Hal is with us, and is being petted by everybody, but
most of all by the cavalry officers, some of whom have hunted with
Magic, Hal's father.
Last evening, while a number of us were sitting on the veranda after
dinner, a large turkey gobbler came Stalking down the drive in front
of the officers' quarters. Hal was squatted down, hound fashion, at
the top of the steps, and of course saw the gobbler at once. He never
moved, except to raise his ears a little, but I noticed that his eyes
opened wider and wider, and could see that he was making an estimate
of the speed of that turkey, and also making up his mind that it was
his duty as a self-respecting hound to resent the airs that were being
assumed by the queer thing with a red nose and only two legs. So as
soon as the turkey passed, down he jumped after him, and over him and
around him, until really the poor thing looked about one half his
former size. Then Hal got back of the turkey and waited for it to run,
which it proceeded to do without loss of time, and then a funny race
was on! I could have cried, I was so afraid Hal would injure the
turkey, but everyone else laughed and watched, as though it was the
sporting event of the year, and they assured me that the dog would
have to stop when he got to the very high gate at the end of the line.
But they did not know that greyhound, for the gate gave him still
another opportunity to show the thing that had wings to help its
absurd legs along what a hound puppy could do. When they reached the
gate the turkey went under, but the puppy went over, making a
magnificent jump that landed him yards in advance of the turkey,
thereby causing him the loss of the race, for before he could stop
himself and turn, the gobbler had very wisely hidden himself in a back
yard.
There was a shouting and clapping of hands all along the line because
of the beautiful jump of so young a dog, but I must confess that all I
thought of just then was gratitude that my dog had not made an
untimely plucking of somebody's turkey, for in this country a turkey
is something rare and valuable.
Hal came trotting back with his loftiest steps and tail high in the
air, evidently much pleased with his part in the entertainment. He is
very tall now, and ran by the ambulance all the way up, and has been
following me on my rides for some time.
CIMARRON REDOUBT, KANSAS,
January, 1873.
WHEN Faye was ordered here I said at once that I would come, too, and
so I came! We are at a mail station - that is, where the relay mules
are kept and where the mail wagon and escort remain overnight on their
weekly trips from Camp Supply to Fort Dodge. A non-commissioned
officer and ten privates are here all the time.
The cause of Faye's being here is, the contractor is sending big
trains of grain down to Camp Supply for the cavalry horses and other
animals, and it was discovered that whisky was being smuggled to the
Indians in the sacks of oats. So General Dickinson sent an officer to
the redoubt to inspect each sack as it is carried past by the ox
trains. Lieutenant Cole was the first officer to be ordered up, but
the place did not agree with him, and at the end of three weeks he
appeared at the post on a mail wagon, a very sick man - very sick
indeed! In less than half an hour Faye was ordered to relieve him, to
finish Lieutenant Cole's tour in addition to his own detail of thirty
days, which will give us a stay here of over five weeks.
As soon as I heard of the order I announced that I was coming, but it
was necessary to obtain the commanding officer's permission first.
This seemed rather hopeless for a time, the general declaring I would
"die in such a hole," where I could have no comforts, but he did not
say I should not come. Faye did not want to leave me alone at the
post, but was afraid the life here would be too rough for me, so I
decided the matter for myself and began to make preparations to come
away, and that settled all discussion. We were obliged to start early
the next morning, and there were only a few hours in which to get
ready. Packing the mess chest and getting commissary stores occupied
the most time, for after our clothing was put away the closing of the
house was a farce, "Peu de bien, peu de soin!" Farrar was permitted to
come, and we brought Hal and the horse, so the family is still
together.
The redoubt is made of gunny sacks filled with sand, and is built on
the principle of a permanent fortification in miniature, with
bastions, flanks, curtains, and ditch, and has two pieces of
artillery. The parapet is about ten feet high, upon the top of which a
sentry walks all the time. This is technically correct, for Faye has
just explained it all to me, so I could tell you about our castle on
the plains. We have only two rooms for our own use, and these are
partitioned off with vertical logs in one corner of the fortification,
and our only roof is of canvas.
When we first got here the dirt floor was very much like the side of a
mountain - so sloping that we had difficulty in sitting upon the
chairs.
