The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-07-21
A Reunion
BY BARBARA PHIPPS

AeSeiA oH tue mInu or q |
very young child so strongly that It
Will never be forgotten. Mother died
and my brother Jimmie was taken
away by lady, while was placed in
an orphan asylum.
However, this lugubrious beginning
was the harbinger of life of ease and
comfort. In time was adopted by a
wealthy couple and treated as affec.
tionately, as much lavished upon me.
as If had been their real daughter. |
was given liberal education and as
many accomplishments as l had a fit
ness for. Then l was brought out" in |
the most approved fashion and entered
society as a young lady.
One summer girl friend of mine,
the daughter of Major Shelbourne Of |
the army, invited me to visit her at her
fathers post in what was then Indian
country. l had seen enough Of society
to tell me of its hollowness, insincerity,
selfishness and bargain and sale in the
matter of favor, and it occurred to me
that would find something more sat
isfying In one of those army posts that
had been described to me as consti
tuting large family. l went to Fort
Tomkins and found things very much
as they had been described to me.
One day several of the younger Off
GERS and the daughters of the older
ones went on a picnic. / learned be-
fore starting that the major command
ing objected to our going, but l did
not hear why. / learned soon enough,
to my cost. The Indians had for some
time been veCy unruly, and while we
were leaving the fort they were leav-
ing their reservation, numbering and
| pilfering as they proceeded.
We had gone to stream at the foot
Of mountain range wooded on Its
banks and, entering spot we'll shad-
ed, had partaken Of our luncheon when
soldier rode up and told US that he
had been sent to inform us Of the In
. dian situation and that we must re-
turn Immediately. But before we could
, collect our paraphernalia and get into
the mule wagon that had brought us
one Of the party saw several Indians
, riding hard to cut US of.
The major had sent six mounted
men with us for our protection. There
were three lieutenants and the man
who had come to warn us. The OH
GERS held a quick consultation and de
cided to ascend ravine In the noun
tain where we could the better defend
. ourselves and not attempt at once tt
reach the fort. The ravine lay but
short distance on the other side OF
; the stream, which we crossed In thu
J wagon and were soon in a position
: where we could hide behind rocks
!. which also furnished defense from
. which to fire.
n / shall only speak Of our defense b!
Q A few brave men against several time
n their number of Indians so far as Z
q show that the soldiers fought skill
l. fully and with sufficient knowledge
7. Indian warfare to keep the savages a
p bay. One of the men being seyerei
It wounded, took up his carbine anc
!, climbing to a rock higher up ana
the side. where l saw Indians tryin
IT to get around us, endeavored to plci
2 them off. was followed by one Q
d the prfvates, who told me that shoui
d take more care to conceal my perso
e. or / would be hit. ! didn't ask NIL
le why he had come to help me, suppo'
e ing that he saw the danger OF beih
lie taken In the rear as had seen It
" We two kept widening the distanc
d between us and our party, because u
Indians kept circling to the side In a
d effort to get past US to our rear. Inc
" suddenly we saw an Indian betwee
4, us and our friends.
d I saw by the expression on the SO
n diar,s face that we were In terribl
" danger He swept his eye about !
for a position OF defense and roun
a one in a crevice between two roci
q WHARF we could not be attacked e.
N cent from the front Another roe
70 formed a rampant before part OF u
% space into which we retreated. N
l eomuanion told me to crouch down y
s hind this rock. / refused till ne to
10 me that / could shoot from there, an
/ at the same time he took posit'c
" beside me. =
10 II seemed half day-it may nav
"a been an hour-that we DEFENDED gu
n selves from the Indians who endeaVo
N Cd TO KIN or capture us. My compal
n inn laid low a number of them. nre
y AZ several. but hit only one-tnat
81 far as l knew. After awhile "
Or saw across the level plain troop
d cavalry coming from the fort ana u
N Indians scurried away
!. NV life had been saved by the pr
If vafe who had followed me. Togetn'
Il we returned to the party, and ne 7
1T ceiyed the thanks of the oflcers \
TO what he had done.
e. Wen. as soon as we returheu " =
2 camp made inquiries concerning =
3. deliyerer. The major sent Tor MI
n saving to him when be arrived tnat .
=. Desired 70 thank him for having save
M ufe I did the thanking and, Q
NJ IIeying that my foster father wou
q ~ him a substantial present, ask
ID him his name .,,.a
n aIames Waterhouse," he replleo.
~ aHaye Won middle Manner l aske
aI don;t know. I came out OF
...,,,vo and they called