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Short Story

A Man with Two Lives

Here is the queer story of David William Duck, related by himself. Duck is an old man living in Aurora, Illinois, where he is universally respected. He is commonly known, however, as "Dead Duck."

"In the autumn of 1866 I was a private soldier of the Eighteenth Infantry. My company was one of those stationed at Fort Phil Kearney, commanded by Colonel Carrington. The country is more or less familiar with the history of that garrison, particularly with the slaughter by the Sioux of a detachment of eighty-one men and officers--not one escaping--through disobedience of orders by its commander, the brave but reckless Captain Fetterman. When that occurred, I was trying to make my way with important dispatches to Fort C. F. Smith, on the Big Horn. As the country swarmed with hostile Indians, I traveled by night and concealed myself as best I could before daybreak. The better to do so, I went afoot, armed with a Henry rifle and carrying three days' rations in my haversack.

"For my second place of concealment I chose what seemed in the darkness a narrow canon leading through a range of rocky hills. It contained many large bowlders, detached from the slopes of the hills. Behind one of these, in a clump of sage-brush, I made my bed for the day, and soon fell asleep. It seemed as if I had hardly closed my eyes, though in fact it was near midday, when I was awakened by the report of a rifle, the bullet striking the bowlder just above my body. A band of Indians had trailed me and had me nearly surrounded; the shot had been fired with an execrable aim by a fellow who had caught sight of me from the hillside above. The smoke of his rifle betrayed him, and I was no sooner on my feet than he was off his and rolling down the declivity. Then I ran in a stooping posture, dodging among the clumps of sage-brush in a storm of bullets from invisible enemies. The rascals did not rise and pursue, which I thought rather queer, for they must have known by my trail that they had to deal with only one man. The reason for their inaction was soon made clear. I had not gone a hundred yards before I reached the limit of my run--the head of the gulch which I had mistaken for a canon. It terminated in a concave breast of rock, nearly vertical and destitute of vegetation. In that cul-de-sac I was caught like a bear in a pen. Pursuit was needless; they had only to wait.

"They waited. For two days and nights, crouching behind a rock topped with a growth of mesquite, and with the cliff at my back, suffering agonies of thirst and absolutely hopeless of deliverance, I fought the fellows at long range, firing occasionally at the smoke of their rifles, as they did at that of mine. Of course, I did not dare to close my eyes at night, and lack of sleep was a keen torture.

"I remember the morning of the third day, which I knew was to be my last. I remember, rather indistinctly, that in my desperation and delirium I sprang out into the open and began firing my repeating rifle without seeing anybody to fire at. And I remember no more of that fight.

"The next thing that I recollect was my pulling myself out of a river just at nightfall. I had not a rag of clothing and knew nothing of my whereabouts, but all that night I traveled, cold and footsore, toward the north. At daybreak I found myself at Fort C. F. Smith, my destination, but without my dispatches. The first man that I met was a sergeant named William Briscoe, whom I knew very well. You can fancy his astonishment at seeing me in that condition, and my own at his asking who the devil I was.

"'Dave Duck,' I answered; 'who should I be?'

"He stared like an owl.

"'You do look it,' he said, and I observed that he drew a little away from me. 'What's up?' he added.

"I told him what had happened to me the day before. He heard me through, still staring; then he said:

"'My dear fellow, if you are Dave Duck I ought to inform you that I buried you two months ago. I was out with a small scouting party and found your body, full of bullet-holes and newly scalped-- somewhat mutilated otherwise, too, I am sorry to say--right where you say you made your fight. Come to my tent and I'll show you your clothing and some letters that I took from your person; the commandant has your dispatches.'

"He performed that promise. He showed me the clothing, which I resolutely put on; the letters, which I put into my pocket. He made no objection, then took me to the commandant, who heard my story and coldly ordered Briscoe to take me to the guardhouse. On the way I said:

"'Bill Briscoe, did you really and truly bury the dead body that you found in these togs?'

"'Sure,' he answered--'just as I told you. It was Dave Duck, all right; most of us knew him. And now, you damned impostor, you'd better tell me who you are.'

"'I'd give something to know,' I said.

"A week later, I escaped from the guardhouse and got out of the country as fast as I could. Twice I have been back, seeking for that fateful spot in the hills, but unable to find it."

PARAPHRASE

William Duck was a private soldier of the Eighteenth Infantry in the autumn of 1866.His company was one of those located in the Fort Phil Kearney that Colonel Carrington as a commanders. The country is more or less familiar with the history of the garrison, especially with the butcher by the Sioux of a detachment consisting of eighty-one men and officers - not one escaped - through non-complience orders by their commanders, the brave but reckless Captain Fetterman. He was trying to make his way with important posts for Forth C.F Smith, in the Big Horn when that happened. As a country that hostile with Indians, He took a trip in the night and hide his self as possible before daybreak. The better to do so, he went on foot, armed with a Henry rifle and bring three days ration in his bag.

For his second place of hiding he choose what looked in the darkness a cramped canon toward a variety of rocky hills. It contained many large boulders, released from the slopes of the hills. Behind one of these, he made his bed for the day in a clump of sage-brush and soon feel asleep.  He felt as though it is difficult to closed his eyes, despite in fact it was near midday, he woke up when hearing noise of a rifle, the bullet striking the boulder just above his body. Group of Indians had follow him and had him almost outflanked; A fellow who had arrest sight of him from the hillside above had been fired the shot with unreasonable aim. The smoke of his rifle betrayed him, and he was no sooner on his feet than he was off his and scroll down the tilt. Then he ran with bowing position, avoid among the clumps of sage-brush in a storm of bullets from invisible enemies. He though a bit odd, why the rascals did not rise and chase, for they must have known that they just to deal with one man.

They waited for two days and nights. Hide behind a rock topped with a rise of mesquite, sometimes he was attack them with the rifle and he did not brave to close his eyes at night, it was a keen torture.

In the morning of the third day he remember that was to be his last day and he jump out into the open and began firing his repeating rifle without looking anybody to fire at, then he forgot more of that fight.

The next matter that he remember pulled his self from the river only at night. When the daybreak he had come in the Fort C.F Smith, it was his destination, but without his clothes and important posts. The first people that he met is William Briscoe, but he felt shock when he looked him.

He asked to him a variety question that he though it was a bit odd, and he began disbelieve him. He said that he had buried two months ago, because he dead when fighting happened, so he though that he was a trickster. But, he promised that he would give something for the evidence. Finally a week later he escaped from gatehouse and out from the country as fast he could, looking for that fateful spot in the hills, but he could not to find it.

           

SUMMARIZE

In the autumn of 1866 there was a private soldier of eighteenth infantry, his name was David William duck. He was trying to make his way with important posts to Fort C. F. Smith, on the Big Horn, when history of that garrison happened. The better to do so, he went on foot, armed with a Henry rifle and bring three days ration in his bag. For his second place of hiding he choose what looked in the darkness a cramped canon toward a variety of rocky hills he and  made his bed and soon fell asleep behind on of boulders. At the last day, he jump out into open and began firing his repeating rifle, then he had come in the Fort Smith CF, it was his destination. Smith CF felt shock when he looked him with his condition, so Smith CF disbelieve him, because he had buried two months ago and Smith also said that he was trickster. Finally a week later he escaped from gatehouse and looking for that fateful spot in the hills, but he couldn’t to find it.

QUOTATION

According to Ambrose Bierce, David William Duck was “dead in the fighting,” but he did not believe about it, because he felt that he still in the world, especially in the fighting. So, David William can called “A man with two lives.”