West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1903-12-03
THE KIDS CHANCE.


There was a kid for you-a ypiesl Western
kid. who had grown to the sge Of if,cen In
the tough towns without being entirely
spoiled. The qaar,cr-master at the for,
took him on to help around because the boy
was not old enough to enlist, aud yet want-
ed TO get away from the vicious life he had
been leadiag. lie was fresh and slangy and
up to thing or two. but we found him to
be right at heart.
He couldn't read or write, and he could
not add four and four together, and futhcr-
more he did not want TO learn. lie had a
musical ear, however, and within month
after battered old bugle had been given
him he was doing fairly we'll a, palmer calls.
lie had set his heart TO become bugler,
and when this became known there were
those who offered their help. In six months
without being able to read note, that Kid
could blow any call In the hooks. I, was
proud day for him when he was allowed TO
blow his FIRST Official calls, but there was no
show for him. There were buglers enough
and one or two to spare, and the Kid was
an outsider.
The Seventh had seen Two or ,hrec
Indian campaigns. aud Of course there was
mo'e or less story telling In barracks The
Kid was an interested listener 10 each and
every one, aud the next day woaId 90 out
and practice the longer with bugle and
revolver. II gradually dawncd upon us that
the boy was waiting for his chance and some
OF US determined to help him get H. There
was no question about his courage but Il was
one of years. He'd no father, mother or
guardian, bui there was no show for him TO
pass the recruiting ofilcer. lie had been
with us year and half. and most OF his
toughness had disappeared. when Red Cloud
broke loose again and led 900 OF his war
riors into the valley Of the Republican
river.
AS a first move ON our part, thirty of us
troopers weie ordered to make night ride
aud get ahead of the Indians and give warn
ing TO the settlers While the best mount.
were being selected and saddIed the Kid
appeared among ns and whispered to Ser.
geani Bliss. who was TO have charge OF us
under lieutenant
Sarge, It's my chance. I've been wait.
ing for Il these two years Don't turn me
down and say can't 60 or you'll break my
heart"
The sergeant looked at him fora minute
without replying and then turned away. lie
neither consented nor opposed That was
enough for the Kid lie disappeared Ike
a fash aud when we rode through the gates
he was at the rear mounted on bareback
horse he had gobbled from the corral. Over
his shoulder was slung his old buele and in
his belt revolver, and he mean, TO follow
wherever We led. He'd have been ordered
back fas, enough had the lieutenant known
OF his presence, but no one gave him away.
We put our horses TO the galop At once and
held them to II for hours. At midnight
there was hal, for twenty minutes, and
then il was on again. When daylight APP
peared we had covered fifty miles aud were
entering the valley. The Kid had stuck to
us like butr but kept out of sight of the
officer.
We were drawing long breath for the
last galiop when q scattering rife Are was
opened on our front and two or three men
toppIed from their saddles. II was 4.lef,
into line" and a rush for ridge hundred
rods away and we find ourselves surrounded
by Indians. We had headed Red Cloud
of but he had gotten us into box. There
were enough loose bouldcrs on the ridge TO
make stout breastworks, but every one Of
our horses and two more men were down
before we had completed I, and we're stand
ing the redskins of.
Red Cloud didn't move on 10 the valley
with part Of bis force, as he nigh, have
done, bat held every one Of his 100 backs
close IN hand 10 accomplish our extermiaa.
ton. He'd sooner raise the scalp Of one
soldier than slaughter half dozen citizens
and he had old gudges 20 pay off The
entire band eircied Us and opened FIRE and
every man realized from the first that our
position was almos, hopeless
Il was half an hour after We reached The
hiil before anyone missed the Kid. Then
i was believed that he had fallen when We
FIRST struck the Indians. or, being in the rear
had been cut off, There we're plenty Of
Of others 20 mourn for. Lying as sppgly as
We could behind the bouIdefs, and firing
only when the redskins seemed inclined to
rush, twelve Of our thirty were killed be.
tween sun and sun There wasn't The
slightest show Of relief from The fort or the
valley. and II Red Cloud rushed our bres,.
works after pighH bad set 10 the affair would
have been over IN ten minutes
a, ssudo~a the firing began 70 die away
and half an hour lnier there was silence ex
esp, for the songs Of the cdcke,s snd the
yelp n coyotes The Indians had been
called Of to cook, eat and rest. bat there
was no way Of escape open to rs. Al the
hrsl move from us to leave the little fon The
whole pack would have been upon Us. We
had scant rS.ions and less water and We
were too worn out even TO talk. Some q
the men even slept and maiiered 10 their
sleep as night attack was waited for. The
hours went By and none came. Red Cloud
figured that anoiher day Of long range ere