Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-04-01

Miriam, Hope and Alice, began TO prepare for
vigorous defence, their faces no longer wore an
expression of terror. The brows Of two nlatrons
were knitted with determination, and their ewes
sparkled with the instinct revenge. Alice was
no longer the timid maiden Of Yesterday. Her
lover. (for she had given her whole heart and was
soon 10 have given her hand to McAndre) and
her beloved father lay dead before her. side by
side; the red demons were in the act OF scalping
and mutilating the body Of the uncle outside and
something of the tigress flashed in her ewes. half
blinded as they were b. tears. The two children
alone exhibited signs of fear but it was only per
cep'i5le in their hleached faces and quiverng
limbs. They neither shrinked nor vept. but sat
in the corner OF the cabin with their arms locked
together. intently watching their varied move
ments of the females, as they piled chests and
benches and irewood against the door. in order
to strengthen the weakest points of defence
Miriam Cook was the first TO speak After as
sisting TO secure the door. she had knelt down al
one OF the loop holes to reconnoitre. AT the very
instant when she applied her eyes TO the aparture.
the group of savages who had been engaged in
ia stripping the body Of her husband, and hacking
It with their knives and tomahawks. opened on
the right and Iett, one brawny fellow. in the war
trapPings of chief advanced two or three steps
and shook the bloody scalp Of the victim derisve-
'y above his head, while the whole party Joined in
an internal yell of scorn and exultation
My husbands rifle" she shouted, springing
to her feet and rushing across the cabin. she tore
the weapon and accouterments from the wall -
But on trying the piece with the ramTod il proved
TO be uuloaded. She thurst her hand into the
pouch but II contained nothing hut musket bull
lets, which her husband had purchased few davs
before 10 run into balls suitable for his rife. The
powder horn was full. but of what use was the
powder without the ball Dropping the weapon.
she wrung her hauds in despair Suddenly an
idea struck her; she seized one of the bullets.
placed II between her teeth, and by tremendous
eNertlon bit II in two. Dashing charge of pow
der into the barrel she rammed down one Of the
fragments primed and cooked the piece. and the
next moment its muzzle protruded through the
aperture and covered the body of the chief now
advancing at the head Of the party towards the
house. The quick eye of The savage caught the
gImmer of the rifle sight as the sunshine fell upon
it. and he stopped but before he had time to make
rush for cover, Miriam finger pressed the tr;g-
ger. When the pun of smoke from the distance
had cleared away. she saw him clutching at the
ali in the VAIN effort 10 recover himself Before
the other Indians, who seemed paralyzcd bv the
unexpected catastrophe. could afford him any
assistance. he threw his hands above his head.
and whiTi'ng quickly around. fell upon bis face
, shouy Of triumph burst from the lips Of Miriam
IS she saw the effects Of the avenging shot. and
then Withdrawing from the loop hole she com
neaced reIoad.ng the rife
The Indians remained motionless for few
seconds, trausdxed with astonishm and then
lifting the body OF their chief, Withdrew to a re-
spectiuI distance from the cabin, and the inmates
halt believed their peril was over. But they were
soon undeceiyed.
After getting out Of gunshot, he savoges cIus. /
tered together, and appeared for several minutes
10 be in close conversation. At the expiration OF
their powwow. having apparently agreed upon
their plan Of action the whole gang took open
order. ana dashed at full speed with wild wells
towards the dwelling
As the foremost came up. Miriam Cook, who
was now stationed at another loop hole again
discharged her rife. and the unlucky Wyaudor
Shot through both i,gS cropped in his tracks with
an involuntary shrek ofagony. The othereleven
kept on, ana on reaching the cabin six Of them
clamhered on the roof while the other five com
menced firing on the doors and openings in the
logs. These on the roof quickly kinded fire on
The shingles, v hich were soon in a blaze The
destructo OF the cabin and its inmates now
seemed inevitable. But the brave garrison did
not despair. The was Logshead half fuli of
water in the house Miriam bucket in hand moun-
ted 10 the loft Hope and Alice supplied her with
water from below, by which means she contrived
10 extinguish The flames as fast as they broke out
while she hersef,cnyeloPcd and almost sufiocatcd
by steam and smoke,was invisible TO the assailen.s
1t length the water was exhausted, and one Of the
Indians observing that the efforts OF the beseiged
were slackeriHg, venturcd 10 poke his head thro
one of the holes that mad been burned in the roof
10 see how the land lay. The undauutcd Miriam
was standing within few feet Of the opening,
and the instant she the face Of the Indian, she
whirlcd the empty bucket aroend her head and
hurting t with the swing other arm struck him
directly in the forehead with the sharp edge Of
the slaves She heard the bones crash and the
victim groan. 4 moment after he was drawn
away by his companions, three Of whom descend
cd from the roof bearing him in their arms
Miriam now thought she heard the two who
remained upon the roof tearing the upper log Off
the chimney. and presuming they intended 10 at
tempt an entrance that way, she ran down stairs
to prepare for them" The feather bedl the
leather bcd!' she shouted, as she reached the
lower room. and this much Prised article in iron
tiersman's inventory OF household chattles, was
quickly drawn forth and thurst into the huge FIRE
place. BY this time one of the Indians was fairly
IN the chimney and the other about 10 follow
Is Thurst the lighted brans into it qack." said
Alice, and the next moment clouds OF sitting
some from the burning feathers were ascending
the chimney The savage made an etFortto scram-
BE up again, but the pungeut eiuyia Of the ieath-
ers overcame him. and he fell heavily on the
hearth stone. In the meantime Miriam had grasp