The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1905-01-20

~ Va lllC olADle ACl uuNc
q - y ride, Bertha" said Annette
M skN Maynard to her young
*Sf5FSKsk9ik3* friend, Bertha Hilton, as
they stood together on the porch of a
pam brick house in Brownsville, Tex.
bertha was the motherless daugh-
Ter, and Annette the orphaned sister,
oil Two as brave border officers as ever
Drew sword. Both girls had grown
up on the frontier, and were familiar
with the crack of a rifle and the fierce
yell of the INDIAN.
Bertha looked Off toward the chapar-
raj, but made no reply, and Annette
continued:
1T is fine morning. Suppose we
take gallop to the battlefield of Re
SAGA? We can be back in half an
hour
Yes, but father said it was not safe
1or us to venture out alone. You know
the road is dangerous even for armed
men, rejoined more prudent Bertha.
But they will not modest us. Sc
linn can outrayel anything on the bor-
der"
THAT may be. Still, l have no de-
sire to put your option to the proof
MeXicans, you know, are not noted
for their honesty, or their civility to
ladies" laughed Bertha.
"Oh, bother the Mexicansr' impa-
tiently exclaimed Annette. II have
lived all my life on the plains, and wit
messed many hand-to-hand encounter
with savages, and it's come to a pitt
full pass, indeed, if we are to permit
the fear Of meeting a few Mexicans to
interfere with our pleasure. Colonel
Hilton and brother Ned are at Ring
gold Barracks, and won't be back for
a week. They surely can't expect us
to be housed up all that time. Why, l
should die of want of exercise" en-
phatically declared Annette.
Both girls were excellent riders and
as fearless as they were quick witted
and handsome. Full of health and
spirits, and at home in camp and
field, they rode with the regiment
to whatever post of duty it might
at the numerous perils and hardships
which continually beset the nomadic
life of a soldier
''Jin," said Annette, to a diminutive
youth, who was lolling under the china
trees at the gate, saddle Selim and
Hector, and bring them around right
away"
"'Deed, Miss Annette, Selim amt
bin out of de stable for mo- an two
days, an he'll be too frisky fo' you to
hoP, suahv' cautioned Jim.
Never mind his frisking. I'm not
timid and Selim, if he has spirit. is
not vicious"
Silenced on the one point, Jim ven
tured to utter Il word in warning in re-
gard to the danger of riding alone
any great distance from the town.
please. Miss Annette, you will not
90 on the Brazos road, cause it's
mighty skeery dar - deed it is. Dat
ar boss of Major Maynard is watched,
and dem Mex"
"Oh, nonsenser' interrupted his mis-
where we please, and no doubt the nat
ural Eve within us will lead us exact
" in the direction where we ought not
TO 90. and all through your unwise
warning. You get the horses ready,
and we will take care of ourselves"
Jim obeyed and soon brought around
the horses. Selim was the pet courser
Of Annette's brother-a high stepping,
beautiful Morgan brown, and widely
known as theahest bit of blood on the
frontier.
The Young ladies, in tasteful riding
habits. came down the steps, laughing
merrily as the birds were singing in
the trees overhead.
Hector a stout iron gray cavalry
nag. was a very ordinary animal beside
{he glossy coated, intelligent eyed
charger: but Hector was the hero of
many border fights, and bore his scars
royalty.
Rortha loved him for the danger he
had passed, and used to say that she
always felt perfectly safe with sedate,
steady going old Hector
The girls. Notwithstanding Jim's
,nuttered remonstrances and rueful
face eaily mounted and leisurely can
+orod off in the direction of the Brazos |
road. ..,
"Dar am no use warning wimmin |
fo,ksv philosophical Jim-"no use at
al for dey am sartin to go JUS wat
CO.., tell 'em not to. l ought to toll
80 70 90 ON de Brazos pike, den dey |
,s boun' TO take de odder way