The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-10-28

silent. She waved back In response TO
the King of the Mountains. but her face
was still pale. and she was silent for
some time Harley now knew that
/ King PlUmmeT was not her uncle nor
I her next OF kin after Jimmy Grayson In
any way. but he was unable 10 tell why
( this marriage-to-be had been arranged.
I But he quickly learned the secret, IL
secret II was; it was told 10 him on the
train by Mrs. Grayson as they rode that
afternoon 20 Detroit.
'Tf you were ever In Idaho. she said,
You would soon hear tho story Of King
PlUmmer and Sylvia. IT IS a tragedy Of
our West; that Is, il began In a great
tragedy, one of those tragedies Of the
plains and the mountains so numerous
and so Ike each other that the historians
forget TO tell about them. Sylvia 8
mother was Mr.. Grayson's eldest sister,
much older than he. She and her hus-
band and children were part y a wagon
train that was going up away into the
Northwest where the railroads did not
then reach.
1T was long ago-when Sylvia was a
little girl. not more than seven or eight
and the train was massacred by Utes just
az they reached the Idaho line. The
Ties we're on the warpath-there had
train had been warned by the soldiers
not to go on. but the emigrants were
reckless. They laughed at danger. be
cause they did not see il before their
faces They pushed on, and they were
anbushed in q deep canyon
There was hardly any fight at all.
the attack was so sudden and Unexpect-
ed. Before the people knew what WAS
coming half Of them were shot down.
and then those awful savages were
among them with tOmahawk and knife.
Mr.. Harley. I've no use for tho Indian.
1t is easy enough to get sentimental
about him when YOU are away of in the
East. but when you are close TO him in
the West all that feeling goes. I heard
Sylvia tell about that massacre once, and
only once. II was years ago. but 1 can't
forget il; and if I can't forget it. do you
think that she can? Her father was
killed at the first fire from the bushes.
and tben an Indian, covered with paint
and bears claws tom3hawked both her
mother and her little brother before her
+ eyes-yes. and scalped them. too He
ran for the girl next, but Sylvia think
it was Just physical impuIse-dashed
away into the scrub. and the Indian
turned side for a victim nearer at hand
sylvia lay hid until night came. and
there WAS silence over the mountain. the
silence OF death Mr.. Harley. because
when she slipped back in the darkness to
the emigrant train she found every soul
that had been in IT, besides herself dead
Think Mr. Harley, Of that little girl
alone in all those vast mountains, with
her dead around her, DO You wonder
that sometimes she seems hard?"
No. / don [. replied Harley Despite
himself a mist came 10 his eyes over this
pathetic tragedy of long ago.
sylvia has never said much about that
night she spent there with the dead. in
the midst Of the wrecked and pIundered
train but wnen a number of border men.
alarmed about the emigrants pushed or
the next day to save them IF possible.
what do you suppose they found her do
ing2"
II can't guess"
She had got a spade somewhere from
one OF the wagons. and. little as She was.
she was trying To bury her own dead She
Was Go busy that she didn't see them ride
UP, and William PlUmmeT. their leader
b. was a youL" man Theoretically shed
tears. so they say. Well, these men finish
ed the burial. and Mr. PIummer put
Sylvia on his horse before him and rode
away. He adopted the little thing as his
daughter. He said she was the bravest
creature he had ever seen, and, as he was
not likely 10 have any real daughter. she
should take a place that ought 10 be
filled.
Were the ties who did this massacre
punished?"
No one knows; the soldiers killed
number Of them in battle. but whether
the slain were those who ambuShed the
train is not decided in border history
I think I understand the rest of the
story of Mr.. Plummer and Miss Morgan"
said Harley
Yes. il Is not hard 20 guess. Mr.. Gray
son and her other relatives farther east
did not hear Of her rescue until long
afterwaTd. they supposed her dead-but
no one could have cared for her better
than MT. Plummer. He kent her first
al his mining hut in the mountains. but
after two or three years he took her into
town 10 Boise; he put her in the care Of a
woman there and sent her 10 school. He
loved her already ike a real daughter
She was just the kind To appeal 10 him.
SO brave and so fond of the wild life
They say that at first she refused 10