Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-05-20
DAILY EVENING STAR.
THE MOTHERS DEFENCE.
A Tale Of Tire Frontier War

springing to her feet, and rushing across
| the cabin, she tore the weapon and &C.
cOutrements from the wall. But on try.
ing the piece with the ramrod, it proved
to be unlOaded. She thrust her hand
into the pouch, but it contained nothing
but musket balls, which her husband had
purchased few days before, to run into
bullets suitable for his rifle. The powder
horn was full, but of what use was the
powder without the ball Dropping the
weapon, she wrung her hands in despair.
Suddenly an idea struck her-she seized
one of the bullets, placed it between her
teeth, and by a tremendous exertion bit
it in two. Dashing charge of powder
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 GOV.
cred the body of the chief Row advancing
at the head of the party towards the
house. The quick eye of the savage
caught the glimmer Of the rife sight a,
the sun fell upon it, and he stopped, but
before he had time to make . rush,
Miriam IS finger pressed the trigger. When
the puff of smoke from the distance had
cleared away, she saw him clutching in
the air in the vain effort to recover him.
self. Before the other Indians, who
seemed paralyzed by the unexpected
catastrophe, could afford him any assist.
ance, he threw his hands above his head
and, whirling quickly around, fell upon
his face. .s.
A shout of triumph burst from the lips
of Miriam as she saw the effects of the
avenging shot, and then W; hdrawing
from the loop-hole, she commenced re.
loading the rifle.
The Indians remained motionless for a
few seconds, transfixed with astoniSh-
ment, and then lifting the body of their
chief, with 1rew to q respectful distance
from the cabin, and the inmates half be-
lieved their peril was over. But they
were deceived.
After getting cut of gun-shot, the saw
ages clustered together and appeared for
several minutes to be in close converse
ton. At the expiration of their 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.
As the foremost came up, Miriam Cook,
who was now stationed at another loop
hole, again discharged her rifle, and the
unlucky Wyandott shot through both
legs, dropped in his tracks with an invol-
untary shrek of agony. The others kept
on, and reaching the cabin, six of them
clarnbered on the roof, while the other
five commenced firing on the doors and
cutting openings in the logs. Those on
the roof quickly kindled a fire on the
shingles, which were soon in blaze.
The destruction of the cabin and its in
mates now seemed inevitable
There was hogshead half full of wa
ter in the house. Miriam, bucket in
hand, mounted to the loft and Hope and
Alice supplied her with water from be
low, by which she contrived to extinguish
the flames as fast as they broke out.
while she herself, enveloped, and almost
suftocated by steam and smoke. was
invisible to the assailant. At length the
water was exhausted, and the Indians
observing that the efforts of the besiegsd
party were slackening, ventured to poke
his head through one of the holes that
had been burned in the roof, to See how
the land lay. The undaunted Miriam
was standing within few feet of the
opening, and at the instant she whirled
the empty bucket around her head, and
whirling it with a swing of her arm,
| struck him directly in the forehead with
the sharp edge of the stave. She heard
the bones crash and the victim groan, Q
moment after which he was drawn away
by his companions. three of whom de
scended from the roof, bearing him il
MI rarialii &c | |ruwrnougnt she heard the two
remaining savages tearing the upper logs
of the chimney, and presuming they in.
tended to effect an entrance that way.sbe
ran down stairs to prepare for them.
The fe ather bed the feather bed !" she
shouted, as she reached the lower room.
and this much priced article in fror
tierman's inventory of household chattels
was quickly brought forth and thrown
into the huge fire place. By this time
one of the Indians had fairly got into the
chimney. The savage made an effort tc
scramble up again, but the pungent
effuyia of the feathers overcame him, enc
he fell heavily on the hearth-stone. In
the meantime, Miriam had grasped th'
rifle and held it ready for his reception
Scarcely, had he touched the floor, wher
the iron bound point of the breech crash
ed through his skull. The other whC
had caught a Whit Of the vapor in time
to avoid like fate, hastily decended from
the roof.
Four of the thirteen Indians were now
killed, but these casualties only added
new fury to the remainder. They vel
knew that the cabin was occupied b.
women only-and nothing could be NOR
degrading in the eyes of these swarth..
warriors than to be batfied by parce
of sauaws. They now furiously assalle'
the door with tomahawks. To this pro
ceeding the inmates could offer no resist
ance. In striking the savage who ha'
fallen down the chimney, Miriam hat
broken the lock of her husbands rifle
the only one they had-and now, handlnl
the weapon to her sister-in-law, she armf'
herself with the axe of the young Mc
Andre. which stood in the corner, ant
prepared herself for the last extremity
Alice betook herself to very iormida6l
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