Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1857-11-26
A Thrilling Adventure.

ry .'of hair breadth escapes pal
allel to the following can be found
The story was told us by an old an
valued friend, now residing near Lou
isvilIe, but whose early days wer
spent near the tragic adventure her
recorded.
We give the story as related to U
in the words of the hero:
! 1t was about the year 1905 tha
! settled in Virginia. near the fall Q
the Kanawha. The country then wa
an unbroken wilderness. But few
settlements bad been made then by
the whites, and they were so far a
part as to render vain all hopes o
assistance in case Of an attack from
hostile Indians numbers of whom
still infested the neighborhood.
lived there alone with my wife fol
several months uumolested, and by
dint of perseverance. being then
young and hardy, had succeeded in
making quite large clearing in the
forest, which ] had planted with corn,
and which promised an abundant
yield.
One morning, after We bad dis,
patched our humble meal, and | had
just prepared to venture forth upon
my regular routine of labor, my at
tention was arrested by the tinkling
Of cow-bell in my corn-f' Id.
There said my wife, '..he COW is
in the corn-Geld.'
But the ear of the back woodsman
becomes. by education, very acute, es-
pecially so from the fact that his safety
often depends upon the nice cultiva-
ton of that sense. | was not so ca,
sily deceived. / listened the sound
was repeated. That, said !, in reply
to the remark of my wife. was not
the iinkle of bell upon the neck OF
a cow. It is decoy from some In
dian who desires to draw me into
ambush
Believing this to be the case, / took
down my old musket, q had no rifle }
and seeing that it was properly load.
ed, stole cautiously around the
field towards the point from which
the sound seemed to proceed. As
had suspected, there, in cluster OF
bushes, crouched an Indian waiting
for me to appear in answer TO his de-
coy bell, that he might send the IA
tai bullet to my heart. / approached
without discovering myself him, until
within shooting distance, then raised
my piece and fred. The bullet sped
true to its mark, and the Indian, fell
dead.
Not knowing but be might he ac-
companied by others, ] returned with
all speed to the cabin, and having
firmly barricaded the door, | watched
all day from the port holes in antici-
ration of an attack from the compan.
ions of the Indian | had killed. Tc
add to tbe danger, and seeming hope
lessness Of my situation, | discovered
that | had but one charge of powde'
left. could make but one shot, ant
then, if attacked by numbers, I
should be entirely in their power
Determined to dothe best with wha
l had. poured out the last charge o
powder and put it into my musket
and then waited for the approach Q
night. feeling confident of an attack
Night came at last. A beantifu
moonlight night it was too. and thi
favored me greatly, as | would there
by be able to bserve the movement
OF the enemy as they approached
my cabin. 1t was some two hour
after nightfall, and as yet ! had ne'
i thcr heard or seen a sign OF the In
diars. when / was suddenly startle'
by the baying Of my dog at the sta
Bile. The stable stood a little to th
west of tie cabin. aud between IN
two was patch Of cleared groun'
:. upon which the light Of the full moo
FELL unobs ructed- Judging from tn
noise at the stable that they woul
advance from that direction, | poste
myself ut the port hole on that SID
of the cabin. :,
/ had previously placed my WI
on the cross pole IN the Chimney. 8
that in case our enemies effected q
leairance into the cabin she m'gt
climb out through the low ch'mne
sau,, effect her escape. For mysel
'.'.-,os but determlf
| entertained no ns4~,s rosolve
ed not to be taksn olive.
to sell my life dearly.