Part 11 (1/2)

The negro troops, who had been boasting of what they would do to the Indians, were now singing a different tune

”We'll jes' blow 'em off'ht Now, every tie us, some of the darkies would cry:

”Heah dey come! De whole country is alive wif 'em Dere must be ten thousand ob deet out o' heah?”

Thehis wound, asked et back to the fort I replied that there was, and orders were given for a retreat, the cannon being left behind

During the movement a number of our ht fell, and in the darkness weat Fort Hays just at daybreak During our absence cholera had broken out at the post Five or sixdaily

For the ht the Indians on the prairie, or re in camp to be stricken with cholera To

”The Rise and Fall of Modern Roured For a time I was part owner of a town, and on es thatoccurred and I was left--but I will tell you the story

At the town of Ellsworth, which I visited one day while carrying dispatches to Fort Harker, I ht-of-way of the Kansas Pacific near Fort Hays His stock had been stolen by the Indians, and he had come to Ellsworth to buyout a town site on the west side of Big Creek, a mile from the fort, where the railroad was to cross When, in response to a request forone, he invited ested that after the toas laid out and opened to the public we establish a store and saloon

I thought it would be a grand thing to become half owner of a town, and at once accepted the proposition We hired a railroad engineer to survey the town site and stake it into lots Also we ordered a big stock of the goods usually kept in a general ave the town the ancient and historical name of Rome As a starter we donated lots to anyone ould build on the for ourselves the corner lots and others which were best located These reserved lots we valued at two hundred and fifty dollars each

When the toas laid out I wrote my wife that I orth 250,000, and told her I wanted her to get ready to co her parents at St Louis, with our baby daughter e had named Arta

I was at Ellsworth tothe baby

Besides three or four wagons, in which the supplies for the new general store and furniture for the little house I had built were loaded, I had a carriage for her and the baby The nen of Roerous trip, as the Indians had long been troublesoer hter

A nurants bound for the nen accoht out I formed the men into a company, one squad to stand watch while the others slept All the early part of the evening I went the rounds of the camp, much to my wife's annoyance

”Why are you away so”It is lonesome here, and I need you”

Rather than let her know ofto sell lots to the ht wore on and everything seeet a little rest I did not take my clothes off, and, much to my wife's surprise, slept with my rifle and revolvers close by me I had just dropped off to sleep when I heard shots, and knew they couldparty was small and ere fully prepared When they discovered this they fired a few shots and galloped away

The second night was almost a repetition of the first After another party had been repulsed, Mrs Cody asked ht her and the baby out on the Plains to be killed

”This is the kind of a life I lead every day and get fat on it,” I said But she did not seeenial

Everybody turned out to greet us e arrived in Ro-hall houses and the dance-halls closed in our honor The next day we ht there was a veritable fusillade of revolver shots outside the

”What is that?” asked Mrs Cody

”Just a serenade,” I said