The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-09-14
: Il is something over twenty yea
einoa acoomuaniad the sml

TO establish new post In AriZQni.
Several "tenderfoots," bent upon pros
pect and discovery, were allowed TO
travel with the command over route
beset with danger from attack by hos
tile Comanches and Apaches, and al
though the lieutenant did not admit 1t,
/ think he was not altogether dis
pleased by the addition to his hghting
mower of the half dozen well-armed,
well. amounted and well-proyisioned CIV
ilians.
But at Socorro we were joined by
an individual, fresh arrival from the
North, who attached himself 10 the ex-
pedtion without so much as, by your
leave. gentlemen" A tall, ungalnly,
cadaverous and solemn person he was,
his age guessable at anywhere between
thirty and fifty. He was crosseyed,
and so pear-sighted that he wore cum
brous, large bowed spectacles to cor
rect his vision. He had the thin
cheeks and hacking cough OF con
sumptive. Moreover. he had no rid
ing animal and the two burros he
had been able to buy in Socorro, to
which point his goods had been sent,
were 80 heavily laden with his trap
pings that they looked detected.
"See here, Mr.. Man." said Lieutenant
Murphy as we broke camp, you cant
travel with this outfit. You're physi-
cally unfit for the trip, and my two
wagons are loaded TO the limit"
mo trouble TO you, | trust. sir
hmm" said the stranger who had
already been dubbed "the professor"
mo real disability, sir, hmm; just n
touch of bronchorrhoea, hmm; find
this dry atmosphere great help SIR"
He spoke In a calm, decisive tone, but
coughed at every other word. III
come OH In your rear, sir; can't ride in
saddle on account of gastrltis, hmm
just touch, sir"
Good graciousw muttured Murphy.
Bronchitis, gastritis, cross-eyes, false
teeth and afoot! Well, sir" he added,
In louder tone, for the man was ap-
parently somewhat deaf. II suppose
we must leave n trail behind us"
The tall stranger bowed gravely and
went on with packing his burros, task
which he accomplished with surpris'
ing neatness and speed. When we
moved away from Socorro he fell re-
spectfully in behind our siX-mule
freight-wagons and he came on at an
unwearied swing for the twenty-four-
mile stretch which brought us to our
first water-hole and coolly camped
within out picket lines.
Wen lose him tomorrow said
Murphy to his mess. "Cacti" and he
chuckled contentedly.
Our trail the next day led over n
high mesa carpeted with prickly pear
mating of thorns so dense that the
passage of half a dozen "freighters'
could have offered no protection "a
feet less well shod than those of n
mule. Yet the professor plodded un
dauntedly across this stretch, and
much to our astonishment came into
camp at night without limping.
Our surprise gave place to degree
OF respect when we noted that the pro
fessor wore wooden shoes lined with
chamois skin. lie certainly had proved
himself an experienced traveller, and
now his cheeks were showing sunhurl
and his cough seemed less incessant
TO the ruder jokers of the command
the professor afforded unlimited
Amusement. His ungainly figure ant
lantern jaws his "buttermilk eye" ant
''double-b ba ck-action eyegear," his all
of intent gravity when packing. un
packing or cooking his meals. his big
gun case, which measured the lengtl
of n burro and whacked his patien
bearer, now and then, upon the jaw
his carefully guarded andnever opened
packs, his general owlishness, all fur
nished no end of fun to the cavalry
men.
1t was inevitable that the mar
should overhear some of the passin!
gibes anent his uncommonness, but h,
continued to mind his own business
with great gravity. and gave no sign.
When we had fairly entered the tn
larosa range. the professor was or
dered to march with the command
He followed at his own distance. a
before, and showed a better color an,
less frequent cough. AS walker h
might have been forever celebrate,
among us had he not been destined {
attain celebrity of another sort whel
when we stepped into Jicarrilla ira
upon the Mesa de los Labos.
After ten days of marching we file
out Of n tortuous canon. one hot morn
ing. upon the high plain. and havin
by some chance taken the lesser of tw
trails where canon and road forket
we found that we had escaped annih
lation in a huge ditch only TO meet
fierce Apache rush upon the mes;
Wild riders seemed 20 emerge-on
hundred. two ohundred-out of nowher
suddenly "materializing' out OF
shlmmering mist OF heat radiation
and they ere upon us before we coul
form for defence. No ear in that tr
mendous din could hear Murphy
roars OF command.
IL was save himself who can. cxccl
that no man thought Of flight. Fac
trooper AMI civilian got behind hors
mule or wagon, drew his Colt m
fired into the screeching. clatterir
mob. which charged home upon US
the Characteristic Apache rush.
IL was a thrilling, savage momer