Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1849-11-02
tll the
grow
dered
otller,
a few
ey had
a split
rmed and would

-pilon from attack ormoles,alion rem
gdered them. But their dream of securi-
Fly was destined TO be suddenly and aw-
fully broken. They had not struck 90
blows with their axes, when dozen ri
lies
"Too nearly; deadly aimed 10 err,' :
cracked from clump of naples about
forty yards in advance of the nearest point
of woods, and Hosea Cook, who was in
the act OF ehopping, sprang like ball
into the air, and strengthening as lie de-
scended fel. with his face upward quite
dead.
Jesse, although struck with three bull
lets and MORALLY wounded, started in a
staggering run for the cabin, and fell a
few feet from The door, az the very mo.
ment that thirteen Wyandots, painted
and phimed for war, leaped from the CO.
yer with hoop of demoniac exula,ion.
For one moment lhe inmates of the cab
in were panic stricken; but in the next.
the youth McAndre, had rushed out for
the purpose of bringing in the wounded
man. He seized him by the shoulders
and was in the act Of dragging him to-
ward The threshold. when an old Indian,
who had reserved his charge when, the
vollay. WAS fred, took deliberate aim at
the young man and shot him through Tie
brain. He fell dead across the body of
Jesse, Cook.
Had the, savages rushed upon the cab
in at that moment they would have en-
lcountered no resistance. Tae door was
open anu The Women completely unnerv-
ed by the horror of the scene. Dat the
savagesstopped when they reached the
body Of Hosea Cook 10 scalp their vic
tim. Faey knew that all the males Of
the houseIfoM,had fallen, and that ii was
utterly impossible for the women and
|
children to escape. As to any attempt
at defence, they did not dream OF that.
The three females, who, with arms
outstrotched towards the bleeding bodies
of their fallen protectors, and eyes dilia-
ted with horror, stood huddled together
on the threshold, felt rather than saw that
their only chance Of avoiding immediate
massacre was in awaiting themselves of
f. brief respite which the ood-thirsty
mllignity of the savages allowed them.
Rushing from the cabin Miriam Cook
grasped the corpse of her brother-in-law
in her powerful arms, while at the same
instant Hope and Alice seized each an
arm of the unfortunate youth McAndre,
and in the next instant they had darted
back again with their burdens, and closed
and barred the door. The cabin was
solid structure, built of immense logs Of
chestnut and oak, completely impervious
to rifle or musket shot, except at three or
four points, where narrow loopholes had
been left for the convenience of reconnoi-
tering or firing upon an enemy. These
holes were about three feet from the
ground; and barely large enough to adj
nit the play Of a rifle barre. so as to
command the whole front of the build
ing. The door was formed of two thick
ncsses of heavy whiteoak plank, equally
impenetrAble by bullets, and. when Sc
cured by the solid bar inside, was almost
as impregnable as the walls Of the cabin
itself.
Having deposited their dead upon the
cabin floor, Miriam, Hope pd Alice be-
gan to prepare for vigorous defence
Their faces no longer woret an express
ZION of terror. The brows lof the two
Ianatrons were knitted with fierce deter
f.iina,ion, and their eyes spaFkled with
inc lHSulCt vi IcSCiiSV. hbC ""S ho
longer the timiJ and gentlei maiden Of
yesterday. Herlover Qor she had given
her whole heart and was spn TO have
given her hand, to young n sAndre) and
her. beloved father lay dead before her,
side by side; and the red demons were
in the very act of scalping Ind mutila.
ting the body OF the uncle }onside; and
something Of the .igrcss Dashed even, in
tnER eyes, half blinded ashley ware b.
tears. HAe twohhildreaslgdle exhibited
signs of fears buei. W. ally perceptible
ain 1I3pcAsd tleessnd qufsring limbs
S3SIgsy lci,h@ slirieked noc wept. but sat
"a corner lhecabin, it'll their arms
locked togethkr, watching he movements
y the lemales, az they Iiled chests, and
benches and frewpod agiist the doorto
IsiFengthen thelweakes3 Ioint Of defence.
Miriam Cook MAS 40 first 70 speak.