The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-07-15


ago. The growth of towns and cities;
the construction of railroads; the vast in
flux of settlers, and the subjugation of
the Indians have obliterated the dash
of color, and in large degree the interest
which formerly separated 1t SO completely
from the civilians life, and made of It,
to the romanticist, a fascinating world,
apart from humdrum experience, aquiver
with action To the man and to the
woman who went through 1T all, 1t was a
stern reality; full of romance in the tell
ing, full of hardship in the acting.
Down in the records of the war de-
partment, the deeds of Indian fighters
the heroes of the frontier are kept IN a
musty Immortality; but there are those
of whom no war department record sings,
of whom no morning newspapers makes
mention, whose heroism is yelled in OBJ
security, but whose every good and brave
action lasts as surely as the records, and
they are the women of the army.
Some young girl, dazzled by brass but
tons, inspired by martial music, often
throws her heart into The Army but
she learns through bitter experience that
buttons tarnish, and she has to rub them
up; that taps sound from the Dugles
oftener than triumphant marches; that
a hero is mot always marked by a stateiy
tread, and that army is not spelt with
a capital A after all. If she has soldier
blood in her, she comes out a winner,
Otherwise she collapses.
In the days after the civil war, when
there was still war on the frontier, but
oftenest hard times, a woman's ME IN
an army post was no pleasant thing;
neither was it a pleasant journey TO get
there.
One woman l know, who, from gentle
EASTERN home went out to southwest
Texas in the latter seventies, tasted quite
to the full the '.pleasurable exclteneills'
as some were pleased to term Them ol a
frontier tourney. Leaving New York with
her husband, captain of cavalry Two
httle babies, and a number OF recruits ,,
she sailed down the coast and crossed
the Gulf OF Mexico in the intense hesie
of later June Landing on that low sanuy
island. where Galveston is situate sne
took the train to Fort Worth. WINNIE
creepino over the lagoons, CLOUDS OF ehoi-
NOUS MOSQUITOES beset the cars anu peY.-
sengers. For three hours they were IA u
the depth of marshes, under drees Grape s
in funeral gray-the long festoois Vi .nooo
So picturesque and poisonous-lor WI
steady hours hghuns ohe
sects. ..u,oirus IN
Fort Worth was a dreary terminus III
those days. A military station no loi ,
on1,, a commissiarate left, 1t hao peeii
converted into a thorough Texas Town.
new unsettled, with mud, black as eoal,
disf1sr1ring 1t at all points. Every Ili ,,.
party here made Its preparations i1a soai
, Pc, south and southwest by ambulance,
The average army ambulance was usu,
DIV stout four-wheeled vehicle, wen
cushioned inside, with all SORTS vi eo.,
venient corners, pockets ana places
MT thinpsn with room for four comfort
ablv and two seats outside. Two Vi ~
mules were hitched and the punales' pomHs
and little luggage" attacneu. Aaie go 49,
TO- ,o,,.' with the mess chest, the large
1ugoape the tents and mems belongings
usually headed the procession IN charge VI
a sergeant, and any number OF lour-liluie.,
wagons loaded with recruits OF COMPANY
men brought up the rear. 10, -, j..
The ambulance allotted to TINS party Was
as leaky and creaky an analr as INC
Deadwood stage. After three Gays spene
in preparations. the party LETT fort VIII VIII
and struck out for Griffin, INTO rousH
country as forlorn and dismal as newly
settled places are apt to be. There were
email farms on all hands; the earth rlcil
and black, sprouting cotton, corn anu
wheat, but not q solitary vine OF ilowei :
Groves of tall pecans and live oaks Dor
dered the stony road, but all the country
round about was dreary and cheerless.
Twenty-fiye miles were covered the nrst
dav and at night they settled into camp
nv a running stream in the midst OF trees.
They sent to a nearby, prosperous LOOKING
farm for fresh bread and milk, ana the
owners sold what they had, dry sooa DIS
cults and sour milk, which not even d
recruit could touch In the night one OIL
the soldiers killed huge ratuesnake as
1t was creeping into the children tent
stamped on 1t with bare feet.
The sun rose upon their start. Iowarus
evening 1T was discovered that the wagon
In charge of the sergeant had olsdp-
neared. gone on a wrong road. The mess
chest was in the wagon; there was put
a box of crackers in the ambulance ~
aggrayate matters terrific raihstofiii
hurst upon them with black night l.
numbered and lightened as only wiiu ,
southern storm can do. and torrents 1eii
Until midnight. drenching everyone and
everything in the leaky ambulance. When
the morning rose, 1t was calm and peau-
tiful. the bedraggled train, half starved
out. stumbled It's way to large laril,
where grew the first flowers In all the
route and where the owner gave them
open welcome and abundant rare HIS
farm was on the near side OF CREEK
which the teams had to ford' out Whicn
was swollen fearfully. The wagon IN
charge of the sergeant was seen peace
fully waiting on the opposite bank There
was then nothing to do but for bocn par
ties to wait until the waters subsided'
When they again passed on their way
the country grew wilder and more open;
farms gave place to ranches; there was
greater loneliness Within five miles Of
their destination on the third day, while
attempting to ford another swollen
stream, the ambulance wheels STUCK fast
In the mud at the bottom; the waters
reared and Kissed about the body OF
the wagon; the mules reinforced by ex-
tras. pulled with might and main, pulled
so hard that they dragged the tongue
off and stepped high and dry up the
staen opposite bank, leaving the mother
and her children in the midst Of the
angry flood. Again there was nothing
10 cat at mess time" The little ones
trembled with fear and danger encom-
nassed them. At length the soldiers re-
turned from Griffin with fresh mules
aud new wagon tongue, ana the party
reached the post before nightfall
cr,rfin was then but two company
most about to be abandoned, command
inc OFFICER. two subordnates and a sur
geon only. There was a rough cowboy
eIement about 1t; gambling, shooting af-
fravs murders, and all the rest Of Texan
gore and glory since passed away with
an This 1T was a blessed haven or rest,
The wife of the commanding officer met
the stranger lady with all the grace
and courtesy she might nave SHOWN
queen. For several days sne had pre-
pared for her coming though she was
but the unknown wife of strange OIL
1tNn