He
Had Fired A Small Derringer Straight To His Heart And Was Quite Dead.
I Did Not Like To Look At The Dying Man, So I Ran For The Doctor And
Almost Bumped Against Him At The Gate As He Was Passing.
There was
nothing that he could do, however.
Mrs. Mills told us that Sam had been an inveterate gambler - that he
had won a great deal of money from the soldiers, particularly one, who
had that very day threatened to kill him, accusing the Chinaman of
having cheated. The soldier probably had no intention of doing
anything of the kind, but said it to frighten the timid heathen, just
for revenge. Sam had eaten a little dinner, and was eating ice-cream,
evidently, when something or somebody made him go to his room and
shoot himself. The next morning the Chinamen in the garrison buried
him - not in the post cemetery, but just outside. Upon the grave they
laid one or two suits of clothing, shoes - all Chinese, of course - and
a great quantity of food - much of it their own fruits. That was for
his spirit until it reached the Happy Land. The coyotes ate the food,
but a Chinaman would never believe that, so more food was taken out
this morning.
They are such a queer people! Hang's breakfast usually consists of a
glass of cold water with two or three lumps of sugar dissolved in it
and a piece of bread broken in it also. When it is necessary for Hang
to be up late and do much extra work, I always give him a can of
salmon, of which he seems very fond - or a chicken, and tell him to
invite one or two friends to sit with him. This smooths away all
little frowns and keeps things pleasant. Volmer killed the chicken
once, and Hang brought it to me with eyes blazing - said it was
poor - and "He ole-ee hin," so I found that the only way to satisfy the
suspicious man was to let him select his own fowl. He always cooks it
in the one way - boils it with Chinese fruits and herbs, and with the
head and feet on - and I must admit that the odor is appetizing. But I
have never tasted it, although Hang has never failed to save a nice
piece for me. He was with Mrs. Pierce two years, and it was some time
before I could convince him that this house was regulated my way and
not hers. Major Pierce was promoted to another regiment and we miss
them very much.
FORT SHAW, MONTANA TERRITORY,
July, 1882.
THE garrison seems lonesome since the two companies have been out, and
I am beginning to feel that I am at home alone quite too much. Faye
was in Washington two months, and almost immediately after he got back
he was ordered to command the paymaster's escort from Helena here, and
now he is off again for the summer!
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