The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-06-24
geIett M(istellang>
From the Dayton Empire.l
A THRILLING ADVENTURE.

We question whether in all the his
tory of chair breadth 'scapes' parallel
to the following can easily be found
The story was told US by an old and
valued friend new residing in the coun-
try near this city, but whose early days
were spent near the scene of the tragic
adventure here recorded.
We give the story, as related to us,
in the words of the hero
at was about the year 1795 that I
settled in Virginia near the falls of the
Kanawha. The country was at that time
an unbroken wilderness But few set
Elements had been made then by the
whites, and they were SO far apart as to
render vain all hope of assistance in case
of an attack from hostile Indians-num-
bers of whom still infested the neighbor-
hood.
"I lived here alone with my wife for
several months unmolested, and by dint
of untiring perseverance, being then
young and hardy, had succeeded in max
ing quite large clearing in the forest
which had planted with corn, and which
promised an abundant yield.
"One morning, after we had despatch
ed our humble meal, and had just pre-
pared to venture forth upon my regular
routine of labor, my attention was. ar
rested by the tinkling of COW bell in
the cornield.
"'There' said my wife, 'the COW is in
the corn field
"But the ear of the backwoodsman
becomes by education, very acute, es-
pecially SO from the fact that his safety
often depends upon the nice cultivation
of that sense. I was not so easily de-
ceived. 1 listened-the sound was re-
peated. THAT said I, in reply to the
remark of my wife, was not the tinkle
of a bell upon the neck of COW. 1t is
a decoy from some Indian who desires
to draw me into an ambush
"Believing this to be the case I took
down my old musket Il had no rife) and
seeing that it was properly loaded, I
stole cautiously around the field toward
the point from which the sound seemed
to proceed. AS had suspected, there,
in cluster of bushes, crouched an In
dian waiting for me to appear in answe,
to his decoy bell, that he might send the
fatal bullet to my heart. I approached
without discovering myself to him, until
within good shooting distance, then
raised my piece and fired. The bullet
sped true to its mark, and the Indian
fell dead.
"Not knowing but that he might be
accompanied by others returned with
all speed to my cabin, and having firmly
barricaded the door, I watched all day
from the port holes, in anticipation ol
an attack from the companions of the
Indian 1 had killed. To add to the
danger, and seeming hopelessness of my
situation, I discovered, that I had but one
charge of powder left. I could make
but one shot, and then, if attacked BY
numbers, I should be entirely in theil
power. Determined to do the best will
what I had; 1 poured in my last charge
of powder and put into my musket ff
teen slugs, and then waited for the ap
proach of night, feeling confident of al
attack. Night came at length. A
beautiful moonlight night it was too
and this favored me greatly as I woult
thereby be able to observe the move
ments of the enemy as they approached
my cabin. It vas some two hours afte
nightfall and as yet had neither heart
nor seen sign of the Indians, whel
suddenly I was startled by the bayinl
of my dog at the stable. I knew tha
the Indians were coming. The stabl
stood little to the west of the cabin
and between the two was patch Q
cleared ground, upon which the light 9
the full moon fell unobstructed. Judg
ing from the noise at the stable that the
would advance from that direction,
posted myself at the port hole on tina
side the cabin.
'I had previously placed my wife W
on the cross pole in the chimney, so tha
in case our enemies effected an entranc