American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-04-12
THE MOTHERS DEFENCE.
A TALE OF THE FRONTIER WAR.

the cabin, she tore the weapon and accou.
trements from the wall, but on trying the
ramrod, it proved to be unloaded.
She thrust her hand into the pouch, but
it contained nothing but musket balls,
which her hasband 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 tre-
mendous exertion bit it in two. Dashing
a charge Of powder into the barrell, she
rammed down one of the fragments, pri-
med 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 glimmer of the
sight as the sun fell upon it. and he stop
ped, and before he had time TO make rush
Miriam's finger pressed the trigger. When
the puff of smoke from the distance had
cleared away, she saw linn clutching in
the air in the effort to recover himself
Before the other Indians, who seemed par
alyzed by the unexpected catastrophe,
could afford him any assistance, he threw
his hands above his head, and whirling
quickly around, fell upon his face. A shout
of triumph burst from the lips of Miriam,
as she saw the effect of tie avenging
shot, and then Withdrawing from the loop
hole, she commenced reloading the rifle.
The Indians remained motionless for a
few seconds, transiixed with astonishment,
and lifting the body of their chief, with
drew to respectful distance from the
cabin, and the inmates half believed their
peril was over. But they were deceived.
After getting out Of gun-shot the sava-
ges clustered together and appeared for
several minutes to be in close conyersa-
ton. AT the expiration of their powwow,
having apparently agreed upon their plan
of action, the whole gang took open order,
and dashed at full run, with wild yells to-
ward 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 bis tracks with an involuntary
shrek of agony. The others kept on, and
reaching the cabin, six Of them clambered
on the roof, and the other five commenced
firing on the doors and cutting openings
in the logs. Those on the roof quickly
kindlcd fire on the shingles, which were
soon in a blaze. The destruction of the
cabin and its inmates now seemed inevita-
ble.
There was hogshead half full of wa
ter in the house, Miriam, bucket in hand.
mounted to the loft, and Hope ami Alice
supplied her with water from below, by
which she contrived to extinguish the
flames as fast as they broke out, while she
herself, enveloped, and almost suffocated
by steam and smoke, was invisible to the
assaiants.
AT length the water was exhausted, and
one of the Indians observing that the ef-
forts of tie besieged party were slacken-
ing, ventured to poke his head through
one of tie holes that lad been burning in
the roof, to see how the land lay. The
undaunted Miriam was standing within a
few feet of the opening, and that instant
she whirled the empty bucket around her
head, and whirling il with a swing of her
arm, struck him directly in the forehead
with the sharp edge of the slaves. She
heard the bones crush and the victim
groan, and moment after which, he was
drawn away by his companions, three of
whom descended from the roof, bearing
him in their arms.
Miriam now thought she heard the two
remaining savages tearing the upper logs
off the chimney, and presumed they in
tended TO attempt an entrance that way,
she ran down stairs to prepare for them.
"The feather bed! the feather bed ~
she shouted, and she reached the lower
room, and this priced article in frontier
mans inventory Of household chattles was
quickly brought forth and thrown into the
huge fire place. By this time one of the
Indians had fairly got in the chimney;
and the other one about to follow.
"Thrust the lighted brands into il
quick |" said Alice, and in a moment
clouds of smoke from the burning feath-
ers, were descending the chimney. The
savage made an effort to scramble up a.
gain, but the pungent effluvia ofthe feath-
ers overcame him; and he fell heavily on
the hearth stone. Inthe meantime, Mi
riam grasped the rife and held it ready for
bis reception. Scarcely had he reached
the floor, when the iron bound point oI
the breech crashed through bis scull. The
other, who had caught Whit of the va
por in time to avoid like fate, hastily
descended from the roof. ~
Four Of the thirteen Indians were now
killed, but these casualties only added
new fury TO the remainder. They wei
knew that the cabin was occupied by wo
men only, and nothing could be more de-
grading IN the eyes Of these swartby war
riors than to be bafled by parcel o
squaws.
I They now fnriously assailed the dool
with tcmahawks. To this proceeding thu
4 inmates could Offer no resistance. il
striking the savage who had fell down th'
chimney, Miriam had broken the lock o