The National tribune., 1902-12-18

I"You cannot ride this horse" said he, she
has sore back"
HE is also lame in the left hind leg, y
remarked another.
| By this time the Sergeant in charge of
the herd had come up, and upon being
made acquainted with the subject of our
conversation, he shook his head ominously
and said: "You will never reach camp on
that horse; it is nearly blind, or at least
has the blind staggers: how he ever got
/ to this camp is mystery; he certainly
did not come with the remount. We call
him old Blind Tom"
| But ] was obstinate; the horrors of my
/ late ride were too fresh in my memory.
THAT horse and no other will / ride TO
camp" said /, and so | did. Although
/ had reached the herd in something less
than 10 minutes, my return ride occupied
nearly two hours, during which / made
the only use | had ever found, so far, fog
my toad-sticker, by means of which | en-
couraged Blind Toms progress by gently
sticking the point of ii into the skin be-
hind his ears, having found that squirting
WIS with him a waste of time and energy.
| As l had expected, l found consider
able number of our cayalrymen standing
at the adobe building when | reached it,
after delivering by the way my report to
the commanding officer. Among them
was, of course, friend Grew, who immedi-
ately asked for Strawberry, not without
some anxiety vibrating in his voice !
answered with q short strawberry be
-" and retired, locking my door. Civ
ing temporary pain in my stomach as an
excuse, l was allowed to have the after
noon inspection of the herd performed by
deputy. When, towards retreat, the
herd returned to camp, my arrival at the
herd was infinitely related, soon became
tho faIk nf tho nd or On
was henceforth made miserable by fire.
quent underhand illusions to my STRAW
berry ride" as my adventure was uniyer-
sally called
The conclusion of this matter we must
delay for a short space. while I relate
what befell me daring the remainder of
the "A hours of my duty as Officer Of the
Day, the glory of which had already fad
ed into sad disappointment.
Alas! how true the saying that "misfor-
tunes never come singlyi'
ATTACKED BY APAcHEs.
1t was nearly midnight when loud
challenge Of the sentry in front of the cor
raj, the gate of which l locked every
night before retiring, awoke me from nv
slumbers. Before l had time to dress
fully, loud knocking at the gate called
me thither, and upon opening it l found
standing outside, with the Corporal of the
Guard, who had run to the spot, an old
Frenchman named Magentie, whom
knew very well, as he supplied the camp
with vegetables and eggs from time to
time, bringing these articles from the al
ready mentioned Mexican town, Santa
Cruz, in cart. This man, who spoke
no English, and therefore conversed with
me always in French. stated, while he
gesticulated in the manner of his people
with his wounded and bleeding hands.
that he and two companions had been at
tackled that afternoon by the Apac hes in
the Huachuca Pass while travelling to-
wards our camp with a CARLOAD of yege-
tables and eggs; that his two compan-
ions were probably killed, as he had seen
them drop, and that he himself had bare
ly escaped by hiding in the bushes and
guilies Of the locality, with whose sur
roundings he was familiar; that he had
watched the Apaches from his hiding
place behind q rock, saw them unhitcb
and drive off his oxen. and that thew
seemingly took the direction towards Bah
ocomarl, our camp. / sent the man to
the Doctors tent with the Corporal of the
Guard. and, holding the matter to be of
iiaiiiandiIIs oficcr.
short time after our arrival at the
camp. the Government had employed as
Indian guide or scout the Marigildo mem
toned previously as having been a cap
tive with Cochise's band. Maj. Brown
now ordered me to take detail of 10 foot
soldiers and to search carefully the creek
bottom and surrounding ravines under the
guidance of Marigildo.
Now. there existed in the camp one
iaundress, wife Of the man "Snarley" of
our company. She was a hard working
woman. who, however. On account of the
constant chickering's and naggings Of her
worthless husband, was not allowed To
lead peaceful life. It was well known
that their tsnt. situated behind the COM
was frequently the gcena Of marital omar,