The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-04-21

fOfC scott 10 Fort GlhS0n. In the lndlau
Territory. The Lieutenant-Colonel was in
formed that Capt. Pearcc had started for
Emporia very early that morning, and was
at least 80 miles on the road at that time.
He ordered the Lieutenant to send q man
Immediately to bring him back. Lieut..
Phillips said there was not man in the
company that could follow the trail that
dark, rainly night The Lieutenant-C Colonel
said some man must go and bring him back
Immediately. to save the Captain from a
cOurt-martial Then the thought came to
me that | would like to have a furlough,
and | said: Il will go. if you will give me
a furlough?' The Lieutenant Colonel said:
You shall have it, l was very careful
TO see that the saddlegirths were all right.
for | knew that l had to ride as fast as
my horse could hold toto ride as far
| in part of n night as the Captain would
ride i'm whole day. No one knows. who
has not tried it. how much more tiresome
it is. to both man and beast, to make n
long. hard journey in very dark night.
than to do the same trip in the daytime.
BY the time | was ready to start it was al
most 10 o'clock. The night was very
dark and cloudy. and some rain was fall
ing. l had travelled the road but once be-
fore, and then the ground was covered
with deep snow. but l knew there were
miles and miles of open prairie without a
house. and if | got off the trail | could
keep the wind in my face and | would he
all right. kept the trail all right until
l reached Leroy. 81 or 40 miles out A
mile or two from Leroy | crossed back to
the west side of the river again. Two or
three miles from where crossed the river
l lost the trail and before knew it l was
lost, and the wind had stopped blowing,
and | could not use the air to guide me
any longer. While | was riding around
trying to find the road. | heard chicken
crow. | made off in that direction, hoping
to find some one to put me on my road,
for knew if | was much delayed my long
ride would he in vain. l found the house:
my first hullO aroused several large and
boisterous dogs: between us we brought Il
man to the door He cried: ''Fot you
vannt?' l told him that was lost and
wanted to find the road to Burlington. He
said: 1T is shust right oud dare" | told
him | had no doubt of that but | was so
badly lost that | did not know where right
ont there was. l found that the man was
afraid of me: but finally induced him to
come out and direct me. | soon found the
road. AS my horse had had little rest
| never stopped the lope until l rode into
Burlington. | rode through the town
without seeing or hearing any one. From
there on | knew the road. l did not think
the Captain would stop over night in Bur
hngton. and knew had no time to stop
10 inquire, as daylight was close. /
thought he might stop four miles farther.
where the road forked. At the forks of
the road jumped off my horse. ran to the
door ard Knocked, but no one answered. |
had no time to waste, turned the latch.
pushed the door open and walked in.
There were two beds i'm the room, i'm one
was Will DeMoss. one of the boys who
started with the Captain the preceding
morning. He said the Captain had gone
to Ottumwa: that he remained because
his horse had given out. / asked him no
more questions. but ran out and jumped
on my horse and pushed on to the hotel
in Ottumwa, where found the Captain
on his horse ready to continue his journey.
/ handed him the order before he recog
niZed me. After he had read the Order
| could see that he was mad. He said.
Mount your horse; you will go back with
me-" ! said. Captain, l have ridden this
horse ~ miles i'm the last eight hours. and
he is not able to GO any farther until he las
feed and rest" Col. Plumb had given me
an order to rest my horse and take two
days to return, and ! did not care much
for the Captains wrath. | showed him my
order and he started on his journey back,
and got to Humboldt about 8 o'clock that
night. I never knew what was i'm the Col
onefs order to the Captain, but there was
enough to take him back to Humboldt in
ii hurry. / stopped at Ottumwa until
afternoon and went back as far as Leroy
that night. The next day, when 1 reached
Humboldt Go. C. had started for Fort Glib
son. l got my furOugh i'm few days, and
when | got back to the company again the
Captain was in a good humOr.-ASHER s.
CHIsDERs, Co. G, 18th Kan. Cav, Salem,
w. Va.