Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-03-06

N1Ae ~ - |
If Joe had known in what direction
to pursue the cowardly and blood
thirsty Indians, he would certainly
have followed them single-handed and
alone, but, fortunately for himself,
perhaps, he had no skill or experience
in following blind trails, and was COM
PEELED to abandon the pursuit. Grief
stricken, almost heartbroken, he made
his way back to the nearest settle
ment, where he told the tragic story
of his loss, and vainly endeavored to
raise a party to accompany him in an
attempt to rescue his abducted love,
and take revenge on the murderers
of her relatives. The settlement could
not spare men enough to venture
safely upon such an errand.
As the last atrocity was, however,
but one of a long series of such fiend-
ish deeds, the government, after some
delay, sent a detachment to punish
the guilty tribe, and Joe found means
to join it as a volunteer scout. But
his opportunities for revenge were
.scanty, and he vas unable to get
any tidings of Mile, when the saw
ages sued for peace, and obtained it,
on the usual favorable terms.
For some time he continued to
make researches, but without avail.
All the Indians with whom he was
able to converse, denied that there
were any white captives in
the tribes so far as they knew.
Determined to remain near the spot
where the massacre occurred, in the
hope of eventually succeeding in his
| quest, he secured the contract to
| carry the mails to and from Rosevale,
then newly founded. and in this occu-
patton he had made himself SO useful
| to the inhabitants of the village that
they felt almost as anxious for him
as for their letters and newspapers,
and would have regarded his loss
from any cause of an almost irrepar-
able calamity. He was wont also to
act as expressman and general pur,
chasing agent for the village, and
many d much-needed article, unpur-
chasable at the village store, was
brought by his trusty hands from
afar. On nearly every trip he had a
number of commissions to execute.
and many of the village matrons were
ready to aver that they could not
keep house without his assistance
thus rendered.
On the evening mentioned at the
commencement of u story, Joe die
not keep his patrons long in sus
pense. The more tardy ones hao
barely reached the post office wher
a cloud of dust in the eastern hori
zon gave the signal of his approach
and ere long he was unstrapping hi
mail bags, and at the same time eX
changing greetings with his friends.
"What's the news, Joe" asked al
inquisitive citizen.
INDIANS answered Joe, briefly
81 did not see them, but l saw plent.
of their signs"
".Are they on the warpath?'
THAT'S the report, and l think it i
true
"Are we in danger here?"
mot at present, l think. The.
haven't massed their forces, and TO
a few weeks, at least. will conten
themselves with raiding outlying
ranches and waylaying small trains o
emigrants and travellers, and perhap
mail carriers"
"You're not afraid, are you, Joe?'
"No, indeed; but / shall be mucl
disappointed if the red rascals PERM
me to make any more trips in peac
and quietness. / think | should rattle
enjoy a brush with them if they CAV
me a fair show; but there are a goo
! many places on the road where the,
might ambush and kill me before
had a chance to make any defense"
Don't you think. joe" said a stou
matron, you had better lay off for
5 trip or two. till we see what the Ii
dams are going to do? We had bette
l miss our mails for a while than los
you"
: "Timc enough for me to lay o.
? when | am dead or disabled" reptile
Joe, dryly. 1.-THE post office depart
ment expects me to do my duty, an
, 1 shan't disappoint it,"
And he started with his wear
E horses to secure the refreshment an
1 rest which he and they so much neet
: ed. BY his side walked Mabel Stevens
s a, young lady whom everybody sal
r would make a good match for Jo'
if he would only give up his futil
t search for Millie Stacey, and max
|. the best of what. chance and mi
chance had thrown in his way.
Joe boarded with her father whe
in the village, and Mabel, an UNUSUAL
s well-bred and intelligent girl, was h
dearest friend. She sympathized dec
ly with his misfortune, and was, pc
haps, the only one who continued
encourage him in his efforts to T.
cover the lost. She entertained gret
s admiration and esteem for Joe. NJ
unmingled with affection, which, hov
y ever, was of an unselfish and ratht
sisterly character. She devoted muc
time and care in making him con
n Portable, and diverting his mind fro
the grief that might otherwise hay
consumed him, and he was. not III
grateful. He returned her sister,
tenderness with a brothers. though
full Kindness; and neither of them ha
any expectation of a closer relation
t. shin.