Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1849-11-02

'omP' on ohessnee tnatAWay, sfe ran
down stairs to preNare for them.
"Fhe feather bed!sahe feather bed!''
she shouted, as she rea6Aed the lower
room; and this much prizedSartIcle of
frontierman's inventory of hoasehold
chattels was quickly dragged forth aad
thrust sans ceremonie into the huge fire
place. BY this time one of the Indians
was fairly in the chimney and the other
about TO follow. ~ i
Thrust the lighted brands into il
quick!'' said Alice, and tIe.next moment
clouds of sitting smoke from The burning
feathers were ascending the chimney -
The savage made an effort to scramble
up again, bat the pungent eflluvia of the
feathers overcame him, and he fell heavi-
fy on the hearthstonc. In the meantime
Miriam had again grasped the rife and
held it club ready for his reception
Scarcely had he touched the floor, when
the iron bound point of the breech crash
ed through his skull. The other Indian,
who had caught wkif of the vapor in
time to avoid a like fate precipitately des-
cended from the roof.
-Four of the thirteen Indians were now
killed or disabled, but these cas- ualities
-.
only added to the fury OF the remainder.
They were all well aware that the cabin
was occupied with women only, and
nothing could be more degrading in the
eyes of these swarthy savages than to
be baffied by a parcel of squaws. They
now furiously assailed the door with
their tomahawks. To this proceeding
the inmates could offer no resistance. In
striking the savage who had fallen down
the chimney, Miriam Cook had broken
The isah OF her husbands rifle, the only
gun they had; and now, handing the
weapon to her sister-in-law, she armed
herself with the axe Of McAndre, which
stood in one corner of the cabin, and
prepared for the last extremity. Alice
bctook herself to a very formidable wea-
pom, the slaughtering-knile of the es-
Establishment; and thus armed the three
women ranged themselves on either side
of the door, Determined to sell their lives
as dearly as possible.
In about an hour the Indians had near
ly cut out two planks Of the door beneath
the bar--a space just sufficient for a
man to force his body through in a sloo-
ping posture. They now broughta hea-
Wy piece of timber from the adjacent
pile, and using it as batteringram. soon
beat in portion ofthe door, at the same
time driving the articles that had been
piled against it into the middle of the
cabin. Taught caution by the losses
they had already sustained, they did not
immediately attempt TO enter through the
breach, but thrusting in and crossing the
muzzles of their rifles discharged them
into the house.. In this they had a dou-
BILE design-that of killing or manning
some of the occupants, and getting in
under cover of the smoke.
Before the sound Of the deafhing
broadside had died away, the feather
crested head of Wyandot warrior par
ted the smoke cloud which ohscured the
interior; but as he rose from STOPPING
posture in entering, Miriam's axe des-
cendcd with tremendous force, cutting
through shoulder and collar-bone clear
into his chest. He dropped with a
wild cry, half Of defiance, and half Of ag-
ony. Another Savage followed, and
another, each to sink in turn under the
axe Of the courageous matron. The
fifth she missed, but instantly graphing
with him, she held him powerless in her
arms while Alice plunged the knife into
his body. OF the next two who entered,
one was disabled by blow on the head
from the butt of Hopes rife, and the
other very yearly decapita,ed by a sweep
of Miriam's axe.
OF the thirteen warriors who had left
their tribe for the war-path, a few days
before, only two were unwoundei and
capable for service, and they, seized
with panic at the havoc made among
their companions by the s.long-knife
squaws," abandoned the siege and fed
back to the village. TO the wounded
they left behind them no quarter was
given. To have spared their lives
would have been treason to the dead
Miriau's axe and-the knife made sh
work Of them, and this duty perfoa a.
the family lost no time in process Y 20
Frankfort, The next day a anared
mounted frontiers men asssQ led' and
flor hvin0iu0 in tho hndies aI&hc Cooks