The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-03-09
Private Brainard's
Ruse
BY DOROTHY R. MURRAY
Copyright. 1910, BY American Press
Association.

he was at college got into so many
scrapes that at the end Of his sopho-
more year the president informed him
he needn't come back the next term.
Toms father put him into business
concern, but the boy soon proved that
he was as unfit for business as for
study. Sitting on q high stool all day
adding columns Of figures was not to
Toms taste. He soon got discharged
for inattention 10 his work, and then
his father was at bis wits end to know
what TO do with him. Tom said he'd
Ike to be a soldier, so his father went
TO Washington to try TO get him a com
mission. but was told shere that if his
son wanted a commission he had bet
ter enlist and work his way up from
the ranks.
Tom enlisted and. though he took 10
soldering better than anything else,
was constantly transgressiug 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 a hamlet that
has since become a large town. The
fort was intended as a point OF obser-
walton for a tribe of Indians whose
reservation was but few miles away,
Tom served a year at the fort. one
third OF which was spent in the guard
house He was known By the officers
TO be gentleman and his onenses
were not serious: indeed he was
rather an annoyance than otherwise,
So finally bis captain told him that u
he would leave the army he would
guarantee his discharge. But Tom de-
cIined. He said he had come into the
service for commission and intended
10 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 bad
mt force down near the Indians just
big enough for them 10 eat up when
they got ready
One day there was CONSERVATION IN
the fort. The Indians were coming to
attack 1t, and IL they did they would
doubtless take it and kill everybody in
Il. 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
ilers went out to meet them, the major
In command hoping to pacify rather
than to fight them. Six hundred In
dams attacked him, and after q scrim
mage several redskins including their
chief. we're killed. when the chief
fell the Indians drew of, though It
was known that they would renew the
aght with redoubEed derceness. After
dark the troops withdrew to the fort
and shut themselves in.
That night was n fearful one In the
Enclosure, death staring every one 10
the face. It was known that re-en-
forcements had been sent from Leav'
snworth. bat it would require several
DAYS for them to make the march
Tom Rralnard told his captain that he
had q plan. He was conducted 10 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
wooden Indian that an enterprising
tobacconist had brought from st. Louis,
The Indian was sitting with a calumet
In his mouth Tom bored hole
through the back of the neck and put
real pipe in the Indians mouth. Then
he introduced a tube into the hole be
had bored. so that by sucking on the
tube the Indian would appear TO smoke
Tom told bis commander what his
plan was and asked him as soon as Il
was light the next morning to convene
all the officers ut the fort on the par
apet, put the wooden Indian In the
circle and have some one concealed
pull on the tube at the back of his
head, the pipe haviag been lighted. He
wished them all to appear to be In
council.
This being understood, Tom rode out
with an escort and a white nag. 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 incrcdulous. 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 marn-
Ing. Tom would not permit them 20
come within a quarter Of mile OF
the post, but this was near enough FOR
them to see the wooden Indian sitting
on the rampant IN q circle Of officers
blowing clouds OF smoke. The In
dams. astonished, rode away and
spread the news to al the tribe.
That was the eEd Of the uprising.
soon after Toms ruse the new chief
came to the fort and ratified the peace
made by his predecessor.