South Pottawatomie Progress. (Asher, Okla.), Vol. 2, No. 46, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 6, 1913 Page: 2 of 8
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MOLLYMCpONALD
By
Borderr My Lady °f
Doubt” My Lady ««»
South'.’ efc. r/<?,., ,
CHAPTER I.
An Unpleasant Situation.
When, late In May, 1868, Major
Daniel McDonald, Sixth Infantry, was
first assigned to command the new
three company post established south-
west of Fort Dodge, designed to pro-
tect the newly discovered Cimarron
trail leading to Santa Fe across the
desert, and, purely by courtesy, of-
ficially termed Fort Devere, he nat-
urally considered it perfectly safe to
Invite his only daughter to join him
there for her summer vacation. In-
deed, at that time, there was ap
parently no valid reason why he
should deny himBelf this pleasure.
Except for certain vague rumors re-
garding uneasiness among the Sioux
warriors north of the Platte, the vari-
ous tribes of the plains were causing
no unusual trouble to military authori-
ties, although, of course, there was
no time in the history of that country
utterly devoid of peril from young
raiders, usually aided and abetted by
outcast whites. However, the Santa
Fe route, by this date, had become a
well-traveled trail, protected by scat-
tered posts along its entire route, fre-
quently patrolled by troops, and mere-
ly considered dangerous for small par-
ties, south of the Cimarron, where rov-
ing Comanches in bad humor might
he encountered.
Fully assured as to this by officers
met at Fort Ripley, McDonald, who
had never before served west of the
Mississippi, wrote his daughter a long
letter, describing in careful detail the
route, set an exact date for her de-
parture, and then, satisfied all was
well arranged, set forth with his
small command on the long march
overland He had not seen his daugh-
ter for over two years, as during her
vacation time (she was attending
Sunnycrest school, on the Hudson),
she made her home with an aunt in
Connecticut. This year the aunt was
In Europe, not expecting to return un-
til fall, and the father had hopefully
counted on having the girl with him
once again in Kentucky. Then came
his sudden, unexpected transfer west,
and the final decision to have her join
him there. Why not? If she remain-
ed the same high-spirited army girl,
sho would thoroughly enjoy the un-
usual experience of a few months of
real frontier life, and the only hard-
ship involved would be the long stage
ride from Ripley. This, however, was
altogether prairie travel, monotonous
enough surely, but without special
danger, and he could doubtless ar-
range to meet her himself at Kansas
City, or send one of his officers for
that purpose.
This was the situation In May, but
by the middle of June conditions had
greatly changed throughout all the
broad plains country. The spirit of
savage war had spread rapidly from
the Platte to the Rio Pecos, and
scarcely a wild tribe remained disaf-
fected. Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Pawnee.
Comanche, and Apache alike espoused
the cause of the Sioux, and their
young warriors, breaking away from
the control of older chiefs, became
ugly and warlike. Devere, isolated as
It was from the main route of travel
(the Santa Fe stages still following
the more northern trail), heard mere-
ly rumors of the prevailing condition
through tarrying hunters, and possi-
bly an occasional army courier, yet
soon realized the gravity of the situ-
ation because of the almost total
cessation of travel by way of the
Cimarron and the growing Insolence
of the surrounding Comanches. De-
tails from the small garrison were,
under urgent orders from headquar-
ters at Fort Wallace, kept constantly
scouting as far south as the fork of
the Red river, and then west to the
mountains. Squads from the single
cavalry company guarded the few
caravans venturing still to cross the
Cimarron desert, or bore dispatches
to Fort Dodge. Thus the few soldiers
remaining on duty at the home sta-
tion became slowly aware that this
outburst of savagery was no longer a
mere tribal affair. Outrages were re-
ported from the Solomon, the Repub-
lican, the Arkansas valleys. A settle-
ment was raided on Smoky Fork;
stages were attacked near the Caches,
and one burned; a wagon train was
ambushed in tho Raton pass, and only
escaped after desperate fighting Al-
together the situation appeared ex-
tremely serious and summer promised
war in earnest.
McDonald was rather slow to ap-
preciate the real facts. His knowl-
edge of Indian tactics was exceediug-
COPymOHT T9!5> BY A-C.H'CLURO & QQt
ly small, and the utter isolation of his
post kept him Ignorant. At first he
was convinced that it was merely a
local disturbance and would end as
suddenly as begun. Then, when
realization finally came. It was al-
ready too late to stop the girl. She
would be already on her long Journey.
What could he do? What immediate
steps could he hope to take for her
protection? Ordinarily he would not
have hesitated, but now a decision
was not so easily made. Of l#s com-
mand scarcely thirty men remained
at Devere, a mere Infantry guard, to-
gether with a small squad cf cavalry-
men, retained for courier service. His
only remaining commissioned officer
at the post was the partially disabled
cavalry captain, acting temporarily as
adjutant, because Incapacitated for
taking the field. He had waited until
the last possible moment, trusting
that a shift in conditions might bring
back some available office* Now he
had to choose between his duty as
commander and as father. Further
delay was impossible.
Devere was a fort merely by cour-
tesy. In reality it consisted only of
a small stockade hastily built of cot-
tonwood timber, surrounding in partial
protection a half dozen shacks, and
one fairly decent log house. The
situation was upon a slight elevation
overlooking the ford, some low bluffs,
bare of timber but green with June
grass to the northward, while in ev-
ery other direction extended an in-
terminable sand-desert, ever shifting
beneath wind blasts, presenting as
desolate a scene as eye could witness.
The yellow flood of the river, still
swollen by melting mountain snow,
was a hundred feet from the stockade
gate, and on its bank stood the log
cavalry stables. Below, a scant half
mile away, were the only trees visible,
a scraggly grbve of cottonwoods
while down the face of the bluff and
across the flat ran the slender rib-
bon of trail. Monotonous, unchang-
ing, it was a desolate picture to watch
day after day in the hot summer.
In the gloom following an early
supper the two officers sat together
in the single room of the cabin, a
candle sputtering on the table behind
them, smoking silently or moodily dis-
cussing the situation. McDonald was
florid and heavily built, his gray mus-
tache hanging heavily over a firm
mouth, while the Captain was of an-
other type, tall, with dark eyes and
hair. The latter by chance opened
the important topic.
‘By the way, major,” he said care-
lessly, “I guess it is Just as well you
stopped your daughter from coming
out to this hole. Lord, but It would
be an awful place for a woman.”
"But I didn’t,” returned the other
moodily. "I put It oft too long.”
“Put it off! Good heavens* man.
“Damme, I Haven’t Thought of Any-
thing Else for a Week.”
didn't you write when you spoke about
doing so? Do you actually mean the
girl is coming—here?”
McDonald groaned.
"That Is exactly what I mean,
Travers. Damme, I haven’t thought
of anything else for a week. Oh, I
know now I was an old fool even to
conceive of such a trip, but when I
wrote her I had no conception of
what it was going to be like out here.
There was not a rumor of Indian
trouble a month ngo, nnd when the
tribes did break out it was too late
for me to get word back east. The
fact is, I am In the devil of a fix—
without even an officer whom I can
send to meet her, or turn her back.
If I should go myself it would mean
a court-martial.”
Travers stared into the darkness
through the open door, sucking at his
Pipe. „
“By George, you are in a pickle,
he acknowledged slowly. “I supposed
she had been headed off long ago.
Haven’t heard you mention the mat-
ter since we first got here. Where
do you suppose the laBS is by now?”
"Near as I can tell she would leave
Ripley the 18th.”
“Humph! Then starting tonight, a
good rider might Intercept her at
Fort Dodge. She would be in no dan-
ger traveling alone, for that distance.
The regular stages are running yet,
I suppose?”
’Yes; so far as I know.”
'Under guard?”
‘Only from the Caches to Fort
Union; there has been no trouble
along the lower Arkansas yet. The
troops from Dodge are scouting the
country north, and we are suDposed
to keep things clear of hostlles down
this way.”
Supposed to—yes; but we can’t
patrol five hundred miles of desert
with a hundred men, most of them
dough-boys. The devils can break
through any time they get ready—
you know that. At this minute there
isn’t a mile of safe country between
Dodge and Union. If she was my
daughter—”
“You’d do what?” broke in McDon-
ald, Jumping to his feet. “I’d give my
life to know what to do!”
Why, I’d sent somebody to meet
her—to turn her back If that was pos-
sible. Peyton would look after her
there at Ripley until you could ar-
range.”
“That’s easy enough to say, Travers,
but tell me who Is there to send? Do
you chance to know an enlisted man
out yonder who would do—whom you
would trust to take care of a young
girl alone?”
The captain bent his head on one
hand, silent for some minutes.
“They are a tough lot, major; that's
a fact, when you stop to call the roll.
Those recruits we got at Leavenworth
were mostly rough-necks—seven of
them in the guard-house tonight. Our
best men are all out,” with a wave
of his hand to the south. “It’s only
the riff raff we’ve got left, at De-
vere.”
“You can’t go?”
The captain rubbed his lame leg
regretfully.
"No; I’d risk It If I could only ride,
but I couldn’t sit a saddle."
“And my duty Is here; it would cost
me my commission.”
There was a long thoughtful silence,
both men moodily staring out
through the door. Away in the dark-
ness unseen sentinels called the hour.
Then Travers dropped one hand on
the other’s knee.
“Dan,” he said swiftly, “how about
that fellow who came in with dispatch-
es from Union just before dark? He
looked like a real man.”
“I didn’t see him. I was down river
with the wood-cutters all day.”
Travers got up and paced the floor.
“I remember now. What do you
eay? Let’s have him in, anyhow. They
never would have trusted him for that
ride if he hadn’t been the right sort.”
He strode over to the door, without
waiting an answer. “Here, Carter,”
he caUed, “do you know where that
cavalryman is who rode in from Fort
Union this afternoon?”
A face appeared in the glow of
light, and a gloved hand rose to sa-
lute.
“He’s asleep in ‘B’s’ shack, sir,”
the orderly replied. “Said he'd been
on the trail two nights and a day.”
“Reckon he had, and some riding at
that. Rout him out, will you? Tell him
the major wants to see him here at
once.”
The man wheeled as if on a pivot,
and disappeared.
“If Carter could only ride,” began
McDonald, but Travers interrupted
impatiently.
“If! But we all know he can't.
Worst I ever saw, must have original-
ly been a sailor.” He slowly refilled
his pipe. “Now, see here, Dan, it’s
your daughter that’s to be looked af-
ter, and therefore I want you to size
this man up for yourself. I don’t pre-
tend to know anything about him, only
he looks like a soldier, and they must
think well of him at Union."
McDonald nodded, but without en-
thusiasm; then dropped his head into
his hands. In the silence a coyote
howled mournfully not far away; then
a shadow appeared on the log step,
the light of the candle flashing on a
row of buttons.
“This is the man, sir," said the or-
derly, and stood aside to permit the
other to enter.
chest, dressed In rough service uni-
form, without Jacket, just as he had
rolled out of the saddle, rough shirt
open at the throat, patched, discolored
trousers, with broad yellow stripes
down the seam, stuck into service rid-
ing boots, a revolver dangling at his
left hip, and a soft hat, faded sadly,
crushed in one hand.
The major saw all this, yet it was
at the man’s uncovered face he gazed
most intently. He looked upon a
countenance browned by sun and al-
kali, intelligent, sober, heavily brow-
ed, with eyeB of dark gray rather
deeply set; firm lips, a chin somewhat
prominent, and a broad forehead, th*
light colored hair above closely
trimmed; the cheeks were darkened
by two days’ growth of beard. Mc-
Donald unclosed, then clenched his
hand.
“You are from Fort Union, Captain
Travers tells me?”
"Yes, sir," the reply slow, deliber-
ate, as though the speaker had no de-
sire to waste words. “I brought
despatches; they were delivered to
Captain Travers.”
Yes, I know; but I may require
you for other service. What were
your orders?”
"To return at convenience.”
“Good. I know Hawley, and do not
think he would object. What is your
regiment?”
"Seventh cavalry.”
“Oh, yes, Just organized; before
that?”’
"The Third.”
“I see you are a non-com—cor-
poral?”
“Sergeant, sir, since my transfer.”
“Second enlistment?”
“No, first In the regulars—the
BACKACHE IS
DISCOURAGING
Backache
a, "'OIF makes life a
, n burden. Head-
er "I!*1 aches, dizzy
spells and dis-
tressing uri-
nary disorders
are a constant
trial. T ake
warning! Sus-
pect kidney
trouble. Look
about for a
good kidney
remedy.
Learn from
d, , one who has
feX" found relief
from the same suffering.
Get Doan’s Kidney Pills—the
same that Mr. Lee had.
A Texas Case
J. H. Lee. 412 W. Walnut St., Cleburne, Tel.,
“For four year* I endured misery from grav.
Morphine was my only relief. I had terrible pal
hack and It was hard
In my hack and it was hard for me to pass the kid
ney secretions. Doan’s Kidney Plllscuredmequlgk
ly, and 1 have been well ever since.”
Got Doan’s at Any Store. 50c a Box
DOAN’S WiTsV
FOSTER-MILBURN CO., BUFFALO. N. Y.
WHY THE MEAL WAS HALTED
Nothing Seriously Wrong, but Old Gen-
tleman Had Some Trouble With
the Elusive Onion.
An aged country couple, on the ur-
gent invitation of a grandson who
lived in the city, were on for a visit.
The grandson’s wife was very anxious
that the first meal should be one
which the aged couple would enjoy
after their long ride in the train, and
accordingly the table groaned under
its burden of good things to eat.
In the course of the repast she no-
ticed several ti*es that the old man
seemed to be making little progress
with the meal.
“What is the matter, grandfather?"
she asked, “don’t you like my dinner?”
“No, no, granddaughter,” mumbled
the old man,-“it isn’t that. Only I’ve
a pickled onion in my mouth, and 1
hain’t got but one tooth left, so it’s
harder’n Sam Hill to catch it, it’s bo
lively. Just rest easy a spell till 1 git
a holt on It and I’ll be all right!”
He Was a Straight Limbed Fellow.
Not a Complaint.
“Miss Brown,” said the art inspec-
tor, pausing before a student's easel,
“you might with all propriety worship
that drawing of yours.”
The poorest pupil in the class look-
ed up, surprised and pleased.
“I’m so glad you like It, sir. But
why—why-”
“The Bible expressly commands us
not to worship the likeness of any-
thing in the heavens above or in the
earth beneath, does it not?”
Seventh was picked from other com-
mands.”
“I understand. You say first in the
regulars. Does that mean you Baw
volunteer service?”
“Three years, sir.”
“Ah!” his eyes brightening instant-
ly. “Then how does it happen you
failed to try for a commission after
the war? You appear to be Intelli-
gent, educated?”
The sergeant smiled.
“Unfortunately my previous serv-
ice had been performed in the wrong
uniform, sir,” he said quietly. “I was
in a Texas regiment.”
There was a moment’s silence, dur-
lng which Travers smoked, and the
major seemed to hesitate. Finally
the latter asked:
“What is your name, sergeant?"
“Hamlin, sir.”
The pipe came out of Travers’
mouth, and he half arose to his feet.
'By all the gods!” he exclaimed.
“That’s it! Now I’ve got you placed
—you’re—you're ‘Brick’ Hamlin!”
The man unconsciously put one hand
to his hair, his eyes laughing.
“Some of the boys call me that—
yes,” he confessed apologetically.
Travers was on his feet now, ges-
ticulating with his pipe.
“Damn! I knew I’d seen your face
somewhere. It was two years ago at
Washita. Say, Dan, this is the right
man for you; better than any fledgling
West Pointer. Why, he is the same
lad who brought in Dugan—you heard
about that!”
The major shook his head.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Accounted For.
'Why is it so few women look well
in a steamer cap?”
“I guess because it is a handy cap.”
In order to be a social favorite a
man may be a cheerful liar.
CHAPTER II.
"Brick” Hamlin.
The two officers looked up with
some eagerness, McDonald straighten-
ing In his chair, and returning the
cavalryman’s salute Instinctively, his
eyes expressing surprise. He was a
straight-limbed fellow, slenderly built,
and appearing taller than he really
was by reason of his erect, soldierly
carriage; thin of waist, broad of
Looking for Owner of Fingers.
A farmer near Kansas City, Mo.,
is looking for the owner of a couple
of fingers he has in his possession.
He went to market with a load of
potatoes and started to sleep in his
wagon during the night before market
opened. He was disturbed by the
moving of the canvas over the load
and, waking, saw a hand slip beneath
the canvas and abstract a couple of
the tubers. The operation was re-
peated so many times that he could
foresee nothing but the disappearance
of the entire load unless he took sum-
mary action. Raising a sharp hatchet
he had with him, the farmer smote
the hand the next time it appeared
and the next morning found two
guilty fingers in the wagon. The re-
mainder of his potatoes were not
molested.
COFFEE THRESHED HER.
15 Long Years.
“For over fifteen years,” writes a
patient, hopeful little Ills, woman,
while a coffee drinker, I suffered from
Spfnal Irritation and Nervous trouble.
I was treated by good physicians, but
did not get much relief.
“I never suspected that coffee might
be aggravating by condition. (Tea is
just as injurious, because it contains
caffeine, the same drug found in cof-
fee.) I was down-hearted and dis-
couraged, but prayed daily that I
might find something to help me.
“Several years ago, while at a
friend’s house I drank a cup of Post-
urn and though I had never tasted
anything more delicious.
“From that time on I used Postum
instead of coffee and soon began to
improve In health, so that now I can
wait half a dozen blocks or more with
ease, and do many other things that I
never thought 1 would be able to do
again in this world.
“My appetite is good, I sleep well
and find life is worth living. A lady
of my acquaintance e^id she did not
like Postum, it was so weak and taste-
less.
“I explained to her the difference
when it is made right—boiled accord-
ing to directions. She was glad to
know this because coffee did not agree
with her. Now her folks say they
expect to use Postum the rest of their
lives.’’ Name given upon request.
Read the little book, “The Road to
Wellville,” in pkgs. “There's a Rea-
son.”
“Postum now comes in concentrated,
powder form, called Instant Postum.
It Is prepared by stirring a level tea-
spoonful in a cup of hot water, adding
sugar to taste, and enough cream to
bring the color to golden brown.
Instant Postum is convenient;
there's no waste; and the flavour is al-
ways uniform. Sold by grocers—45 to
50-cup tin 30 cts., 90 to 100-cup tin
50 cts.
A 5-cup trial tin mailed for grocer’s
name and 2-cent stamp for postage.
Postum Cereal Co., Ltd., Battle Creek,
Mich.—Adv.
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Putnam, Henrietta. R. South Pottawatomie Progress. (Asher, Okla.), Vol. 2, No. 46, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 6, 1913, newspaper, February 6, 1913; Asher, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc858929/m1/2/: accessed April 24, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.