The Horry herald. (Conway, S.C.) 1886-1923, January 07, 1897, Image 1
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VOL.. XI.
V
wSP
CHAPTEH XIV.
Tho Twelfth spent its Now Year's
clay hot 011 tho Indian trail. Into tho
foothills it wound, tortuous and lull of
> peril, for from every projecting point,
from rook to rock and cm st to crest, the
warrior rear guard poured their fire on
tho advancing lino. Charges were fruitless.
The nimble ponies of the Indians
boro their riders swiftly out of harm's
way, and only among the charging force
j\: ut;11 "i.v.*,4^.. i...d
Ulll V'ilr* II il 1 I I' f* \n. \ lit. ot ill, 1MI11UII 11*4(4
hung 1 ik<> a bulldog to his task, Imping
before nightfall to catch up with the
main body and the moving village, then
to hem it in. Numerically he was little
better off than the Indians, as hi)
Indians can surround 500 troopers much
more effectively than 500 troopers can
surround 50 mounted warriors. Through
Bat and ot hers he had vainly striven to
communicate with Big Head, to assure .
him no F^irm would he dene; that all
that was necessary was for him to return
with his people under escort of the
rogimei j k to the reservation. Up to -1 1
p. m. Jjiy a shot had been fired by the
Two J.* J, even in response to a sometinwi-'galling
fusillade from the Indians.
By that time several men had been unboned
and two or three wounded, and
the thing was getting exasperating; yet,
Was it worth keeping up, for Bat and
/ other scouts declared the fleeing village
/ to bo loss than three miles ahead now,
and, with that overhauled, the warn rs
could bo brought to bay well south of
the mountains, and .to the accomplishment
of this, without sacrificing men or
horses to any great extent, Fenton was
bending every energy when overtaken
Ittr flin flruf nnnvior frnm l-'rtifiid
VI.V ....... , ........
Wayne had marked (ho dispatches in
tho order in which (hey should be rend,
but the only ones which much concern
ed hitn now were from department j
headquarters. A new king who knew
not Joseph, a new general with whom
Fenton had never chanced to serve, was
there in command, and he, coming a
comparative stranger to the community,
know little of tho merits of the politi- ,
oians by whom ho was speedily besieged. !
They were present in force, armed with
letters and dispatches by the score from
so called prominent citizens resident
along the Platte, and Fenton was practically
unrepresented. It was in no spirit
of unkindness, but rather that Fenton
might, have opportunity to como
thither and confront and confound, if
ho could, his accusers, that the general
had issued tho first order, which was
that Font on should "immediately escort
By the light of a little vorlict lantern Fcnton
read.
Big Road and his people hack to tho
agency and then report to theso headquarters
for consultation." That dispatch,
if delivered, would havo ruined
all tho plans of tho plainsmen, and tho
wires were clipped the moment warning
came, and It never got beyond the old
substation on the Laramie until after tho
repairs wero made, but other dispatches
were wiroct from below tho breaks,
alleging first that, so far from Fenton\s
doing as ordered, he was apparently
bent on driving Big Road's people up
tho river or into tho open field, then
tluylio had done so, and that tho Indians
were now raiding tho scattered
vatmlma mwl /lrivinrr f tin nnttln iiitri t)io
* (4t?viivn """" *"" '"v
foothills, while (ho settlers were fleeing
in terror. Fenton's dispatches, wired
beforo Big Bond's escapade, had, of
course, been received, hut his report of
the situation was at utter variance with
that from tho agency and those from
the Thorpe party. (Iross mismanagement
and general incompetency were
tho principal allegations against Fcnton,
though the astute "hustlers" did not j
forgot to add drunkenness to the list as
onVi which tho public would accept
without question, ho being nn army
oflicor, and when tho governor himself
was induced to add his complaint to
thoso of his enterprising people tho
general yielded.
Tho dispatches sent by courier called
for explanation of tho charges made by
tho agent and civilians, intimated doubt
as to the wisdom of Kenton's course or
tho accuracy of his information and
wound up with the significant clause, J
"Do nothing to provoko hostilities or j
arouso tho fears of tho Indians," and
hero ho had been in hot pursuit of thorn j
all tho livelong day.
Stung to the quick, Fonton noverthe- |
loss pressed vigorously on. Tho result
would justify him, and lie could wait
.for bis vindication until tho.eampaign
was over. The villngoat sundow neould
not be morn than three miles away, said j
{lis soouts, and the energy of Big Bead's '
d' ' 4
^''' **
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b wne..
QfgS? I
UaLS Klj
r ?=*&F^^3S?L
n v*vv>* Mtew.'
defensive measures was redoubled. Instructions
to <lo nothing to provoke hostilitit
s v.i ro dead letters, now that hostilities
had actually bc< n provoked?not
1>3' hi in or his people, but, between
theni, by Ilig K'oad and the cowboys.
There was only ono course for Fen ton
to take, and that was to overhaul tho
vi 11 o and peaceably if lie could, but
forcibly if he must, escort it back within
tho reservation lines. Jiat had ridden
up just as the sun was disappearing
to say that tho Indians seemed to
be heading for a deep cleft in the foothills
through which the buffalo in bygone
days had mado their way. Now,
if EYnton could only send Farwcll or
Amory with half tho squadron to gallop
In wide detour to the west under
cover of tho darkness and seize the bluffs
overhanging tho canyon, meantime
iniilr(n?A?nmf nmtnnMnf baAntni* nn ll.n
pursuit with tlie remainder of his force,
ho might trap tho village whilo most of
its (h it nderswero still far away. Darkucbs
settled down over tho dcsolatowintiy
landscape, and tho two troops dispatched
on this stirring and perilous
mission wero those of Far well and Malcolm
Loale, tho latter led by its boy
lieutenant, Will Farrar.
Ono hour later, as tho advanco was
still groping along tlio trail and tho
weary troopers, alternately loading
afoot and riding sleepily in narrow column,
pushed steadily in their trucks,
two horsemen on jaded mounts came
spurring from tho rear, and Wayne,
with sorrowful face, handed his dispatches
to tho colonel. IJy tho light of
a littlo pocket lantern Fonton road,
while in brooding silence a knot of half
a dozen officers gathered about them.
Tho closing paragraph is all wo need to
quote: "You will therefore turnover
tho command to Major Wnyno and report
in person at thoso headquarters
without unnecessary delay. Acknowledge
receipt. " At any other timo tho
colonel might liavo been expected to
swear vigorously, but tho troublo in
Wayne's face and tlio unspoken sym- '
pathy and sorrow woro too much for
him. "All right, old boy," said ho as
he refolded tho papers. "Pitch in now
and finish up the business, with my
blessing. Bat," ho continued, turning
to tho swarthy guide, "how far is it
Atmv it\ flir? a 1 licnn T tliinl I'll i
Bleep there." And no further words 1
woro needed to tell the little group that
their colonel had been removed from
command just on tho cvo of consummation
of his plans, and ho was the only
man of tho lot who didn't look as
though all heart had been taken out of
him as the immediate result..
"D?n that fellow Thorpol It'sliis
doing," 8woro tho adjutant between his
set teeth. "Ifo lias never forgiven uh
for spoiling his schemo to clean out tho
wholo bund."
"Don't was to timo swearing," said
Fen ton grimly. "I'll tako tho job oil'
your hands. They're heading for Elk
Springs, Wayne, and I've sent Farwell
with two troops around to the left to
find their way to the bluffsnndget there
first. Everything depends on that. "
Hut even Feu ton hardly realized how
>< i#y j 111 iv ii *i* |n hu' ii. ?\ ? t\* m?\> ill 11.1141
7 o'clock, uihI ever since t he curly dawn
tlio cavalry had been pressing steadily
at the heels of tho Indian rear guard,
never firing, never responding to tho
challenge of shot or snout ' n tho
scampering warriors before tl. .. Again
and again had Hat and his half breed
cousin, La Bonto, striven to get Big
Road to halt and parley; but, thegh
tho signals were fully understand, obi
Road was mad with tin* mingled rage
of fight and whisky and believed himself
the leader of an outbreak that
should rival that of 1870 and place him,
as a battle chief, head of an army of
warriors that should overrun the northwest.
Anxious only to get the women
and children safely in among the fast
nesses of tho hills, he contented himself
therefore through the livelong day with
holding tho troops tit long arm's length,
opening lively lire when they sought to
push ahead. It was glorious fun for him
and his. Well they know that so far at
least tho soldiers wero forbidden to attack.
With the coming of another day
Big Road planned to have his village
far in among the clefts and canyons of
the range, where a few resolute warriors
could defend tho pass against an
advance, whilo ho and his braves, reenforced
by eager recruits from the
young men of other hands at tho reservation,
could fall upon tho flanks and
rear of Fen ton's force and fritter it
away, as Red Cloud had massacred Fotterman's
men long years before at old
Fort Kearny.
Everything depended on who should
get thero first, and, as tho Sioux said of
Custer's column tho bloody day on tho
Littlo Horn, "tho soldiers wero tired."
Extending southward from the peaks
of tho Big Horn was a wild range of irregular
heights, covered in places with
a thick growth of hardy young spruce
and cerlnrs and scrub oak. slashed and
severed here and there hy deep and tortuous
canyons with precipitous sides.
Somewhere iti among those hills was a
big amphitheater know'n as the Indian
raco course, approachable in winter at I
least only through tho crooked rift or
pass known for short as Elk gulch. In
just such another natural fastness and
oply a few* miles away to tho northeast
had tho Ohcveunea niado their famous
CONWAY S. C
mtfVNtiavaar tt w?? mi?mi n
. . "UiJisi live Union their weight in
light in;; nu ;i tho l?iiU r winter of 1870,
a l;.r'o tie cavalry long had cause to
remember, and now, wit it but a handful
of troops as compared with the force
led in by MneK< nzir, Wayne had right
before him a similar problem to tackle.
The only points in his favor were that
15ig 1 load's braves were as few as his
own and that l'Vnton had already sent
a force to race the Indians to their rel'uge.
At. 8 o'clock t he darkness was intense.
There was 110 moon to light their way,
and their only guide was tho deep trail
in tho snowy surfuco left by tho retreut*
iljg Indians. The darkness was no deeper
than (he gloom in cve.y heart, for
Fen ton was gone, a wronged and onluuiniated
man, and tliey, his loyal soldiers,
obedient to a higher duty still, were
forced to push on and finish his work
without him. For an hour only at snail's
pace had they followed (ho trail. Bat
and his associates had had many n narrow
escape. Lieutenant Martin, commanding
the advance, had had his horse
shot, uul'T liiui. fcJorgeanfc ltoo had a
bullet through his coat, and Corporal
Worrit k, riding eagerly in the lead, got
anothor through tho shoulder. Luckily
it was not veiy cold, but all tho sanio
most of tho im n were heromihg sluggish
and sh epv, and that was fust ahotit
tho time Wayne might ho expected lo
wake up. And wake up ho did.
"1 have had no orders on no account
to attack, " said he, "and 1 haven't time
to read all tho rot they've wired to Fontou.
Watch for tho next shots nhoad
there," ho cried to tho foremost troop
era, "and nock it; to thorn!"
Then it was beautiful to seo how
oven the horses set mod to rouse from
their stupor and apathy, and something
almost like a ehcer burst from the lips
of the youngor men. Old hands took a
swift of water from their canteens and
a bito at the com fort i lift plug. Out from
the sockets came the bxown earbincs,
and a fresh platoon was ordered up to
ri lieve the advance, and Lieutenant
Randolph took Martin's place at the
front, livery little while through tho
darkness ahead had conn a flash and
report from I ho invisible foe, and, as
these had been sullen d unavengt d, it
was soon observed that the lurking
warriors grew bolder and that with
every shot the distance seemed to decrease.
For half an hour past they had
bo< 11 coming in from easy pistol range,
and Randolph took the cue. Bidding
his moil open out and rido several yards
apart, v< t aligned as much as was possible,
ho ordered carbines dropped jgid
revolvers drawn and then, trotting i. long
the rear of tho dox.cn, gave his quick
caution to man aftt r man. "Watch for
the Hash and let drive at it. Rvthi if we
don't hit, we'll keep t hem at a respectful
distance," he said, and the words were
hardly out of his mouth when a ruddy
light leaped over the snow, a shot wont
zipping past his head, and then, followed
by a roar of approval from tho main
eolinnu. the rcviilvi is <if llu> jirlvution
crackled and sputtered t'heir answer.
The landscape was lit up for an instant,
dark forms went, pounding and scurrying
away from t ho front, and a moment
later there uprose a cheer over at tho
right, and Randolph galloped to tho
spot. An Indian pony lay kicking,
Btniggling, stiffening in tho snow, shot
through the body, and tho rider hail had
to run for it.
"That's right, Randolph," said the
major, spurring to his side. "Now, keep
'em off, but don't push too hard. Remember,
we've got to givo Farwell
time."
"How far ahead is that confounded
canyon, Rat?" asked tho adjutant at,
the moment.
"Not moro than two miles now. I
hunted buffalo all over here when I wnfi
a boy," was the answer. "Rig Road's
peoplo all there by this time, I'm
afraid."
"Then you think that they got there
first?that they've got tho bluffs?"
Irani so. 13i |_c J load no fool. Ho
wouldn't lot liis village drive into a !
gulch and not guard the bluffs. If the i
captain got there first, they'd lmve
found it out by this time and signaled
for help. Tho reason 1 believe they
think they're all sale is that so many
Indians hang around us out hero."
And just then came a grunt of disgust
from I.a Hon to. The colonel at his sido
said "J I?1!" and an excitable trooper
called out, "Look tlu re! What's that?"
for over at the northwest, all 011 a sudden,
a brilliant column of flame had
burst through the blacknossof thenight
and sent a broad glaro streaming over
tho snow clad surfaco of tho rolling
prairie.
"They're on to us, by tho eternal!"
cried the adjutant, who loved tho .Tacksoiiian
form of expletive. "Listen!" j
Hut noone listened more than an instant. ,
Even through the mufiling coverlet of
snow the rumble and rush of a hundred
pony hoofs, like low, distant thunder,
told of tho instant flight of Hig
Load's braves in answer to the signal.
Wayne was ahla/.o in a second.
i/jofio up on t he iioau or column,
ho shouted to tho troop loaders. "Como
on, now, men, for all you'ro worth.
Tlicro isn't a second to spare. "
And as tho amnzt d and wearied
horses gave answer to the spur and
broke into lumbering gallop far over at
the west the rocks began to ring to tho
crackle of musketry. Farwoll and Iho
Sioux had clinched on the bluffs to tho
south of tho sprites and woro fighting
in tho dark for tho right of way.
Ten miles away, at Allison's ranch,
woaried with tho sleepless tf?i 1 of 24
hours, too wopry to ho kopt nwako oven
hy tho exusperuting sense of his wrongs,
tho colonel was just rolling into his
blankets for a much needed rest boforo
netting forth with the rising ami on his
homeward road. Fifty miles away over
tho while oxpanso of prairie, under the
cold and glittering skies, Murjorie Farrar
xat hy tho bedside of her Ik loved
daughter, praying ceaselessly for tho |
safety of an equally beloved son now
THURSDAY, JANL
riding for tho first tinio in his bravo
young life to provo his worthiness to
bear tho father's imino in headlong light
with a savage anil skillful foe.
And if ever a young fellow, weaver
of fho army blue, realized to the full
extent tho hopes and faith and fondness
centered in him this night of nights, it
was Will Fair nr. Barely arrived at
man's estate, not yet a year out of tho
cadet coatee, with his mother, his sister,
his sweetheart, all there at the old
fort so long associated with his father's
inline, with that namo to maintain, and
not only that, but with Malcolm Louie's
old troop as one man looking up to him
as their leader, yet competent, down to
tho very last man, to note the faintest
Haw ahculd ho fail thorn, tho junior
subaltern of tho Twelfth, tho "plobo"
lieutenant, as his eld< rs laughingly
spoko of him, found himself, as though
some special providence had swept, from
his path ev? ry possible barrier to danger
and distinction, lifted suddenly to a
command that seldom falls to army
subalterns today even within a dozen
years and bidd< n hero and now to win
his spurs for tho honor of tho old troop,
tho honor of tho Twelfth, tho honor of
the namo his father mudo famous and
that ho must maintain or die in trying
to. All this, and Cod alono knows how
much more besides, went thrilling
through his very soul as, on Furwcll's
left and in utter silence, lie rode swiftly
onward at tho head of tho column.
Leaving to his own lirst lieutenant the
command of tho grays, Captain Furwoll
had told him to follow eloso in the
tracks of Farrur's men and, with only
one or nu? nuiiuii company to nut uml
no other guido of any kind but his
'senses and the stars, had placed himself
in the load and pushed forth into the
night.
"Swing well out to tho west," were
Font on'a last orders. "Keep dark, as
you know how. Head for the hills as
soon as you're suro you'ro far beyond
hearing and try to strike those blntls a
couple of miles at least back of the
month of tho canyon. You ought to get
tin re ahead of tho village. Halt it with
a few men down in the gorge, but hold
your main body on tho bluffs. We'll
keep llig Koad busy."
Luckily the stars were brilliant in the
wintry sky and tho constellations out
in all their glory. Tho polo star glowed
high aloft and held them to their course.
Out in the advance, lashing his horse
with Indian whip to keep him to his
speed, rode hravo Hear, a corporal of
tho Ogalalla company, side by side
with Sergeant Jireminer. Whcnowi* the
drifts wero deep in tho ravines, ono of
them would halt and warn tho column
to swerve to the right or left. Only a
yard or two behind tho two "office iv* ?
Harwell, grizzled and stout, Farrar, fair
mill kIi ?Ptinin lnnini# nr I v??H Im?
u?
(ho leading four, and, though it was
not his accustomed place, thoro rodo
Terry Jtorko, where, as la* had explained
to the satisfaction of tho sergeant,
ho could ho closo to "Masthor Will."
Tho prairio was broad and open and
fnirl*" lovoL There was no need of diminishing
front. A platoon eould'havo
ridden abreast and found no serious obstacle,
except tho snowdrifts in the deep
coulees. Two miles to tho west they
sped, moving cautiously at lirsl so as to
give no inkling of their intent, and, for
the first time, almost doubling back upon
their tracks, so as to keep well away
from the Indian rear guard.
Then, in long curve, Favwoll led them
toward the low, rolling hills, now dimly
visihlo against the firmament, and
presently the ravines began to grow
deeper but farther apart, the slopes
more abrupt, and the westward hills
loomed closer in their path, and still the
snowy expanse showed unbroken, and
Boar, l>oiidii>K low ovc.r his pony's neck
and watching for signs, declared that no
Indians had crossed as vet into the hills
and that t ho entrance to 101k gulch was
now not more than a mile to tho north.
And hero tho hills rolled higher, hotli
to their front and toward tho west, hut
Furwell rodo on up a gradual ascent until
tho slope began to grow steep, then,
dismounting, let! tho way afoot, the
whole column rolling out of saddle and
towing its horses in his track.
Up, up they climbed until, breathing
hard now, but pushing relentlessly on,
the captain reached tho crest, and faint
and dim in tho starlight, dotted hero
and thc.ro with littlo clumps of spruce !
or cedar, tho rolling, billowy surfoco
lay before, him, shrouded in its mantle
of glistening snow. Leading on until
the whole command had time to reach
tho top, he motioned Will to halt, whilo
he, with Hear and Sergeant Bremmer,
pushed a few yards farther on. T!
column took a breathing spoil una
waited.
Far out to tho eastward and below
them an occasional flash as of rilio or
revolver sparkled through tho night,
and tho faint report was presently borno
to their listening ours, lhg Koad was
still barring tho way of tho column
then, and that meant that all the village;
was not yet safely within tho grim
walls ol tho canyon. Northward tho
snowy slopes rolled higher still, but it
was northwestward, among tho clumps
of trees, that tho loaders had gone. The
steam from tho horses' nostril.: "nd from
their heaving flanks rose on tho h "n
nir, and the blood raced and tingled in
the veins nf the men. Not a whisper of
mountain breeze was astir. Tho night
was as st ill as the voiceless skies. Three,
four minutes, with beating hearts,
tho little command watched and waited
and drew longer breath, and then a dark
shape came jogging back from f frri;\
and Farwell's voico said, "Mount ami
come on."
Then camo 15 minutes' trot, winding
snakelike and in long extended column
of twos among the stunted trees, and
then Far well ordered "Walk;" for moro
than oneo a dark form loomed up in thoir
path, and Brommer wheeled his horse
about and rodo by the captain's side,
eagerly explaining in low tono. Will
caught tho words: "Hight ahead. You
}
IARY 7 ^S?>y
wmi?m >! wm ?m m wlu A-m, a-w
cnu hoar them t isttnetly, str, *' and for
tho lifo of liiin Will could not quite
control the flutter of hU heart. "Halt'
Dismount and wait horo!" were the
next orders, almost whispered, and
again Karwel) pushed out into th<
front, and uguin tli?> eolntnu nwung out
j of saddle, watched ami waited, and
presently the men begun to stamp about
in iho snow and thrash their stiffening
lingers.
"Are wo close to 'em now, Masther
Will?" asked old Terry, unrebuked.
"Ri^ht ahead, they way, corporal.
But this, roiueinher, is only tlio women
and children, with a few of tlio t?Id
men."
"Ah, it's your father's Hon yo are,
sorr?CJod resthis houU If it was daytime,
yo could almost see from hero the
breaks of tlio Mini I'usa, whuro we
Rtruck theso Indians threoyears ago this
cruel winter."
"I know," said Will briefly, "and
if?if it comes to tightin^C hero, ltorke,
remember father's last order. It may bo
hauler than ever to toll buck from
sqituw in so dim a 1 ixht, hut 1 want the I
men to hoed it. "
"They will, sorr, as they would if
the captain himself was at their head,
and, Masther Will, for tlio lovo of liivj
on, wliorover ye havo to go this night
/I/ ?. v I I J i
I'M! i
I J Cj
[lc 8lnt{](jh<l t<> his tret, yroplufj for lit* i
revolver. |
let 1110 lie won of 111iin that go wi<l yo ,
if yo only tiiko wim," and tlioro was a
break in the old fellow's voico as ho begun
his plea.
"liush, ltorke. We'll seo to that,"
said Farrar. "iloro coiiioh tho captain
back." And Harwell eanio with speed.
"Mr. Farrar," ho said, an unniistakablo
tremor in his tone, "there's not a
moment to be lost. They are passing
through tho canyon now. Wo can hear
them plainly, but they havoHankers out
along the bluff. Two bucks rode by not
a moment ago, and Dear says tho whole
outllt is pushing for tho race track. I've
got to head them off farther up the
I gulch. Hear savs wo can uofc down in
single 11 lo by an ol?1 gamo trail there,
and I wish you to dismount right hero,
lino this slope with yonr inon, solid at
least a dozen down into th ? ravino and
stand oil' Big lload and his follows
! wliilo wo corral that whole village and I
start it for home. They can't toll hoy*
low yon are in number, and Fenton will
bo closo at their heels. Between you
they ought to he forced to the north
sido while I'm driving tin village out
to tho south. You understand, do you
not? It's a fight in tho dark, and tlioy'ro
afraid of it, anyhow. You'vo got a
splendid troop, lad, and they won't fail
you. Don't bo ashamed to ask your old
I fiorgt ants for advice. You understand
| fullyV"
"1 do," said Will stoutly, though his
young heart was hammering in his
j-bre.nst. "Wo'll do our best, sir. Form
fours, sergeant, and link?lively," ho
added, then grasped tho captain's hand
ono instant beforo tho latter turned
1?i -1? it - 1 - 1
ouciiuy, quu'Kjy luo men milieu
horses, ami, leaving No. 4 of each
set in Raddle, camo running up to
the front, uiiRlinging carbines on tho
way. Furwoll and his follows went trotting
off among the clumps of pine as
tho last man fell in on the left. Then,
quickly dividing off a dozen troopers
from that flank, Will placed tho first
sergeant in charge and bade him find
tho way down the steep incline to tho
bottom of the gorge, which there was
not more than 250 feet below, giving
hint instructions to he ready to sweep it
with their firo when the warriors came,
as come they specaily muRt. Next, facing
eastward, ho deployed his men,
causing them to stand or kneel in tho
shelter of tho little trees, hut to keep
vigilant lookout. Another little squad
was strung ont down tho faeo of tho
bluff to keep connection with tho men
descending to tho depths of tho canyon,
and these preparations wero barely com ,
pleted when, riding at rapid gait, two
j horsemeneamodashing up tho eastward
slope. Tho panting of tho ponies could
bo heard before anything could bo hcou,
but tho instant tho vague shapes appeared
two sudden shots rang out on tho
night, and then n dozen?-n sputtering
volley?flashed from'tho line.
Down went ono pony, struggling and
rolling in tho snow. Away sped the
other back into tho blaejuicss of tho
night. Then a dark object seemed
disengage itself from tho struggling
pony and go crouching and limping
away. Two or throo excited young soldiers
banged their carbines without thfy
faintest aim. Then ifc seemed as though
tho hillsides woko to a wild revol of
battle, for, bohind them, far up the canyon,
there rose a wail of terror from the
fleeing squaws and shouts of tho fowoid
braves left to guard them, resounding
warwhooj)S of younger Indians somewhere,
anywhere, ovory where, down tho
slopes to tho east. Then a bright coif
unm of flame shot high in air over
among the rocks to the north of tho gate,
and afar out over tho eastward prairie
Ihg itoad and his braves came dashing,
driving, thundering to the rescue,
i "They'll not try the gulch, sorr,"
shouted ltorko in his car. "Ouly a few
|y I N
"i? nn- iir- ti i~ ir pi imn un ? m am n i ?
Highest of all in Leavening Po*
>il>3VLU a
will push in li re. M? t of Vm w ill
Con in this wny and get mound us to our
right."
"Open out, turn I Push outsouthward
thorn as fast as you can!" t houU d Will,
as ho tan bounding through tin1 snow
toward tho i ight of his invisible 1 ilto.
"Waioh ft i tin in! They'll coino with
a rush when tin y eonio at all!"
And Korlci , whoso business it was to
remain with his "eoinrades in battle"
where liist ho was j o.stcd, near tla 1 row
of the strep, went running after his
young ec mtiiatidor as hard as ho could
go, with no man to stop hint.
in tlin excitement and darkness, in
the thrill ol' tho moment, some of the
men seemed disposed to huddle togntln r
rutin r than to increase their intervals,
for plainly now could I n heard a dull
thunder of hoofs?the roar of the coming
storm. Tin ii, too, shadowy s| < c tors
of housemen could ho dimly soon darting
into part ial view and out again, like
tho flash that greeted them. Hut far up ;
tho gorge, behind Farrar's line, tho
sound of buttle grew fi< roer and louder.
Tli ui, down from tho depths of tho can
yon, thorn eaniu fiudden clamor of shot
mid clic* r and challenge and yells of
rage and d< linuco, and tlnn all on a
sudden out from among the stunted
trees, with punting, struggling, hounding
ponies, with lashing, bonding, yelling
braves, thero hurst upon them tlm
main body of tho Indians, throrsooro
warriors at least, and despite the l ing
of shots on and through mid over they
rushed the slim and oxtc nded skirmish
line, and Will Farrnr, springing from
j the shelter of a littlo cedar, was struck
I full in the breast by a inn eular shoul|
iler and knocked backward into the
snow. He struggled to his feet, groping
for his revolver, just in time to meet the
dash of half a dozen racing braves, all
yelling like lb nils. Something crashed
upon his skull and struck a million
sparks or stars, and everything whirled
cut of sight and sound and sense as the
young ollln r went down, face foremost,
into the drifts.
| TO UK < ONTINKKI) N 10XT WKKK.J
INK (11/1) CITY ST 11/1/ IMltTI/IAIt
I lie Meli opolltun I'olloo is a Neoes ,
sily I'alil < 'liai'lestoii is Itcady lor
l lie Change of I ho Dispensary
I jaw'-'
special to the ' olumlnu Kegistcr.
Charleston ih looking forwurd to tin
meeting of the General Assembly u fort
night heneo witli much interest and
"olidtudo. Not that u great deal of
legislation is anticipated by tlio forthcoming
m ssion, but most of the important
general measures undertaken art
expected to all'eet the material and
commercial interests of this city intimutely.
First and* foremost in th<
minds of many, ia the character and
trend of 'egialation with regard to the
dispensary. Tho fundermcntal prinei|>!es
of the dispensary law, of course,
are practically lixed and unalterable
integral portions of our institutions
That is to say, Mr. Tillman, Governor,
United Stales Senator and member ol
the Constitutional Convention, Clinch
cd his views on the subject by concentrating
and segregating them in a
brief clause of tho now constitution,
from which there is no appeal oxeopt
by the two-thirds vote necessory for
changing or amending the constitution.
Wide latitude is left to the
General Assembly for legislating on
the'faubject': it can enact prohibition,
or grant licenses to individuals, or
adopt practically any system which
e< tnmends itself to tho judgment of the
body for tho conduct and control of the
trallie, witli the specified exceptions,
that nothing less than a half pint can
he sold ; that it cannot he sold between
sundown and sunrise, and that it cannot
he drunk on tho premises where
sold.
This leaves the Legislature at 1th
erty to deal with peculiar conditions
us it may find them, such as exist in
the geacoust city of Charleston. There
seems to bo no doubt that the present
system, in spite of the many defects
that attach to novelty, has generally
gained the approval of the people of
t.he State. 11 bus diminished drunkenn<
hs and has been of invaluable benefit,
it is claimed, in the agricultural districts,
and these would, in consequence,
Do loth to part with it. in Charleston,
too, it may be suid, that the destruction
of the social feature of meeting
and drinking in perfect freedom at the
bar, has been of inestiifiable benefit,
'from a moral standpoint, and many of
our best and most disinterested citizens
are free to confess this. It is true
that "blind tigers" exist, in spite of
the metropolitan or any other poiico
system, but they are forced to deal out
tiieir wares by stealth, and this Is
practically death to the business
* among so proud-spirited and open.1
unded a people as Charleston is pro*
vcrbhilly populated with, to whom
Audi a thing as drinking behind doors
r?nd in stealth is intolerable. Hut
"]neither will they patronizj the dispensaries,
for to do ?o compels them to
go into a place more thar apt to be
Crowded, to stand in line with all sorts,
colors and conditions of men and, if
the law is carried out, to write down
their names, ages, and other partieui
hii'4. The conneeuerico of all this is
thut the best and largest class of the
Charleston trade, in so. far as tigures
go, is freely supplied, under Judge
Simon ton's decision, with goods ordered
in bulk from neui-by cities and pur
local merchants of icputo wno used to
oh joy this trade arc forced to stand by
and see the rival cities of other Stales
(iirryofT their most lucrative business,
atid frequently other husitiess with it.
*
.<SH
?? ? ? - .. ..I
NO 20
??
feiv?Latest U.S.Gov't Report
Baking
, rowaer
ELY PURE
All Charleston would bo glad, therefore,
if political animosities could be
subordinated for a sulllcient h ngth of
time, to welcome a modification of the
dispensary law with regard to her
which would license hor merchants to
conduct legitimately the traffic, subject
to the constitutional restrictions,
which outsiders are. now enjoying without
yielding any revenue to the Stato.
This Is the boon which our present
commercial noeds call for more than
anything else, ami which will do more
to reconcile our people to the changed
condition of affairs than any one thing
else.
it is true that the local pr< ssund the
dominant politicians clamor for the
removal of the metropolitan police as
the oro* tiling needful. Hut this would
piovea boomerang to the city, as our
polities have so long done, if eonsummated
heforo any preparation were
made for it. It would ho in effect putting
the cart heforo the horso. Nobody
hut realizes that our "blind tiger"
state of t xUtonee must come to an end.
Nobody wishes it more than many of
the dealers who have been forced into
it for self-preservation. Nobody wishes
it more than the class of reputable
dealers who formerly paid their licenses
and carried on the business
legitimately, but who are forced now
to stand by and see others do business
without license and contrary lo law.
Hut to remove the machinery before
the law is chnngt d would simply be to
olungo the city into a carnival of license
from which there would be no
scape short of more drastic measures
than ever However, our politicians,
in their usual shortsightedness, in so
far as the public interest and welfare
are concerned, have put this political
revenge before everything else, and it
rests with Governor Kllerbe and the
Legislature to make such disposition
of tile question as in their judgment
they may see lit.
Charleston lias a strong delegation,
legally speaking, in tho General Asscinby,
and while they wfll scarcely
initiate any legislation in regard to
tiie liquor traffic they ean he depended
onto give intelligent support to any
measure which irnv nrnmlan in
-J I lwi "
tho Interests In this city.
You Can He Well
When your blood Is pure, rich and
nourishing' for nerves and muscles.
Flic blood is the vitul iluid, und when it
is poor, thin and impure you must
either siitTor from some distressing disease
or you will easily fall a victim to
uddeu cluinpes exposure, or overwork.
Keep your blood pure with Hood's Sarsuparilla
and ho well.
Hood's I'ills aro tho best after?dinner
pill: assist digestion, euro headache.
2i>cts.
? An abused wifo in Maystiek, Ky.,
lately secured a divorce from her bushand
on tho ground, as statod in tho
decrco, that ho ' did not provide her
witli enough provender to keep hor
organic system from faltering."
When you flad a person who has triod
Simmons Liver Regulator you are sure
to hour ihein say something in its favor.
M rrt. (?. T. .1 uly, Blue Grass, 111., recently
wrote: "I cannot do without Simmon*
Liver Regulator sinoe I know the
valne of it as a fum|ly mcdiolue."
And Dr. VV. i'. Gibbs, of Beaufort, S.
(J , says. "I prescribe Simmons Liver
Regulator and know it to bo a ti rut
class liver medicine.
?A New York religious journul
intimates that [some I persons contribute
to missions according to their
meanness rather than uc<5ord ing to tlioir
means.
It Haves the Crimpy Cliiltlreii.
SEAVIKW, Va. ? We have a splondid
sale on Chamberlain's Cough Remedy,
and our customers coming from far and
near, speak of it in the highest terms.
Many have said that their children
would have died of croup if Chamberlain's
Cough Remedy had not been
givon.T~KKhl.AM it GUKUEN. The 26
ami 60 cent sizes for sale by Dr. 10. Norton,
Druggist.
SPRING MEDICINE
s SIM MONS I IVER REGULATOR. Don't
for.' t t<> take it. Now is the time yott
leed it most to wake up your Liver. A
sltr/o^li Liver brings on %\alarla, Fever
iiul A ue, khcui and many ottoer
s wiui h shatter the constitution Itt)
- vk alth Don't forget the
k.'.M rOR. It is SIMMONS LlYlJR
kf < .11 A TOR you want. I he word RBlfi*
>1 M'OU distinguishes it from all otfeGr
e J s. And. besides this, SIMMONS
iVf.lv* Rl (il LATOR is a Regulator of tie
. veer > it pr- perlv at work, that voxr
>ys" ni rii.iv I kept in good condition.
I OR Mil: BLOOD t*k? SlMMONf
I IV: W RHciULATOR. It is th? best blood
i corrector. Try it and nott J
; 1 Mice. Look for the RHD Z j
You wont find It *n I
l inedlcTnt, and there ii no oilier m
rnedy like SIMMONS LIV1H fl
die kinfcof Liver Remedies. 8
J it Collin At Co., riiiladvlphio, Pit *m