Paxton High School - Reflector Yearbook (Paxton, IL)

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4 THE PAX TOM HIGH SCHOOL REELECIOK ately, and that he wanted him to carry it thru to Salt bake City on the following morning. Harry arose early the next morning and went to the commander’s room, where he received the money which the quarter master had left for him. After mounting his pony he started on his long and dangerous journey. He had no trouble for about the first ten miles About this time, however, he noticed dark objects appearing ov- er the prairie roads and then disap- pearing. He also heard the cry of the prairie wolf, and knew that tha Redskins were on his track. So he urged his pony on as fast as he could Presently the objects appeared closer. He was now nearing a patch of tim- ber, and he knew that here his trou- bles would begin, so he rode at full speed. At the same time he drew out his six-shooters and made ready for a dash for his life. To his sur- prise he entered the timber without hearing a sound, and it continued this way till he was over half thru. So he began to think that he was not go- ing to have any trouble after all. When he was within a hundred yards of the edge, however, the stillness was broken by the awful piercing war-cry of the Indians and a stream of bullets was poured about him; but as the Indian is not a very handy rifle- man only a few came near him, one hitting his saddle and another graz- ing his left cheek. Harry lay down on his horse's neck and dashed for the edge of the timber, but just then another volley was sent after him. This time he felt a numb pain in his right shoulder. That was the last he knew until about three hours later when he woke up and saw that he was in a log- cabin, and a woman was standing over him. When he asked where ho was, the woman told him he was in Weatherby’s cabin, about ten miles from Salt bake City. When he hear! this he was very glad and wanted to get up and start then, but Mrs. Weatherby would not let him, because she said he was very weak. Two days later Harry, after offer- ing Mrs. Weatherby some money which she would not take, thanked her and then started for Salt bake City He arrived there about four o clock that afternoon and after find- ing out where the government build- ing was located, he made his way to it. Upon reaching it he asked to see ...© governor and was ushered at once into his drawing room. The governor was seated at his desk, and, when Harry entered and told his business, he rose and shook hands with him. He asked him wdiat his name was, and then wished to see the money. Harry took out the wallet and handed it to him. The governor at once sat down, opened it, and poured its contents on the table. It no sooner struck the desk than the governor gasped and fell back in his chair, while Harry, who was standing near turned pale and nearly fell over; for there on the desk was a roll of paper, and not mon- ey. “What does this mean?” exclaim- ed the governor in a rage, ‘this bring- ing me a worthless roll of paper in- stead of the money, I needed so bad- ly.” While he was saying this he had walked over to his desk and touched a button, after which a butler appear- ed. “John he said, “call a couple o? guards to arrest this young scoun- drel ’ As he said this, he drew a re- volver out of his desk and covered Harry with it. “There’s no reason for you doing that, for I have no reas- on to try to escape you,” said Harry. But the man with the gun paid no at- tention to this and never said a word. Presently the two guards appeared, and taking Harry by the arm led him

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THE FAX TOM HIGH SCHOOL REFLECTOR 3 A NARROW ESCAPE One day Harry Lane was sitting by the window reading, while near him was his mother who was busy sewing. Presently Harry, looking up from his book, caught sight of the mail man going by the window. “There’s some mail for us.” “I wonder who it is from, said Harry running to the door, to get the letter which the postman had for him. “Its from Uncle Dan out in Utah , he Slid, as he hastily tore it open. No one said anything until he finished reading it Then he handed it over to his mother. He could see a frown coming on her face as she read it, and he knew that she was not very well pleased with its contents. As soon as she was through, she look- ed up. “Can I go? asked Harry anxiously. I don’t know” answered his rao her, “I’ll have to see your father al out it first. That night when Mr. Lane came home, Mrs. Lane called him into the little parlor, and they both sat down, l have a very important subject to speak to you about,” said Mrs. Lane. Her husband after fixing himself com- for al ly in his chair, told her to pro- ceed with her story. So Mrs. Lane told him all about Harry receiving a letter from his uncle and about him wanting Harry to come out to Utau and join his regiment, in w'hich he would give Harry a good position. She asked Mr. Lane what he thought about it. After thinking awhile he said he believed they had better let 'aim go, since they were rather poor, 3nd it would help them a great deal, for Harry to make his own living. When Harry came homo that night and heard what their decision was, he asked if he might start the next day. “No” said his father, “you can’t start until day after tomorrow, for you will have to get your books homo from school tomorrow, pack your trunk, and get ready, f r it is t long journey ” Harry had to be content with that, so the next day was spent iu getting things ready 'or his jour- ney West. It was a sad procession when Harry, his mother, father, and little sister started for the depot the next day. As they arrived there about a half an hour before the train was due, the time was spent by his mother telling him now to take care o! h’mself, as well as many other things. The train finally arrived, and after telling ev- eryone good-bye”, he boarded it and was soon off on his trip to Utah. Harry arrived in Salt Lake City on Sunday morning, where he had to wait about an hour for a stagecoach to take him out to the fort, which was about forty miles distant. He made the journey without any accident and reached there about 4:00 o’clock that evening. When he arrived his Uncle, who was a large, raw-boned Irishman, with red hair and whiskers, was there to meet him. “Hello me biy” said his uncle, as Harry jumped out of the stage and shook hands with him. “You’re just in time to have the fun. The Redskins have got “nifty” and want to scalp every blessed one of us” This was rather a surprise to Harry as he had heard nothing here of the danger from Indians. A year passed, and Harry had grown to be a tall muscular man. Ha held a higher position in the army also, for he had risen to the rank of lieutenant in his uncle’s regiment.One day w-hen he was sitting alone in his room his uncle Dan came in and, af- ter taking a seat told him he had an important journey for him to makQ. “What is it Uncle?” asked Harry anxiously. He then explained to him that the government had written to the Fort, asking that ten thousand dollars be delivered to them immedi-

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THE PAXTON HIGH SCHOOL REFLECTOR 5 out of the building into the street. They had walked about three blocks when they came to a large stone build- ing which was to be Harry’s prison till the time for his trial, which was to come off in three days. The day on which he was to be tried finally came, and Harry went sadly o the court house. His trial came sec- ond, and, when he stood before the judge and heard the charge against him, he tried to explain, but nothing he said was believed, as the evidence against him was very strong. In the end the old judge read his sentence thus: By the requirements of the law, any person stealing or carrying off any government property shall”— Harry was very pale and hated to hear the final words of the old judge —“within the next three days and at sunrise of the third day be shot at ten yards.” When Harry heard this he turned pale as death, and would have fallen if some of the men had not grabbed him. The next day Harry spent in writ- ing letters to all his friends and last- ly a long one to his mother, father and little sister. The next morning he was called out about four o'clock and led along the street to the edge of the town to a level stretch of land. There was already a crowd of men there, and five tall soldiers with long muskets. The sun was just peeping over a distant hill. Harry was stand- ing with his face toward the sun, and the five soldiers, with their long muskets pointed directly at his breast, stood facing him, while an officer was there ready to give the signal. The sun was over the hill when the officer held up his right hand, “Ready, aim . Harry shut his eyes and pre- pared for his last; but just then some- thing happened, a young lady dressed in white with her long hair streaming over her shoulders, dashed from the crowd of men and placed herself in front of the guns. Tne soldiers low- ered their guns, while the officer, af- ter recovering from his surprise walk- ed up to the young lady, and asked her what she meant by interfering with the law in that way. The lady made no answer, but pointed to a horseman coming at full speed. He dashed up to the officer and handed him a note. The officer opened it and read it. Then he walked over to Har- ry and said, My toy, this note saved you in the nick of time. This is a dying confession of the quartermaster at the fort. He says that he had a grudge against you, and, having gam- bled all the government money away, he thought this would be a good way to get even. I am very glad you are saved, for I did not believe you were guilty when I first saw you.” To make a long story short, when Harry went back he took the Gover- nor’s beautiful daughter with him,and when he reached the fort he found that his term had expired. When he heard this he and his wife started for home town accompanied by many regrets of his friends at the fort. Af ter they had arrived home and hai v:sited his mother for a few days, they settled there in a beautiful little cottage; and now as the partner in a large clothing firm, he is a very pros- perous man. Oscar McKegney. Weep and you’re a baby. Laugh and you’re called a fool; Yield and you’re called a coward; Stand and you’re called a mule, Smile and they’ll call you silly, Frown and they call you gruff; Put on a front like a millionaire, And some guy calls your bluff