The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-11-02
WHAT CAME OF
RIFLE PRACTICE.
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tOriginAll
Colonel Tanning Of the United States
cavalry, In command OF a district at
the eastern base of the Rocky noun.
tains, was wealthy and desired his
only child. Corinne. to marry wealth.
He dreaded to have her shut up with a
lot of impecunious officers. fearing an
affair with ono of them. His fears
were realized, Percy King. n light
haired, blue eyed boy fresh from West
Point, made the trouble. But Corinne
had been brought up to understand
that she must marry wealth and was
prepared to sacrifice her own feelings
and the lieutcnants MS well, She told
him that II he didn't keep or she
would be sent east.
The principal occupations Of army
officers at solitary stations ut that time
were poker and whisky, King, not
having taste for either. on being de-
prived OF the society OF his ladylove
and feeling the need Of something 10
NActhWSt HIS uttNutith. tVNh Wy tNihVt
practice, Nearly every morning and
evening he could he seen on the shoot.
Ing grounds outside the fort with a
rifle, at times firing at target and
at times at objects tossed into the air
by his striker, He found that he had
the especial combination Of muscle.
nerve and eye TO make remarkable
shot. He kept lengthening the dis.
lance between himself and the object
fired at till he discovered that what he
most needed was longer range ride
Then he sent east for the best that
could be purchased. though 1t took all
his spare funds 10 pay for It.
One day camping party OF the
younger people at the fort went up into
the mountains. II was foolhardy
thing to do, for the Indians had for
some time shown signs OF revolt King
was the only young person left behind.
Instead Of moping In his quarters he
mounted his horse and, with his rife, |
set out to try for an antelope or (up In
the canyon Il goat. He took his striker |
with him to carry the game In case he /
got any. Failing to find an antelope,
he went up the canyon for a goat. |
From an emlnence he saw down on the !
plain sight that appalled, him-a body !
OF Indians galloplng toward the mouth
OF the canyon. He knew from the ap- |
pearance and actions OF the red men
that they were on the warpath. They
were not sufficiently numerous TO at |
tack the fort, but 1t occurred TO tim at
once that they knew OF the party In
the mountains and were going for
them. They were between him and
the fort, and spur Of the foothills
was between the fort and them.
There came mighty resolve In King.
He would make a stand In the canyon
alone. while his striker rode on to the
camp and warned the party.
As the striker moved ON up the In
cline King descended till he came to
small natural fortress that commanded
a stretch in the road about a quarter
Of mile long and at about 500 yards
distance from him. To enter upon this
stretch Of road one must come around
a projecting rock. The young officer
had brought plenty Of ammunition.
and his rife could be depended upon to 9
carry the distance. Finding a crevice
In his miniature fort through which he
could fire without being seen or ex. I
posed, he knelt behind It and was i,
ready fot the fight.
Suddenly an Indian shot out from
behind the rock, followed at about ;
twenty PAGES by two more. Kings ,
life cracked three times In quick sue.
.ession, and the three Indians dropped.
Several more who had come Into view, r
seeing that they were ambushed, turn
ID to retrace their steps.
Considerable time elapsed before any
more redskins were seen. King judged
hat their next appearance would be
IN one or the other side Of the canyon
Ind 1t would be impossible for them !
o get above him without being seen.
4 party Of five did attempt to climb
,ver some fifty yards across q rock,
1ut King picked off three of them,
ind the other two rolled back over the
ace Of the rock.
He had scarcely given gasp OF re.
ief and was dartlng his eyes In every O
when he saw man Just step
)ing out of the foliage on to a ledge v
rom which he might look right down |,
nto the white mans redoubt. The In 7
liam had grasped the ledge, but Kings :,
life cracked again, and the climber
ell back. Another, apparently having p
approached from q different quarter, P
vas making signs from the ledge when +
le, too, fell a victim to Kings pre- n
ision. .,
All this occupied more than an hour.
,ut now King began to feel that the
nd was drawing near-that the Indian y
e had last shot had succeeded In COM U
a knowledge of his weak. O.
ess. BE was wrong. Nearly an hour c'
1ore passed before he saw indications a
hat his enemies had been climbing to A
is rear and were surrounding him. T
hen suddenly up the canyon he heard
hots, which were answered by shots. 40
The striker had reached the camping
arty, the women and children had o.