Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1911-08-24
| Self
Conquest
How Love and Bravery Saved
a Man From Himself
By CHRISTOPHER BARLEY
Copyright BY American Press Assoc
citation. 1911


house near enough to the fort TO go
there with those OF his household for
protection In case of necessity. The
fort. now that the Indian has been
eliminated, has sunk to nothingness In
importance. and the ranch house Is
but a churred spot, having been burn.
ed by the redskins years ago
Not an hour before It's destruction a
couple. young officer from the fort
and girl. the ranchers daughter,
were sitting on the broad veranda in
the light of full moon Allen Kim
bah had enlisted in the United States
army because he could neither be con
trolled nor control himself He had
given H. to almost every kind o. dis.
sipatlon. ana at the end Of u spree.
not having the hardihood to meet his
father and being out Of money. in a
tit of desperation I've had enrolled him
self In cavalry regiment, choosing
that arm Of the service since 1t would
send him farthest from his home
He had not been long az his station
when trouble with the Indians came
on. and kimball showed himself SO
brave that he was rapidly promoted
through the noncommissioned grades
and before the lighting was over was
made Il lieutenant This gave him
heurt. and he determined 10 redeem
himself with his family. But pas
sion for gambling stood in his way
~ those remote posts there was little
or nothing for the men to do except
drink and gamble, and Lieutenant
kmball found the temptation to gam
bip too stron. for him Once he had
begun to play al caution deserted him
and lac bel wildly The result was
that he became indebted to his broth
or officers in large amounts one or
two OF his creditors in order to get
what they considered TO be their just
dues formed clique against him. and
he found himself cut man. which
Is the army expression for one whose
brother officers will not speak TO him,
though some diSscnted from the rest
on the ground that Kimball did not de.
serve what was inflicted upon him
klmbnll had formed the acQuaint.
ancc Of Winifred Armour. the ranch
mans daughter az the height of the
reputation he had made for bravery
and efficiency, He loved her. and his
loved was returned He confessed his
previous life TO her and announced his
intention thereafter TO be credit in.
stead of a disgrace TO his family She
symputhized with him deeply and
promised him thar II he adhered t.
his resolution for given time she
would marry him
But" she said. Il will confess that
there is in the east man of sterling
worth who has asked me TO be his
wife. He is much older than l. aud
thus FAR respect him only. Ny love
is yours II you relapse into your
former condition when return 10 the
east shall accept his proposition"
Doubtless she put the matter thus to
furnish an incentive TO him to conquer
himself
He had ridden over 10 the ranch
house on this moonlight night to bid
her goodby He had failed to conquer
himself and had lost her The inter
view was painful to both
We'll he said. in one thing | re-
joice-you in time win be happy Thank
heaven, am not 10 drag YOU down
with me- You will be- member Of a
family, while ~ am every day eX
pecting IN invitation TO resign"
Wlnifred made no reply What could
she say? She could not find II in her
heart to uphuid him And there was
nothing she could say 10 relieve the
mental torture both suffered She sim
ply put out her hand In a mute fare
well
They were both recalled from the
melancholy status existing between
them by hearing distant sounds Of
galopne horse, evidently coming NJ
full speed Both listened The ami
mai was not coming from the direc
ton of the fort, bur toward &C. kim
haI knew that the lut on the
nearby reservation had bees. uuruly,
and something told him the conner
was a messenger bringing warn.
ing His fear was realized 4 horse
man. reaching q point 10 the road op
Upsite the ranch gate. pulled his horse
wDk ON his hauucbc~ and cried uu,
The Indians are coming, They're
eilit ON us,"
Without word Kimball ran for the
stable near the house and I'm a few
minutes returned leading WiniIrcds
mare saddled ANA brdled Tier father
was away from the ranch, and there
was mo- one tn the house but employ
pos aud servants They too, prepared
for hight kimha ugt his companion
n her horse mounted himself and
they tore through r9p enru gate and
away toward 'Nr fort They had
scarcely started when nrAind hem
came chat terrible whgop which only
on Indian can give
The forl WIS six mites from the
n0rh uot d long distance Cor mr. or
binary ride INIT toa great 70 unable
lbe fu-itiveS 10 rcaga safety with @
horde OF elling savages in their rear
THE horses knew that yeI and rut
forth lll hnH rvugtA
Saey ute ira aeew eos eI