Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1858-05-25
KANAWHA G. Ia TUEsDA Az IS. 1858.
routine of labor. my attention was arrest
ed BY the tinklingsofsA cow,bell il the

= TTss ssS N
".' There, said my wife, . the COW is III
the curn-feld.' Is 3 a}
But the ear Of the back woodsmsn be-
comes by education. very azure, especial
ly 50 from the fact that his safety often de-
pendsaupon the nice cultivation of that
sense i was not 20 easily deceived. i |
listened-the sound was repeated. That.
said I, in reply to5 the remark Of my wife.
was not the tinkle Ola belluponthe neck
of d COW. II is adeeoy from some Indian
who desires to5draw me into ambush. 6E
|. !. Believing this TO be the case. ! took
down my old musket, Il had noTife and
seeing tiiatil was properly loaded / stole
cautiously around the field toward the
point from which the sennd seemed 10
proceed. As | had suspected, there, In
4 cluster of bushes, crouched an Indian
waiting for me to appear in answer to the
deeoy-bell,I that be might send the fatal
bullet 10 my heart, approached, without
discovering myself to him, until within
shooting distance, then raised my piece
and fired. The bullet sped true u lib
mark, and the Indian felldead. lto
sf''f Not knowing that he might be accom-.
panied By others, / returned with all
speed to the cabin, and having firmly bar
ricaded the door, / watched all day from
the port holes in anticipation of an attack
from the companions Of the Indian had
killed. 70 add to the danger. and seem
ing hopelessness Of my situation, / dis
covered that had but one charge Of pow
der left. Ileould but make one shot, and
then, if attacked by numbers, should
be entirely in their power. Determined
to drthe best with what I had. poured
out the last charge Of powder and put il
intoEmy musket and then waited for the
approach Of night. feeling confident Of an
attack Night came at last. a beauti-
full moonlight night it was too, and this
favored me greatly, as would thereby
be able 70 observe tile movements ofithe
enemy as they approached my eabin.- ~
~ was two hours after nightfall, and as
yet. i had neither heard or seen a sign d
the Indians. when suddenly I was star
tied BY the baying ofsmy dog at the sta
ble.3g Iknew that the Indians were COM
Ting. The stable stood a little TO the west
of the cabin,and between the two was !
patch ofIcleared ground. upon which, tht
| light of The full moon fell uno5structed
Judging from the noise at the stable thai
they would advance from that direction,
II posted myself at theiport hole on thai
side the cabin. t4,
"a had previously placed my wife on
1.-THE cross pole in the chimney, SO that
lin case our enemies effected an entrance
Unto the cabin she might climb out through
the low chimney and effect her escape.
For myself, Ientertained no hope bat,
determined not to be taken alive RET
solved to sell my life dearly.
with breathless anxiety I watched al
1.-THE portihole. AT length saw them
emerge from the shadow Of the stable and
advance across the vacant ground to-
wards My cabin. nev-two--tbree-4
igreat Heavens six stalwart Indians,
armed to the teeth, and urged on by
the 2hopeIof revenge, and alone to OPP.
pose them, with but one charge Of powder
Ny easel was desperate indeed. With
quick yst steaathy step, in close single
file they approached. and were already ID
a few wards of the house, when 4 slight
change III the movement Of the forward
Iidjans changed the position Of the en-
lire six. DO that a portion of the left side
kof each was uncovered. they were in !
ran ge--ohe aim would cover all. Quicl
as thought aimed and fired. AS the
smoke cleare,l away. / could hardly credi
what my sense showed me as the resul
Iof my shot. The fifteen slugs witt
which I bad loaded my musket had dom
Etheif work well. FIVE of the six Indian.
Hay dead upon the ground, and tile sixth
had disappeared.
Although no enemy was now il sight
III did not venture forth TIL morning "
There lay,the bodies Of five Indians IN
disturbed, together with the rife Of tht
Eother.I Securing the arms and ammunition
lofEthe fallen, Indians, / followed up th'
Etrail Of The missing one, unsil il. reached
1.-The river, beyond which point couls
discover no trace Whatever. From III,
amount Of blood which marked the trail
together with the unmistakable 1eTidenc,
THAT lie had picked his way with Difficult
1ty. j was led to believe thatls was NOR
tally wounded, aud ii order to proven
Ibis body from falling into the hands 9
Ibis white foe. he had CROPPED his way 7
1.-The river aud thrown himself into th,
fcurrent which had borne him away.
/ The indians had killed ny COW. anl
chat youErnay be assured. was no trifin:
/ loss, vet In my gratitude for my escape
from the merciless savsges. ] would hay
tbeen utterly willing tohaye made create
sacrifices. / was we'll provided=-b,
means Of arms and ammunition taken from
1.-THE six IAdians in ease Of: second attack
but this. fortunately, proved to be m,
last adventure with the sayages. MOI
lone Of the band had escaped % tell thl
'Etale and ihcite his brethren TO ayenge thl
death of his other comrades.
4 AM exclaimed the old man. Will
the tears gushed from his eyes at th,
4 memory bf that eventful night, 'lhat wa
\ l. glorious shot-the best ever made.
HlT The hero OF this adventure lived to se'
4 Tie rude wilderness where he had pitchet
\ lis lonely cabin, transformed intn smiiin.
ldelds and peopled by hardy and enter
lprising pale faces, among whom his las
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