering, stood still. In half an hour
not one footprint or wagon track was Wis
ible
Sam shouted: Don't dare lift up your
head, Joe; keep fiat on your face"
How long the storm lastedsthe boys new
er knew BY some instinct the horses be-
gan plodding along. The sky cleared, the
wind grew less, but only a white trackless
country lay before them.
The boys got out and walked ahead.
The landmarks were but snowdrifts.
Sam, / see horse! It's Antone's. Faith
er never goes that way. It's saloon,
and place for Mexicans to stop. Oh, ITS
awful!'
Sam opened his eyes in horror, but quiz
city replied: That's no matter; no dam
ger to boys, and we is goin' the wrong
way, for big money
"The horses must be put up for the
night and we must get warm somewhere,
Sam"
"Can you keep awake, Joe, and help
watch 'em-the devils?"
you bet cant And mother gave me
fathers little pistol, too! haven't been
shooting at a mark for nothing, eitherl
The horses were put up. The dirty
Mexicans, playing cards around their bot
ties. on dirty table, gave the boys
place by the small fireplace In poor
Spanish and poorer English, they made
known to each other their wants.
''Antone" and Juan" looked keenly at
the handsome lad, recognizing him as from
the big mining camp.
boy play? Boy drink? 81! 81, bu-
ena." (good)
.eToo cold shivered Joe, as he lay down
close to the fire The night passed slowly.
The boys went out often to look after
the horses and consult together.
Joe" whispered Sam, Juan asked how
much dlnero (silver) boy had, and they
are going to look. What shall we do?'
Sam, they'll soon be dead sleepy drunk.
We must hurry OFF,
''But don't shoot, Joe, If you can help
It. They'd kill us, su-ah."
'.Boy playi Boy drink the half-drunk-
en- Mexican insisted but Joe pleaded sleep
and cold. From under his blanket he
could see Sam by the door. Antoine crawl
ed over to him and cautiously went
through his pockets, but, finding nothing
went back to his cards
Their eyes were now turned toward him.
self. With mods and winks they whis-
pered, in Spanish, PLENTY money; buy
much; kill him; no, kill two; no, get money
first"
ed the pistol. Should be feign sleep? No!
AS IL inspired a thought flashed across his
confused, terrified small brain. He threw
off the blanket, yawned and yawned. Too
cold to sleep on floor" he said, carelessly.
He sat down at the table and laughed, as
a boy would; looked fearlessly and IA
miliarly into Antone's ugly face and ask
ed, Men come yet? Storm over?"
What men?"
''Americana's guard wagons with much
ore to city"
The Mexlcans looked at the boy with
flashing eyes, then at each other, with
low mutterings.
''How many?"
Joe sprang to his feet, held up his hands
and counted his fingers twice over, toss
ed up his head, and with his small figure
erect, marched up and down before them,
with the airs and tramp of a regiment.
Come in the night?"
Eyes" drawled Joe. "Now-uany men;
guard TO city"
The Mexicans hesitated: looked out of
the door IL was dark, but for the white
snow piled in drifts about the cabin They
took another bottle, played another game
ana by daylight had fallen into drunken
sleep.
The two boys slipped away to Santa
Fe. The banker sent them safely back to
camp with an escort. and 800 men received
their full pay. The superintendent was
honored and the camp saved "a strike"
The banker said: Nothing but Joe's
stratagem saved his life! Smart little
rascal He'll be heard from later!"
Joe is now 26. He wears a naval uni
form. A silver anchor is in the center of
his shoulder strap, and the regulation half
inch braid on his blue sleeve marks him
as an ensign in our u. S. navy. He has
been IN Spanish harbors and served on
a great battleship, but he says that the
thunder Of shot and she'll the roar and
smoke of battle. failed to make his heart
quake and his breath come in gasps. as
u did ten years ago. when he lay trem-
bling by the open fire in a Mexican cabin.
md the drunken devils whispered XIII
himi kill HIM"
That was Joe's first military stratagem,