The First Year We Were At Fort Ellis One
Would See Every Now And Then A Number, Usually Four Numerals, Painted
In Bright Red On The Sidewalk.
Everyone knew that to have been the
work of vigilantes, and was a message to some gambler or horse thief
to get himself out of town or stand the shotgun or rope jury.
The
first time I saw those red figures - I knew what they were for - it
seemed as if they had been made in blood, and step over them I could
not. I went out in the road around them. We have seen none of those
things during the past two years, and for the sake of those who have
worked so hard for law and order, we hope the desperado element has
passed on.
FORT SHAW, MONTANA TERRITORY,
May, 1885.
IT is nice to be once more at this dear old post, particularly under
such very pleasant circumstances. The winter East was enjoyable and
refreshing from first to last, but citizens and army people have so
little in common, and this one feels after being with them a while, no
matter how near and dear the relationship may be. Why, one half of
them do not know the uniform, and could not distinguish an officer of
the Army from a policeman! I love army life here in the West, and I
love all the things that it brings to me - the grand mountains, the
plains, and the fine hunting. The buffalo are no longer seen; every
one has been killed off, and back of Square Butte in a rolling valley,
hundreds of skeletons are bleaching even now. The valley is about two
miles from the post.
We are with the commanding officer and his wife, and Hulda is here
also. She was in Helena during the winter and came from there with us.
I am so glad to have her. She is so competent, and will be such a
comfort a little later on, when there will be much entertaining for us
to do. We stopped at Fort Ellis two days to see to the crating of the
furniture and to get all things in readiness to be shipped here, this
time by the cars instead of by wagon, through mud and water. We were
guests of Captain and Mrs. Spencer, and enjoyed the visit so much.
Doctor and Mrs. Lawton gave an informal dinner for us, and that was
charming too.
But the grand event of the stop-over was the champagne supper that
Captain Martin gave in our honor - that is, in honor of the new
adjutant of the regiment. He is the very oldest bachelor and one of
the oldest officers in the regiment - a very jolly Irishman. The supper
was old-fashioned, with many good things to eat, and the champagne
frappe was perfect. I do believe that the generous-hearted man had
prepared at least two bottles for each one of us. Every member of the
small garrison was there, and each officer proposed something pleasant
in life for Faye, and often I was included.
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