ke in marrying into the army, or
at least in following my husband to Arizona. I debated the question with
myself from all sides, and decided then and there that young army wives
should stay at home with their mothers and fathers, and not go into such
wild and uncouth places. I thought my decision irrevocable.

Before the two small deep windows in our room we hung some Turkey red
cotton, Jack built in his spare moments a couch for me, and gradually
our small quarters assumed an appearance of comfort. I turned my
attention a little to social matters. We dined at Captain Montgomery's
(the commanding officer's) house; his wife was a famous Washington
beauty. He had more rank, consequently more rooms, than we had, and
their quarters were very comfortable and attractive.

There was much that was new and interesting at the post. The Indians who
lived on this reservation were the White Mountain Apaches, a fierce and
cruel tribe, whose depredations and atrocities had been carried on for
years, in and around, and, indeed, far away from their mountain homes.
But this tribe was now under surveillance of the Government, and guarded
by a strong garrison of cavalry and infantry at Camp Apache. They were
divided into bands, under Chiefs Pedro, Diablo, Patone and Cibiano;
they came into the post twice a week to be counted, and to receive their
rations of beef, sugar, beans, and other staples, which Uncle Sam's
commissary officer issued to them.

In the absence of other amusement, the officers' wives walked over to
witness this rather solemn ceremony. At least, the serious expression on
the faces of the Indians, as they received their rations, gave an air of
solemnity to the proceeding.

Large stakes were driven into the ground; at each stake, sat or stood
the leader of a band; a sort of father to his people; then the rest
of them stretched out in several long lines, young bucks and old ones,
squaws and pappooses, the families together, about seventeen hundred
souls in all. I used to walk up and down between the lines, with the
other women, and the squaws looked at our clothes and chuckled, and
made some of their inarticulate remarks to each other. The bucks looked
admiringly at the white women, especially at the cavalry beauty, Mrs.
Montgomery, although I thought that Chief Diablo cast a special eye at
our young Mrs. Bailey, of the infantry.

Diablo was a handsome fellow. I was especially impressed by his
extraordinary good looks.