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About Lincoln County leader. (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 31, 1896)
rail BfeflBSfeZ OOOCOOOOOOOOOC30COOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOi3 RAPPED BY APACHES. oooooooooocoooa 3000OOOO0OOO0CO00OCC0OCGO0O000O0OOCCXK) HIS closely-cropped beard liml mustache were whitened by the snows or many winters, lint Ills eyes with still bright Willi tlie lire of manly vigor n ml liis frame :is upright iiml supple apparently as when lie left West I'olnt to take his llrst gazette. Long years hail ehipseil since that time, wlreu a raw subaltern, pos sessed as they all lire, with the belief i hut his presence was neeileil to Im prove the morals nnd tllsclpline of the service, he tail taken the train for the Southwest, where his regiment was dis trllinteil among the various frontier posts whieh at that time dotted the Hinul-eovereil plains of the territories. Many a brisk light Willi hostile Indians mid several pitelied battles witli them had seen him at t ho head of his platoon or troop, but all that was over as he stood before the lire-plaee and calmly smoked his after-dinner cigar. Stiil full of martial ardor, he-was on the shelf, rather Time having registered the statutory number of years against him only a short time ago. He Is on the retired list. His bronzed fare is seamed with sears. They cross the wide forehead, made wider by the scant foliage which time has left, and mark that feature with furrows which add greatly to the stern and forbid ding aspect. Vet. lie Is as gentle as woman anil noted for his kindly cour tesy to the young. .Major Malachl V. Cornwall, r. S. A. (retired). Is a fair type of (lie ancient warrior, full of years and reminiscences. All that is left to Indicate his culling Is the Loyal Legion button in the lapel of his coat and the unmistakable air which the military man cannot divest hims.lf of. "Major," said a young friend, for the old warrior much affects the s.xi.-ry of his juniors, "pardon my i-uri!ry. or ml her let It be my excuse f.,r seeming impertinence, but I hart-often wonder ed In what desperate conflict ynu re ceived Hint scar on your forehead." "That, me boy." was the reply, as the mnjor passed ids hand over the indi cated spot, "as you say, is the record of a fearful light. No offense, not at all. I am always delighted to talk for Illy young friends, but, someway. I never felt proud enough of that tight to tell it aroiMid the mess table. Cad. sir. as nearly as 1 can recall. I Mulshed a bad second that time. Still, it was a beaut it'ul tight, if 1 do say it myself." "It was. Indeed." murmured Colonel Ilerrh k. also retired, who was a mem ber of i lu party at the club that night. "Tell us about it. major," was the eager demand of the group, which now numbered half a score. The old sol dier's yarns were always interesting, anil the boys, as lie called them, never missed an opportunity to get him to talking of his youth when in the ser vice. "Hang It all, I didn't figure in that nlTalr to any great extent," was the testy retort, as the major shook his grizzled head. "Yon tell It. Merrick." "Not lunch," growled the colonel, lighting a fresh cigar. "It's your yarn, and if It Is ever told, which 1 don't 1 e- you know that if It had not been for you I would not be here to-dayV" "Tills is growing interesting," said the tirst speaker. "Hoys, the major's story. Silence for the major's story." "Well, I suppose I must," growled the major. "Here. George, till up all 'round," and the major settled himself comfortably and smoked in silence un til the grog hail been served and dis posed of. Then he look his cigar in his lingers, leaned far hack In his disb and with half closed eyes commenced as follows: "You see Merrick and I were at Hie I'oint together, lie was a first class man when I was a 'pleli.' " "Never mind me, .Malachl," said the colonel. "I have nothing to do with it, there was trouble with roving bands of Apaches all the time, and the old post, abandoned now, was heavily garrison ed all the time. This order took our major with the four troops away from Hnyard into the region of the heavy forests and hills south of the Grand Caiiyon of Colorado. Well, from that time on it was Held duty nearly all I he time. I was sent out to scout and f py on the Indians, and but for my ser geant, a veteran Indian fighter, might have been left there to bleach my boneii as a second lieutenant. One of my fool tricks you see, I thought I knew it all and disputed the wisdom of n sugges tion of my sergeant's while away on the plains and got myself nnd lit'le command in a devil of a tlx. It makes me tired now when I think of It. "This is where Merrick gets Into the game once more. I was out on this scouting trip and kept on going, when It would have been better to turn back. I thought It would be great fun to round up all the redskins In Arizona with half a troop. That's where I missed my guess. I was years wiser when it was all over. We trailed th? band I was sent out to scout for two or three days and saw them safely in the lava rocks. It was my business to lo cate them where they had reason to be lieve we could not follow and then re tire until I fell back on Seniors, "otn miiuding It troop. Cordon's and my own, K troop, or rather the balance of mine. I knew these fellows were on my trail somewhere, though where the Lord only knew, so I decided to push on anil have it out with the reds. You see. I wanted stars and other trap pings before I knew the value of an empty strap. "1 think the Lord loves tt fool. That's the only hypothesis to go on In this case anyway. Well, we marched ahead, In spite of Mclntire's protests he was my sergeant until what lie feared ac tually happened. We went into camp one night and saw the wateh tires of the red devils all around us. Wo were "WE LODE AT TlllttE INDIANS WITH THE YELL OF DEVILS." or. rather, our experiences at the I'oint have not." ".May be not. Who's telling this story. Well, then. I did save you from getting skinned" once." In spite of the col onel's winks and waves of his hands as he deprecated the remarks of his oi l comrade. "No use denying it. I did. Well, wh'le we were not of the same class, we be came great friends and when llerrict left for the regiment lie made me prom ise to work for the same corps. Of course 1 had little to do with where I should go. but it fell out that when I was commissioned I g,,t orders lo :v. port to the commanding oliicer at I'oit r.ayard, in New Mexico. I t'.iought this pretty tough, but It was nothing compared to what followed not so darned long after. Well. I left the I'oint the biggest idiot of all the joung fools who leave Impressed with the be lief that a Held marshal's baton is tlu least that he could expect in the ser vice. I joined my people, ami as luck would have it found that I was one of the regiment to which Merrick had been assigned. This made it easier for me. as he introduird me to the regiment and everything was lovely. We were bachelors and were quartered near each other, although he got Ids grade since I saw him and now wore a bar In his shoulder strap. "It would have been all right If it "EACH TICKED OUT Ills MAM AND LET DUIVK." Ileve will be the case, you will reel it off. I had but little to do with it, any way." "The devil you didu't!" snld the ina Jor. "Coufouud your obstinacy, dou't had ended there, but It didn't. No"t long after I joined, our squadron -we were In the cavalry was ordered to riagstaff, A. T ns dismal a place at that time ns ever luiupe i. You tee trapped, instead of trapping the other fellows. Then I had sense enougn left to listen to reason and on the sugges tion of Mao I sent a Pueblo out to nnd a good place to make n stand. It was all oh if this could not be done. I had twenty rounds and lifteen men to go against -IllO or .VlO reds. Yah. It makes nie feel chilly to think of It. Weil, that Indian found a spot where my little force could lie hidden and if attacked could keep under cover, while making every bullet count. So we silently struck camp and stole away lika a hit of thieves, hunting for safety. "Hid we make that hole? Not with out a scrap. We had only about :(,() yards to go, but we bad scarcely puie half the distance when ping! ami my cup Hew Into the air. I stooped t.i get lt-we were disniounted-and another xliot snug out where my head wo-ild have been If I had been erect. We formed in square and the men speedilv got ready for the charge which seemed inevitable, but it did not come. Those Indians Just kept up an loving lire until they saw where we were gone to. ami then they cut loose with a vollev which nearly swept me olT n,v r,.t 'In with you. sir,' screamed the ser Bennt. as he gave me a shove and soon afterward followed with the bovs. some of whom showed signs of being nit I found myself h, a natural strongho'i covered on all sides from plunging tire, closed In so that the eiiemv could only approach by one narrow wav and safe as long as my ammunition held out. Water there was none, and Ihe sergeant was the first to deplore this. "Well. I placed my little force ns well ns possible, told them not to waste ) shot and then sat down to wait .or l".v Icht and the conUicl which mv -xilhardlness had brought on. It came '"for. We had Just got m readings when the sergeant held up a warning finger nml crept out to the mourn of 0..t fortress. He kept his body -nreruiv s'tveued. and waved for me. I worn to him ami found the reds massh, for charge. The old trooper s.ild -his wis the best possible Indication hat hey knew exactly how many men I ' . I ordered up n few of the bovs. mill then we waited until the dt.skv tonus got out Into the moonlight 1 saw t was tight, and made up my mind' to 'cave my murks. As the leading Hies rose over the hills until they were fullv revealed I ordered the men to tiro 'Kneli picked out his man nnd let f ul. as the men were picked shots, and they wasted no lead that night. Thy ! fired regularly ami steadily half a doa ' en shots each, and the attacking party ' melted away. They replied, but we were ! so well covered that we suffered no i loss. Thus the night wore away with desultory Urlng on the part of (he In dians nnd the sharp replies by my ;,-ood fellows whenever an Apache was indis : erect enough to get in. range. Then a 1 new danger arose which nearly cost us all our lives. ! "As the tiring continued the smoke of the carbines was driven baen into our den. This was a good thing for the men at t lie doorway, for It cleared their ! vision for another shot, but It nearly choked the other men to deilh. It tilled the little chamber after a while, and I saw that unless some means i were devised to get it out, the dread of all would be realized, we would have to nbandon the only position which held out any hope of rescue. Still we could not stop, ns that meant dent'i for all in its most horrible form. Well, to make a long story short, we were coop cd up in that hole for the better por tion of two days. Three of the men were dead, Melntlre had n shattered bridle arm, and the scouts were lying In front of our position, mute evidences of the fate which awaited us as soon as our cartridges failed. "Finally I concluded that, with no water and the men nbnost Insane from thirst, it was till over. I decided to make a dash and go down fighting in the open. I asked the men to follow nie and they all shouted their approval. AVe masked our intended movement as well as possible nnd rushed out to the plains with a yell of deliance. A rat tling volley fell nround us, but fortu nately the surprise of our dash prevent ed tlie Indians from taking accurate aim and a few unimportant Ilesh wounds were all that were received. I was drunk with despair nnd so were the men. It was certain death we all believed, nnd we rode at those Indians with the yells of devils. "I shall never forget the shock of our contact. We rode down the first lines, but were too weak to force our way through their entire column. The car bines were emptied at half pistol dis tance as we charged, and the heavy re volvers made sweet music as we ad vanced at a furious gallop. Then there was the shock of the meeting and we knew that we were making our last stand. The bright steel circled around the heads of that baud of desperate men and tlie enemy toppled and fell in windrows about each horse. The men shouted, yelled and laughed as they fought on with the fury of demons. They were going down too rapidly, however, for that unequal contest to last long. I was blind from a slash across the forehead and cut nway with all the strength of my arm, scarcely knowing what I was doing. I seemed to be in some horrible dream, where blood was water and I was trying to swim out. The waves rose higher and higher and I was being rapidly engulfed In that red flood. "Suddenly I felt a sharp pain ns If a redhot Iron had been drawn across my forehead, there was a wild shriek.' ;1k; rapid thud of horses' feet, nnd I fell to the ground In a faint. I was told later that I was down and an Indian had commenced the process of scalping nie, when the troops rode down into that struggling bunch and Merrick's saber swept off the head of my assailant. "I don't know much about the suc ceeding events. When I came to I was stretched out on tlie floor of our ambu lance, my head splitting and bound in bandages. Near me, witli his armjn a sling, was Melntlre. As we were driven along Somers poked his head into the wagon and complimented me on my stand and the skill shown In choosing the position from .which I had worn out the reds. I was too sick then to say anything, but when they talked of rec ommending me for a Congressional medal for my first fight I rebelled nnd told tlie regiment how I had made n 1 d fool of myself. Melntlre wears the medal, and I have this scar as a memento of my flint setto with old Chi. huahua."-Chlengo Chronicle. a Traveler nen the price f ci;m. Mow we all m -lit s,.r ,, ', Cin,ldwe(a,,yll,;;;Z; wi;;,:z:hufu"r Wiley "Tell n. Joke." l,ri,e;:V"; J 'The ignorance that is blS8l,tll ..u,cu oi tne man who tlilm ' knows it nil i...i, 0 MlV Dnolev "CM... i ..V...U. .nr. wtlrlev "A , ebV" 'No,nscorche,-.",5,fA: The Lndy-If you do not move shall whistle for the dg. The v r.ot no. ..ll .. " - J"e ..... msnPi mm Man.inn-"Mrs. Hrown says H J boy looks very much like nw n ' "Then ours mast he l.ettei-iookBg.-J "Harry, do you love your little balr! hrotherr "What's th, , "! u'tknowitlfldiiir-NewYorkE ing Journal. "By the way. what Is Maud's b ........ "..: "i near tlmt i,cr fafc nine .T.too,uiw toe m Times-Herald. -Chtaj. "Is this a free translation! asked An Awful Itisk. Two impecunious Scotsmen came upon a saloon. They had only "sax pence" between them, so they ordered one "nip o' whusky." They were hesi tating who should have the first drink, when an acquaintance Joined them. Pretending that they had just drank, one of them handed the new-comer the whisky, requesting him to Join them In a drink. Me drank, and, after a few minutes of painful and silent sus pense, said: "Now. boys, you'll have one with me?" "Wnsna that weel managed, mon'" said one to his pal afterward. "Ay, It was," said the other, solemnly; "but It was a dread fii risk!" Shlelillnu on" Lightning. It Is reported that an official inquiry recently made In Germany concerning the effect of telephone wires on ntmos plierle electricity, showed that a net work of such wires extending over a town tended to diminish the danger from lightning d lll'ing ihUllllct-arnt-n.a Reports were compared from SlUO towns. oi which odd possessed telephone sys terns, and the conclusion drawn was that a network of wires lessens the dan ger in the ratio of 1 to 4.(1. Nearly every woman knows a mar who Is the slowest man on earth. gin in the hook store. "Xn mk' plied the clerk; "it costs tifty cenls."- uosioii .traveler. Marie "Just think of thenmN tlie fellow to propose to nie." Mertie- .-verve Why, it was absolute trt lessness." Truth. Sknggs-"I .thought Softy had p; drinking?" Draggs-"01i, he did. Hei now celebrating his reformatlon."- Kentucky Colonel. Lady (admiring gifts n.t woddlnSJ aii, these are the souvenir spoons' Maid (Indlgnaiitly)-"No, indeed, mt: They're solid silver." Judge. She "What fine, broad sliouldereyo; have!" He "They're necessary (on half back." She "My! how broad tit full backs must be." Judge. Teacher "Did you study this te sou?" Pupil "I looked over It." Trad er "Well, hereafter, just lower jot: gaze a little." Philadelphia Record, May Were there any men at tut r. shore? Pamela Yes, one; but M wasn't popular. May Who ivai If' Pamela The armless wonder.-Tmtl Charlie I lyup "Now that jodb married don't you find It rather bar.: settling down?" George Fastus-'Xc nearly so hard, old hoy, as settllnjip." Kentucky Colonel. Wazbey "Sort of a far nivay M In Blngloy's eyes, isn't there'" W "Yes; that's because since election has had them on a consulship iusoit Africa." Koxbury Gazette. Miss Welhilomr (miiklne a H "Katie, you are getting to be qui" irirl. Mow old are you-;" Kati(- "Five. You're getting to be quite i girl, too. Mow old are you?" Chlcniw Tribune. She yawned, hut still he Ww'd (Of bores lie was tlie greatest), T'ntil she murmured, in despair. "You're up-to-date, I must declare. For you re the very latest. Washington Star. She Of course I love the Trine eleven; they all treated me so sivei T-Te T hadn't- heard that you had : them. She-I haven't, hut I W 11 1 P nn tt.u I'llllie.-Sfl YorK Evening World. Her Mental Stniin-"Mave you busy lately, .Mrs. I'lodgettV "V:'" just worn myself out trying to W what all those things were that H Tlodgett promised to buy me after election." Chicago Record. "n t-oii hom- tlint whining In 1 next room?" "Yes; who Is It?" 'J the football rusher who got on m manly utterances at the end oi ji game; his wife Is running - shoulder " Chicago Record. . Yabsley-"The truest test of a " i,i..i i willingness to . r,i,i,mo l. 'most m body will lend money. The is when you strike him for a loan." Indianapolis jouium. Teacher-Tommy, what do you w? Tomniy-I ai ' in' nothin'. Teacher-Why , you whistled; I heard you. My mother says you ehouldnt .ii hRnKhin Transcript. . . ....... MarV "Mamma," sam u' '":.,.. . v it means thaw aoes nmeu menu i - . .j Join in with what has been aa M -that you approve or - . "O. yes, 1 know," lie luc vi'i'i-" ' - v. sat"- f ... , o.it-'" He vvaM' Au ""-,, -ila tue repiy wuu uu.. - . .o..,.tnrn tiny band of". . ... . i ..i.it BOlllfluiy a"" suouiiier mm - - 1,1iirtlt(i eves, "there are only three dm "brent Scott!" he gasped; "I Ing ou twenty at least to '; T shall we get tlirougn im- tt f they both realized, a m'"-i "" . bj .. . .... - . l!nst01) 1"H marriage is a loucij.