Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-12-20
THE LITTLE COLONEL. !"

Ray Allen first opened his big blue eyes
on a strange world of sage brush, sand.
and Indians. And this is the way he
came to be called the Little Colonel"
When Ray was three days old. the sol.
diers over in the barracks. who wanted
to see the young stranger very much,
fled over to the eolonel's house. Tie
bundle of flannel was brought out into
the hall for exhibition. This little red
faced baby was the image of its father
such a funny resemblance, everybody
laughed aloud at it. The men, as they
looked. each said, THE Little COLONEL"
so from that day he was called the Lit
tie Colonel by every one.
He was great baby, but do not
wonder. If you had been born in little
log hut. with nothing bright or pretty to
look at, you would have been a cry baby,
too.
When Ray was three months old Col.
Alien was ordered to an Eastern fort, OF
one nearer civilization. The great ques-
ton was, how to spare an escort through
the Indian country. There were only a
few mon at the fort, and thousands 0f
had come and had to be obeyed
So, one bright morning in May, Mrs.
Allen and Ray, with bags and bundles,
were to start. There was a wagon all
covered with canvas and made very CON-
Portable inside for them, then a wagon
with the bedding ana mess-chest. Col
Allen and six men were to go on hor4e-
back. With their carbines slung over
their shoulders, they looked all ready for
a fight if the Indians came too near.
The little cavalcade drew up in front
of AIRS. Aliens door, the wagon was
packed, and soon out came Mrs. Allen,
followed by Col. Allen with the Little
Colonel in his arms. All rolled up in
big flannel shawl, a pair of very bright
blue eyes looked out and round on every
one to say goodby. The officers patted
his round cheeks, wishing a good luck
to the Little COLONEL" The ladies
nugged and kissed him; they were very
sorry to have him go. The soldiers all
looked sorry, too; they thought he be-
longed to them. In a few moments
everything was ready, and off they
started.
1t was bright, beautiful morning, the
prairies stretching away to right and
left, ahead the straight, level road seem
Col. Allen with one man rode ahead;
then the wagon with Mrs. Allen and the
baby; then the wagon with the tent, two
mounted men behind and one on each
side. All alert and watchful they trot-
ted on, hardly daring to stop even to
get at the great unch-basket-on and
on till the sun was high up in the sky.
Suddenly Mrs. Allen saw the colonel
gallon back and give some hurried mes
sage all round. She felt a little anxious,
but in a moment he was by her side and
said quietly: "Do not be alarmed. l
think | see the forms of Indians, now
and then, over yonder on the hills, and
have sent two men to reconnoiter."
There were Indians. All the afternoon
they seemed to be following the little
party. just at dusk the colonel called
Halt" for here they were to camp for
the night. A long ride of fifty miles had
made them all so tired ] wish you
could have seen the Little Colonel when
he was unrolled He had kicked his
small legs out of the wooden shawl, or
tried to many times; but his nurses
arms were good and strong, and he was
rolled up again very quickly The little
fellow was a born soldier, though, and
liked camping out. lie never made &
sound, and he was very hungry and I'M
comfortable, but waited patiently, much
amused at it all. The rest of the party
were rather more anxious than amused;
they knew the Indians who had followed
them all day were now not far away,
and Col. Allen had only six good fighting
men, and, on, what a precious party to
guard from danger!
He looked serious while he superin-
tended the putting up of the tent, UNI
rolling the bedding, and getting things
comfortable. One of the men made a
fire and put over the coffee pot, and soon
the hurried supper was over
Nurse had just brought the Little Col
onel to lock out of the tent for a min
ute, when suddenly there was rushing
sound, and in an instant a dozen Indians
on ponies tore into the little camp. Col.
Allen had been on the watch. His quick
command, "To arms!" and SIX brave sol
diers stood in line right in front of lit
tie Ray. All was confusion-for a min
ute only But Col. Alien was very cool,
and went right forward, close to the In
dams, all ready for a fight. They we're
so surprised to see such bravery, it
startled them. They dropped their guns
and with "How! Howl" suddenly pre-
tended to be friends. 1t was only pre-
tense. They found they could not do
much IN camp with such brave men;
they would lose more than they would
gain. Indians are very quick to discern
when it is better to be friendly than to
fight. So "How! Howl" TO every one,
and they must see the baby. How Ray
laughed and crowed at them! The col
onel asked what they meant by rushing
into camp in that style. They pretended
they did it for fun. In half an hour they
were gone-not a trace of them any
where.
Rays father knew them too well to
trust them, and he did not let the men
sleep much that night. Three soldiers
stood guard for a while, then rested, and
the other three took their places. The
colonel rolled himself in blanket and
lay down outside the Little Colonel's
tent. But no one was allowed 10 rest
more than till midnight, when, quietly