Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-02-02
A Debt Paid
BY WILLIAM BRAKEMAN
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

what was then called 1.-The palms." be-
ing sent out to reconnoiter the forces
Of the hostile tribes Of Indians, who
were at war with each other, came
upon a small band Of Sioux who were
shooting arrows at long distance at an
Indian boy they had captured from
their enemies. Their object was to
torture the boy by making the distance
between him and them so great that
they would likely fire a long time at
him before giving him his death
wound. He had been struck several
times, but not yet in a vital part.
Captain Tisdale bought the boy for
$40. The captive. who was tied to the
trunk of a tree, was unbound and taken
up by the captains order behind
of the troopers. Tisdale had no use
for his purchase, but if the boy were
left to himself he would either die
without food or be r~ecaptured, tOrtur-
ed and killed. So the captain decided
to keep him with the command and
when the troop returned to the fort
take him along.
The boys Indian name being un-
pronounceable. he was given another
Jim. There was no reason why he
should not have been called John OF
Jack or Joe instead. 1t happened sim
ply that the captain first thought Of
Jim. The boy was about fifteen years
old, tall and straight and had all the
fortitude Of his race. When released
from being a target. though fainting
from loss of blood, he kept a resolute
look on his face and did not, seem es-
pecially pleased that his life had been
saved.
Since there was nothing for jim to
do at the fort, Captain Tisdale con-
Guided to make him his servant. Serv-
ants were hard to get in western
garrisons. and Tisdale, who was a mar
ried man. thought Jim would make a
good waiter. The captain proposed
this to the boy. but received no reply
of either assent or dissent. He went
about his duties sullenly, but attended
to them faithfully. Tisdale was sur
prised that he displayed no gratitude
for the saving Of his life, but Tisdale
had little faith in the better impulses
of the savages and aScribed Jim's APP
parent Indifference to his redskin ma
ture. Mrs. Tisdale went even further.
She feared all Indians and dreaded lest
they should be murdered by Jim some
night and he would be missing in the
morning.
Then came news that the tribe by
which Jim had been made captive had
broken away from their reservation
and We're roaming about numbering
settlers. burning houses and pillaging.
All the garrison of Fort - except a
sufficient guard went out to drive the
savages back into their proper limits.
Captain Tisdale before departing said
to jim:
Jim, 1 wish you to be good to Mrs.
Tisdale while I am away"
"Me go. too" replied Jim.
Cali right" said the captain, who
was fearful of leaving him. "Ill get
you a horse from the quartermaster.
and you shall be my orderly"
For the first time since Jim had
been purchased a light came into his
eye.
"You would rather fight than wait
on the table, wouldn't you, Jim?" said
the captain.
"My father chief!w said Jim proudly.
The change in Jim mounted on a
charger from carrying viands on a
tray was something wonderful. And
was he not going to fight the very
tribe who had intended to shoot him
to death? When the command trotted
out of the fort. many Of the men So
bered by the thought that they might
never get back to it, Jim rode behind
Captain Tisdale. the light Of supreme
happiness in his eye.
In those days, though the savages
were armed with rifles. they could not
always get the requisite ammunition
and were obliged to supplement their
armament with the bows and arrows.
The United States force that marched
against them, learning that they were
in camp within striking distance. at
tempted to surprise them in the early
morning, but the cavalry were late
in getting on the ground and found a
force four times their own numbers
drawn up to receive them.
During the fight Jim fought like a
young devil. But he never left his
captain. Tisdale was leading q charge
into a nest Of Indians when an arrow
struck him in the forearm. At the
same moment his horse fell dead. Jim
like a flash jumped from his own
horse. raised his captain, pulled the
arrow from the wound, looked at it's
point and, kneeling by the captain.
who was sitting dazed on the ground.
began to suck the wound.
The Indians were driven before the
advancing force, and when succo ar
rived for Captain Tisdale he vas found
in a stupor, Jim beside him chant
ing his own death song. The boy
was recounting the few deeds Of valor
he had had opportunity to perform in
his boyhood, and as part of his song
was in English those about knew that
his captain had been struck by q pOi-