The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1854-08-04
THE MGTHER'S DEFENCE.
A TALE OF THE FRONTIER WAR.

IALE OF THE FRONTIER WAR.
''Aly husbands rifle ~ she shouted springing
to her feet, and rushing across the cabin, she
tore the weapon and accoutrements from the
wall. But on trying the piece with the RAM
rod it provAd to be unloaded She thrust her
hand into the pouch, but it contained nothing
but musket balls, which her husband had pur-
chased few days before, to run into bullets
suitable for his rifle. The powder horn was
full, but of what nse was the powder without
the ball Dropping The weapon she rung her
hands in despair. Suddenly an idea struck her
she seized one OF the bullets, placed it be-
tween her teeth. and by tremendous exertion
bit It IN two Dashing charge OF powder IN
10 the barrel, she rammed down one of the
fragments, primed and cooked the piece, and
the next moment It's muZze protiuded through
the aperture, and covered the body OF the chief
now advancing al the head of the patty towards
the house. The quick eye Of the savage caught
the glimmer OF the rife sight as the sun Tell
upon it, and he stopped, but before he had time
10 make rush, Nliriaul's finger pressed the
trigger. When the puff of smoke from the dis
tance had cleared away, she saw him clutching
in the air IN the vain effort TO recover himself.
Before the other Indians, who seemed paralyzed
by the unexpected catastrophe, could afford
him any assistance, he threw his hands above
his head, and wIIirllng quickly around fell upon
his face.
A shout.of triumph burst from the lips Of Mi
riam as she saw the effects of the avenging shot,
and then Withdrawing from the loop-hole, she
commenced re-loading the rifle.
The Indians remained motionless for few
seconds, transfixed with astonishment, and then
lifted the body of their chief, withdrew TO a re-
spectfnl distance from the cabin, and-the IN
mates half believed their peril was over. But
they We're deceived.
After getting out OF gun-shot, the savages
clustered together and appeared to be in close
conversation. AT the expiration of the pow
wow, having apparently agreed upon their plan
of action, the whole gang took open order and
dashed at full run, with wild yells, toward the
dwelling,
Asiht foremost came up, Miriam Cook, who
was now stationed at another loop-hoe, again
discharged her rifle, and the unIucky Wyandott
shot through both legs, dropped in his tracks
with an involuntary shrek of agony. The
others kept on, and reaching the cabin, SIX Of
them clambered on the roof, while the other
five commenced firing on the doors and cutting
Iy kindled fire on the shingles, which were
soon in a blaze. The destruction of the cabin
and lis inmates now seemed inevitable.
There was hogshead half full OF water IN
the house. Miriam, bucket in hand, mounted
the loft, and Hope and Alice supplied her with
water from below: by which she contrlved to
pxtinguish the flames as fast as they broke out,
while she herself enyeloped and almost sufoca-
ted by steam and smoke, was invisible 10 The as
Saiant At length the water was exhausted,
and one OF the Indians observing that the efforts
of the heSieged party-were slackenlng ventured
to poke his head through one OF the holes that
had been burned in the roof, to see how the
land ay The undaunted Miriam was standing
within few feet of the opening, and at the IN
slant she whirled the empty bucket around his
head, and wbirling it with swing OF heT arm,
struck him directly in the forehead with sharp
| edge ofthc slave. She heard the homes crash
and The victim groan, a moment alter ne was
drawn away by his campanons, three OF whom
descended from the roof, bearing him IN their
arms.
Miriam now thought she heard the two re-
naming savagps tearing the upper logs OH the
| the chimney, and presumng they intended to
effect an entrance that way, she ran down stars
/ to prepare for them. ''Thp feather bed the
/ feather bed ~ she shouted as she reached the
lower room, and this much priced article in a
! frontier mans inventory Of household chattles,
was quickly brought forth and thrown in the
huge fire place By this time one OF the lndi-
ans had fairly got into the chimney, The saw
age made an effort to scramble up again, but the
punget eAluvia of the feathers overcame him,
and he fell heavily on the hearth stone. In
the meantime Miriam had grasped the rife and
held it ready for his reception. Scarcely had
he touched the floor, when the iron-bound point
of The breech crushed through his skull. The
other who had caught Whit OF the vaPor IN
time to avoid like fate, hastily descended from
the roof.
Four of the thirteen Indians were now kill
ed. but these casualties only added new fury TO
the remainder. They well knew that the cabin
was occupied by women only-and nothing
could be more degrading in the eyes OF swarthy
warriors than TO be bailed by parcel OF squaws.
They now furiously assailed the door with tom
ahawks. To this proceeding the inmates could
offer no resistance. In striking the savage who
had fallen down tie chimney, Miriam had bro
ken the lock Of her husbands rifle, the only
one they had, and now handing the weapon TO
her sister-in-law, she armed herself with the
axe of Young McAndre, which stooG IN the cor
Iner and prepared herself for the last extremity.
Alice betook herself to very formidable weap-
ION. the slaughter knife of the establishment, and
thus armed, the three women ranged themselves
Ion either SIDE of the door, determined to sell