Nobelist. Major Dunwoody's Leg AND THE GREAT POTTAWATOMIE CLAIM.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2528, 22 September 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

Nobelist. Major Dunwoody's Leg AND THE GREAT POTTAWATOMIE CLAIM.

As Ameeicak Stoky. BY MAX ADELBR. CHAPTER V. Tiik expedition started from Fort Gibson. It marched straight across the Indian territory to the Pottawatomie Reservation. The savages had moved ofF, about a day's march ahead of the soldiers, towards the North-west. The military pressed forward; the Indians kept always just a little in advance. The two forces crossed into Kansas. The troops pressed their omnibus horses a little harder and came within sight of the Indian rearguard. Then the savages spurred up and increased the interval between them and the pursuers. The PotUwatomies headed for Colorado, and crossed the line in a few days, and with the soldiers the usual distance behind. Just after passing the Colorado border, the Colonel commanding resolved to steal a march upon the foe. One night instead of going into camp, he pressed on until twelve o'clock and then halted upon the bank of the Arkansas Biver.

Four omnibus horses succumbed under the strain, and ere morning dawned some Pottawatoraies crept into the camp and stole six mules.

The most degraded Indian was never known to steal a New York horse, even in the dark. The next day the four dismounted troopers were placed in an ambulance and the pursuit began again. The Indians fled up through Colorado into Wyoming Territory, and the Colonel commanding pushed after them, going faster and faster every day. By the time he reached Tort Russel, just over the edge of the Wyoming line, the route of his march was marked with a succession of omnibus and car horses in various stages of decay. At the Fort he obtained fresh horses, and sacrificing the baggage waggons, keeping only the ambulances, he pressed on. On the 27th of August his scouts discovered the Indians in camp in a valley a few miles ahead. The Colonel resolved upon a surprise.

When everything was arranged the troops charged down upon the village with a wild hurrah. Not an Indian could be seen. Tho soldiers, however, burned the lodges and withdrew. Upon their return they found that in their absence the Indian had stampeded their mules and all their ambulances but one, which Major Dunwoody had saved by hard driving. The chase was resumed with greater heat than ever. So far there had not been a chance for any anything like a fight. In fact, not a dozen savages had been seen.

Within a week or two Wyoming was traversed and Montana Territory reached. There, just beyond the Crow Indian Reservation, the first Pottawatomie of the campaign was slain. He sneaked into the camp one night, and while cutting loose one of Major Dunwoody's mules, the mule kicked him upon the head and killed him.

On the 6th October the soldiers inarched for 36 hours without rest, and it was believed that they would at last strike a telling blow upon the savages. Everything was ready for a fight, and the troops were full of eagerness for the fray. While they were halting for water upon a small creek, a friendly Gros Ventre Indian came in with the information that the fugitive Pottawatomies had crossed the British line and were now safe from pursuit within the dominions of Her Majesty.

The Colonel and his officers and men fairly tore the English language into shreds in their efforts to express with the necessary emphasis their appreciation of the facts of the situation.

The " war " cost tho Government a little less than a million and a half of dollars, omnibus horses included, and it was estimated by well-informed persons that the flying Indians, while upon the route destroyed private property to the amount of half a million more, besides killing and scalping a party of eighteen emigrants which was passing through Wyoming.

It seemed like rather a large price to pay for Mr Achilles Smith's scalp.

Some time during the month of September, while the chase was in progress, Achilles called at the house of MrsM'Duffy in Washington and askud for Pandora. He said—

" Miss M'Duffy, I come upon a somewhat painful errand, but I have a duty devolving upon me, and I must perform it."

"No bad news from Major Dun woody, I hops, Mr Smith V " I am sorry to say there is."

Pandora's eyes filled with tears, Her face became pale.

" What is it?" she asked. " I have here a despatcli to the Secretary of War, saying that in a light with the Indians on last Wednesday week Major Dunwoody—" " Not killed ! Oh, please dont say he was slain ! I can't bear it!" " No; not killed. Major Dunwoody had lost his other leg and his right aim." " How terrible !" replied Smith in a sympathetic tone. " But you know this is the, fortune of war. L'his it is to lie a soldier!" " Poor Henry ! How he must have sufFered ! Do you know how he is 1 What arc his chances of recovery 1" "Tha despatch says he, is doing very well. But, of course he will be a mere wreck." "It is dreadful ; too dreadful !" " Perfectly helpless, too. A mere burden upon those who will have to take care of him." "Not if they love him !" " But surely you—you do not intend to cling to such a—a —such a disintegrated ruin as he V " I shall be true to him until death." " I had hoped," said Archilles sadly, "that now that Dunwoody is reduced to about half his original dimensions I might hope to have you consider my claims." " Never ! It can never be !"

" Because I am about moving out on the Pottawatomie Reservation, and with you as my bride I could make it a little paradise here below. If you will take me the Reservation is yours, in fee-simple." " I scorn the offer, sir !"

" You scorn it, do you 1 Scorn the most splendid tract of land in the Mississippi Valley for the sake of marrying half of a man, whom you'll have to carry to church in a market basket and to feed with a spoon !" "Yes, sir! I scorn it and you? For to you and your wicked schemes against the unoffending Indians this awful, this dreadful suffering of Major Dunwoody is due. I hate you ! Yes, 1 hate you ! Leave the house this instant, sir!" Smith withdrew, and as he closed the door Pandora fell upon the sofa and cried as if her poor little heart would break. Enter Mrs M'Duffy. " Pandora, my child, what is the matter 1" "Didn't that horrid Smith tell you? , "What horrid Smith % I don't know any such person. If you mean Mr Achilles Smith, why, he didn't tell me anything. I have not seen him." " Poor Major Dunwoody has had his arm shot oft'!" " What! Not another limb lost! Why, the man is falling apart in sections!" ' " And that's not the worst of it!" "Not the worst? Why, my child, what do you mean V

•' His other log has been amputated." " iJumpli! Well, that's agreeable news ! No legs and only one arm ! Pity they didn't amputate his head at once. I suppose, of course, you will break your engagement 1" "Oh, mother, how can you be so unkind V " Pandora M'Duffy, you must be insane! Marry a man with only one limb! How is he going to waddle around? Do you intend to carry him under your arm iu a bundle?" " He will go on wheels, of course." said Pandora with brimming eyes. "On wheels! A Hunsicker and a M'Duffy married to a man on wheels, and who has to slide on the bannister when he- wants to come down stairs ! Why don't you accept Mr Smith at once? He is intact, I believe, with the exception of his scalp. This family seems to be haunted by men who are more or less in piecemeal!" '• I would die rather than marry Smith." " You might do it for your mother's sake, so as to be near to her!" "Near to her? What do you mean, mother 1" " Why, I came in to tell you, my child, that I have accepted General Belcher's hand. I shall marry him, and we shall probably spend our summers at his prospective countryseat upon the Pattawatomie Reservation." " General Belcher !" exclaimed Pandora in disgust. " I never thought, mother, it would come to thatV' Then Pandora swept out of the room, with her handkerchief to her eyes, leaviuy the Mrs M'Duffy in a condition vi some uncertainty as to her daughter's theory respecting- tho degree of humiliation which had. been reached in her contract with tho General. " But I know ho is rich, and that he has a promiso of an appointment as Minister to Peru, where he expects to speculate iu bark," said Mrs M'Duffy to herself. The Secretary of the Interior department at that period was an especially capable officer. He obtained by some means a clue to the secret of the movement against the Pottawatomie Reservation, and he followed it industriously by means of his agents. Late in the month of October he had probed the matter to the bottom, and he gave it to the newspapers.

(To lie continued.)