The Cairo bulletin., 1911-01-04
A Debt Paid
BY WILLIAM BLAKEMAN
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

States cavalry, years ago serving on
what was then called 1.-THE plains" be-
ing sent out to reconnoiter the forces
of Che 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 vital part
Captain Tisdale bought the boy for
$50. The captive, who was tied to the
trunk of tree. was unbound and taken
up by the captains order behind one
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 recaptured 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 I'M
pronounceabe. he was given another
Jim. There was no reason why he
should not have been called John or
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 target, though fainting
from loss of blood, he kept resolute
look on his face and did not seem es-
pecinlly pleased that his life had been
saved.
Since there was nothing for Jim to
do at the fort. Captain Tisdale con-
cluded to make him his servant. Serv-
ants were hard to get In western
rnrrisons. and Iisdale. who was mar
ried man. thought Jim would make d
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 Jims mp
parent Indifference to his redskin ma
ture. Mrs Tisdale went even further.
She feared all Indians and dreaded lest
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 were roaming about numbering
settlers, burning houses and pillaging
All the garrison Of Fort - except
sufficient guard went out to drive the
sayages back into their proper limits.
Captain Tisdale before departing said
TO Jim:
Jim. wish you to be good to Mrs
Tisdale while am away"
me go, too" replied Jim.
"All right" said the captain, who
was fearful Of leaving him. ''I'll 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 bis
eye
"You would rather fight than wait
on the table, wouldn't you. Jim?" said
the captain.
"My father chief" said Jim proudly
The change In Jim mounted on
charger from carrying yiands on
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 1t. Jim rode behind
Captain Tisdae, 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 Ike a
young devil. But he never left his
captain. Tisdale was leading charge
into a nest OF Indians when an arrow
struck him In the forearm. At the
same moment his horse fell dead Jim
like n fash jumped from his own
horse. raised his captain. pulled the
arrow from the wound, looked at its
point and, lineellng 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 succor ar
rived for Captain Tisdale he was found
In stupor, Jim beside him chant
ing his own death song. The boy
was recountlng the few deeds OF valor
he had had opportunity TO perform in
his boyhood, and MS part Of his song
was in English those about knew that
his captain had been struck by a poi
soned arrow and Jim had sucked the
poison into his own system.