Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1851-08-29

EERoIe pERENoE oF i ZONE.

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1.
fEROIC DEFENcE OF A HOME
soIt baaulifnl aIi qniet scene than the /
ara "a The ElkA6rn, which smiled and
"a ~ - tie l;sIil Of q el0adless sunrise,
syJJlt5i A pfA. 1792, could not have
lr fonsd between The Kentucky river. and
gnlAins Al rude but strongly built
NE eabin--half dwelling. half forlress--
NI ke most conspicuous object in the fore
rI1ma a stream, the EIkhorn, too large
N g called 3 ersekl yet scarcely broad and
aesp enough, (exeept during ffeshet, 70
nsidered river. its sleeping banks
asa IL ,he lender green Of early spring.
sI|rea wiih rapid current. within half rife
oE tc 'front.' Of the cabin. The entire
f4rint consisted Of about forty acres, grid
lea on every aiae by the dense forest except
tn thc eat where q broad opening appeared.
.| 81 a 4, +, 6..Eiina Off road was visi-
BIZ IS I'D d Two, leading apparsntly to
H1t adjacent settlement
h location was only three miles from.
NfAnkfoIt hen small village, and about
tn miles hom he nearest point on the
K&1znel4 river. q which The Elkhogn Is a
WiLhin the cleared area. labor
bad done much. The axe. which had let
Tia sunlight into the heart of the wilderness.
bad been promntly followed BY the plough.
The barns aad corn.cribs had been flled 10
6teffqWing. and the green blades. glisleh-
inn with dc&, that covered The southern
sne iirdsnira nf encthcr abundant
The cahi1 was Of double the usual size. for
it contained two families. It's occupants
wefe two hrthers. Hosea. and Jesse Cook.
thoir wives ana ehildren. and D youth oi
seqeuteeo named John McAndre who
assisted ia |heif farm work. TIC two broth
efs Nele iginally From Come 81, but EN-
igIatod to |he kikhofn. some years before
the time aswhieh apf narrative opens. Near.
y four years bad elapsed since they settled
"a lie Elthoril. and during the whole q
that tine they had seen but one Indian.
Hosea household consisted Of his wife
Marian, Ike himself. native Of New En-.
elan3 woman oE commanding statue. and
physical strength, aad their daughter Alice,
fiji qaIden.ha;fed beauty; with face thai
.fsnfiIed AZ ovtrthen ia her seventeenth year.
Hope The wife Of Jesse Cook was a rosy,
couely daughtes of Virginia. much youngel
than bsf sister b law, with two boys. Of SIS
and three years old. Young McAndTe was
line. handy Young huntsman, whose fathel
bad been killed ia rencounter with party
ofWganaOts near Tie Blue Licks, in tha
memorable year Of tie frontier in the west
Just a. the suns fld disk became sisibl
10 upper line If the forest ofthe east
the aQ 81 tlSe cebin opened andthe brother
pa but. The scene spread before then
vas cue Of perfect repose. The morn ini
mist bad already lifted from the stream an
WIS Slowly sailing upward, while not breat
STIRRED b shake the pendant moisture froE
the t leaves. or ripple The surface Of ih
sef gliding stream. But tie Cooks wel
not te men % look upon the landscape wit
dp16 or paiaier's eye, and with h
sMnie observation that il was fine GROWN
morning. tie elder, Hosea, shouldered 4
aze and followed By his brother. walked /
pile Of chestnut timber. where they ha
been engaged de preceding day in sPlittin
nesRnils.
They we're both unarned and would has
laughed ai ibe idea Of carrying weapons
I|l--Nl4 tItli1olft1 d-1Iutt the 4uolan8--z
con61cnt had lheir long exemption frol
attack 0l molezlslion rendered them. Bl
ihsg dream 0f aeeufiis was destined to
suddenly and aHfqIly broken. They ha
nol truck twenty blows with their axe
Nlln dozen rifles.
Too neaflg deadly mined to err,
cea from clamp IL naples about fort
yaI ID advance of iho nearest point
woods. ana Hosea Cook, Who vas IN the q
ofsore'ar spfans IKE . ball into the Al
and Alenine as be descended, fell wi
bis face upward. quite dead.
Jesso, although struck with three bulle
and morially wounded. started il stagge
ing run for the cabin. and fsll few Io
lfsm khe door q The very lnornenk that iii
leta WAndolA, painted and pluniea fot va
ieafsd from the cover With hoop of dem
mae exnItalion. For one monen fhe
mates 1f tho cabin Hero panic stricken; b
l6e nAxi tho Yoaa1 McAndre had r0ahI
eai 81 iha pal nae Of bringing IN the wou
ded nlt1 sized bis shoulder and Y
ia Idt ael q afa iue him towards the thres
he.a when % Old Indian. who had reserrl
bis charge when tho Y6IIe7 was fred, to
Deliberate aim at the young man and 81
'u through Tie brain He fell across /
bo1f ol Jesse otk
Bad tie aE6ees rnshsS upon lhecahia