Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1853-11-26


were served TO the weary men. Prepa-
ratons were made for desperate defence.
Each man sharpened well his dirk knife,
and a large quantity Of bullets were moul-
ded.
All was quiet till eleven o'clock, and
the settlers began to think the Indians had
left for certain, when the shrill war whoop
ringing out on the pure air gave warning
that terrific struggle was at hand. In
stantly every man was at his post. In a
moment the Indians rushed on the church,
and notwithstanding the murderous dis
charge of firearms that greeted them, car
Irying death to many of their number,
commenced furious attack on the door
with their hatcbets.
The settlers continued to pour CALLING
fire on the savages; but after some time a
break was made through the heavy oak
door, sufficient TO admit the body of a
man, when savage leaped through. He
was scarcely inside the church when his
head was cleft by an axe in the hand of
Mr.. Pierson.
The Indians now poured through the
Aperture, and, although they met with a
desperate resistance, were fast accumula-
ting inside the door. The door was un-
barred by those who had reached the in
side, and all rushed in eager for blood.
Bat they were opposed by men fighting
for their loved ones and homes.
The settlers no longer used rifles but
resorted to their knives, and the manner in
which they were used showed that it
was no new weapon in their hands.
And it was evident that this unequal
contest could not last much longer. Al
though none of the settlers had as yet
been killed, scarcely one but was severely
wounded. The savages outnumbered
them two to one. Seeing the desperate
state of things, Jenny Birch seized tom
ahawk which had been thrown down, and
rushed into the thickest of the fight, and
for moment that tomahawk was suspen-
ded in the air and when it descended it
carried a messenger of death to bloody
savage whose tomahawk was pending
over her fathers head.
This was seen by the savages, and for
moment hostiitieS were suspended, and
squaw squaw! burst simultaneously
from the lips of each one.
At this moment shout proceeded from
the creek, and Edwin Pierson sprang TO
the rescue with his brave followers. On
dega caught sight of Jenny as she stood
with bloody tomahawk still in her hand,
and with iendish whoop and uplilted
tomahawk, he sprang towards her to strike
the deadly blow. A rifle shot sped thro'
the air, from the unerring rifle of Edwin
Pierson, and Ondega was stretched life
less on the floor. His followers, now
without leader, were easily conquered,
We will notattempt to describe the hap
py scene which followed. Husbands
cIasped wives and children to their breast,
the good pastor although severely woun-
ded in the conflict knelt down and Offered
up thanks to God for their deliverance.
Jenny had swooned from over excitement
was in the arms of Edwin Pierson, who at
length succeeded in restoring her to con
sciousness.
The wounded were kindly cared for
and in time recovered. Ondega received
decent burial, as did the rest of his foL
lOuorc WI ho nod hoon killed
There in the centre of that little village
in the year 1898, stood an old timeworn
church, 1t still stood as a monument to
the bravery of the early settlers.
That noble looking man,with the beat
tiful woman leaning on his arm, and pref
ty children hanging fondly around, is Ed
win Pierson. 1t is needless to say tha.
the lovely looking woman is Jenny Pier.
son-not Birch. They are looking at the
church, and relating 10 the listening chill
dren the story Of the struggle and rescue.
And there are the parents of both Ed
win and Jenny; and there is George Birch
and his pretty wife, and all seems SO hap
py.
GLOW beautiful the scene to thee,
Words Of mine may not tell"
And now kind reader, bid thee fare
well, and begging your indulgence for
having trespassed in laying before you my
simple tale, I bid you for the present, good
bye.
A Toad SToRY.-0n our last visit TO
Decorah we were sitting with our heels
on the stove in Jadge's bar-room, listening
to accounts of large potatoes, onions, etc.,
when one of the crowd remarked:
Il believe this country produces larger
toads than any part Of the State l have yet
visited"
"T0ads :" echoed the company,
81 was trying my luck at trouting 10th
er day in one of your streams" said the
speaker, "when | noticed on the bank