Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-12-10

GERONIMO'S REDSKINS
BY OSCAR W. eoLINo.

YES" said the station agent, II did
have an adventure with Geronimo's
warriors the summer they broke loose
from their reservation. which, perhaps.
is worth telling about.
1.-THE previous winter I had been en-
ployed away up north in Canada. with
in sight of the glaciers glinting on the
Banf mountains, and l got the iced air
SO incorporated in my system that
felt like a cold-storage plant.
"As soon as the snow blockade was
raised In the spring I turned south
ward. was not particular where /
went so long as 1t was near the trop-
les. l accepted q place In southern
Arizona, a stand which can give Sa-
hara hints on the tropic business.
Its q great place for acquiring a
thirst, or even adding to one already
acquired. l was sitting in the shade
of the water tank n day, the con-
tents of which ! had been absorbing
at brief intervals. | wondered II /
would ever have enough animation in
me to go north again.
Il found 1t too much work to think
with the expanding mercury almost
lifting the glass tube of the thermome-
ter out of its socket and so / fell into
a doze. How long I nodded l do not
know, but a swarm of insects settling
on me as II l were made of fy-paper
awoke me.
"As l stirred, my little dog also
came out Of his usual comatose condi-
ton, for the heat had made US both ex-
cessively weary, and dragging himself
over to a post he leaned against 1t for
support and barked feebly. I heard a
noise behind the house. Before /
could get up to investigate, l found
the cause standing before me in the
shape of several painted Indians.
Il was familiar with the sight Of IN
dams. but l could see that this bunch
were not friendly visitors, although
they grinned at me. Their grin said
plainly. You are ours
How do you do? I asked, as soon
as I could swallow a sudden iniamma.
tion In my throat.
"How dor one of them grunted In
reply. 'Whisk! Bottle whisk! Mouth
dry; want drink
whisky? Certainly and brought
out a quart bottle which l kept for
snake bites. Immediately 1t was pass
ing from mouth to mouth; and 1t was
all gone when a second crowd of paint
ed faces galloped up alongside. There
was a full score more Of them and
felt awfully lonesome.
THE empty bottle was circulated
among the last arrivals; each rider
NSgravely taking a smell. More, bring
more whisky some of them shouted
and. when I explained that ] had nc
more, they looked crushed. The first
six who had merged the contents ap
i peared happy over the discontinue Of
their comrades, and one Of them point
ed to the big, dripping water-tank and
said. plenty water. take heap, all you
want
This did not seen to comfort then
any. and saw that they reproachet
\ me for being a temperance man
knew that I would have to suffer FOL
| their loss, and the sight Of somt
scalps dangling from their belts die
not reassure me.
after some confusion in rummag
ing through the place I was put along
side my desk. There was a brief con
fab in Apache between the leaders, one
of whom was Geronimo himself, ant
then one Of them, dressed like a Whit
man, sat down and wrote a messag,
on one Of my blanks. Turning to me
when 1t was finished he said In goot
English:
"Look here. voung fellow, we wan
you to send this dispatch to the cap
tain at Fort Bowie, and, mind you, M
monkeying on the wire. Send just that
no more and no less. Obey US ant
your life will be spared; but II you
send any warning beside this. we will
comb your hair for you. ! picked III
some telegraphy at the Indian school.
"And' with that he laid the blank be
fore me and at the same time pointed
q pistol toward my head.
There was nothing for me to do blu
obey and I read the telegram.
''To Captain -, Fort Bowie:
fGeronimo, with a large force. has jus
passed south on the way to surprise tn,
mining settlement In Crystal Gulch. Som,
ranchmen brought me the news, and the,
ask you for Gods sake order you troop
there to the rescue at once. Please an
fswer. agent"
~ had direct wire connection will
the fort and l soon raised the operate
there and began transmitting the dis
patch, wondering, as l did So, what II
object was. I concluded that It wa
to put the troops on a false chase, an,
privately resolved to notify the for
II I could.
was the young Indian really al
operator and could he detect me II
should add a warning to the message
He was now standing ove me and
looked up at him. His eyes met min
az / did so, and q smile passed owe
his face az he said, Yes, I'm following
you all right. You are at that word;