The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1911-02-02
Private Brainard's
Ruse
By DOROTHY r. MURRAY
Copyright, 1910, by American Press
Association.

Tom Brainard was always full Of
Old Nick. He was at the bottom Of all
he was at~college got into so many
scrapes that at the end Of his sophie
more year the president informed him
he needn't come back the next term.
Toms father put him into a business
concern, but the boy soon proved that
he was as. unfit for business as for
study. Sitting on high stool all day
adding columns of figures was not to
Toms taste. He soon got discharged
his father was at his wits end to know
what to do with him. Tom said he'd
like to be soldier, so his father went
to Washington to try to get him COM
mission, but was told there that if his
son wanted commission he had bet
ter enlist and work his way up from
the ranks.
Tom enlisted and, though he took to
soldering better than anything else,
was constantly transgressing the army
regulations and consequently getting
himself into trouble. He enlisted in
the cavalry and was sent out with his
regiment to two company post in the
west The only people to fight were
Indians, and at the time of Toms ar
rival they were peaceful.
Fort B., where Toms company was
stationed, was near hamlet that
has since become large town. The
fort was intended as point of obser-
walton for a tribe of Indians whose
reservation was but few miles away.
Tom served year at the fort. one
third of which was spent in the guard
house. He was known by the officers
to be a gentleman and his offenses
were not serious; indeed, he was
rather an annoyance than otherwise.
So finally his captain told him that if
he would leave the army he would
guarantee his discharge. But Tom de-,
clined He said he had come into the
service for a commission and intended
to stay there till he got one.
Soon after this the Indians broke
loose from their reservation and went
about numbering settlers wherever
they could find them. The savages
numbered several thousand warriors,
and the troops In the fort numbered
sixty-two The great father had
put force down near the Indians just
big enough for them to eat up when
they got ready.
One day there was CONSERVATION in
the fort The Indians were coming to
attack it, and If they did they would
doubtless take it and kill everybody in
it, including women and children. Be
sides, many Of the people from the
little town or settlement near by had
come in, the merchants bringing their
stocks of goods and all bringing their
household belongings.
AS the Indians approached the sol
diers went out to meet them, the major
than to fight them. Six hundred In
dams attacked him, and after a scrim-
mage several redskins, including their
chief, were killed. When the chief
fell the Indians drew off, though 1t
was known that they would renew the
fight with redoubled fierceness After
dark the troops withdrew to the fort
and shut themselves in.
That night was fearful one in the
Enclosure, death staring every one i'll
the face 1t was known that re-en-
forcements had been sent from Leav-
enworth, but it would require several
days for them to make the march.
Tom Brainard told his captain that he
had plan. He was conducted to the
major commanding and proposed it.
The major had no confidence in it, but
permitted Tom to try it.
A stock of cigars and tobacco had
been brought into the fort, including
a wooden Indian that an enterprising
tobacconist had brought from st. Louis,
The Indian was sitting with calumet
in his mouth. Tom bored a hole
through the back Of the neck and put
a real pipe In the Indians mouth. Then
he introduced tube into the hole he
had bored, so that by sucking on the
tube the Indian would appear to smoke.
Tom told his commander what his
plan was and asked him as soon as 1t
was light the next morning to convene
all the officers at the fort on the par
aDot. put the wooden Indian In the
circle and have some one concealed
pull on the tube at the back of his
head, the pipe having been lighted. He
wished them all to appear to be in
council.
This being understood, Tom rode out
with an escort and white flag. The
Indians met him, and he told them
that the spirit of their chief had come
into the fort and made peace. The
Indians were incredulous. They had
the chiefs body. Tom offered to show
him to them at the fort smoking with
the officers. They rode with him to
the fort, arriving early in the morn