The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-03-03
tellautous,
THE BEST SHOT.

x Is
capes, parallel can easily be found
The story was told us by an old and val
ued friend, now residing in the country
near this city, but whose early life was
spent near the tragic adventure here re-
corded.
We give the story as related to us, IN
the words of the hero:
1t was about the year 1905 that set
tied in Virginia, near the falls OF the
Kanawha. The country at that time was
an unbroken wilderness. But few settle
mcnts had been made then by the whites,
and they were SO far apart as to render
vain all hopes of assistance in cases of at
tacks from hostile Indians-numbcrs OF
which still infested the neig hborhood.
| lived there alone for several E.onths
unmolested, and 10y dint of perseverance,
being then young and hardy, had sue
cec(icd in making quite large clearing
in the forest, which had planted with
corn, and which promised an abundant
yield.
One morning after we had dispatched
oar humble meal, and L had just prepar-
ed to venture forth on my regular rou-
tine of labor, my attention was arrested
by tho tinkling of q cowbcll iii the corn
field.
"There," said my wife, ''the COW is in
the corn field"
But the ear of q back woodsman be-
comes by education, very acute, especially
so from the fact that his safety depends
upon the nice cultivation of that sense.
was not so easily deceived. | listened
tho sound was repeated. That, said |,
in reply to the remark of my wife, was
not the tinkle of bell upon the neck OF q
COW. 1t is decoy from some Indian who
desires to draw me into ambush.
Believing this to be the case, | took
down my old musket, Il had no rifle
and seeing that it was properly loaded, i
stole cautiously around the field toward
the point from which the sodnd seemed to
proceed AS l suspected, there, in clus-
ter of bushes, crouched an Indian wal ING
for me to appear in answer to his decoy-
bell, that he might send the fatal bullet te
my heart. | approached without discov-
ering myself to him until within shooting
distance, then raised my piece and fired
The bullet sped true to its mark, and the
Indian fell dead.
Not knowing but he might be accom-
panied by others, I returned with all speed
to the calm, and having firmly barrica-
ded the doot, l watched all day from the
port holes in anticipation of an attack
from the companions of the Indian had
killed. To add to the danger and seem
ing hopclessness of my situation, | discoy-
cred that had but one charge of pow.
der left. l could but make one shot, and
then, if attacked by numbers, / should be
entirely in their power Determined t.
do the best with what [ had, | poured
out the last charge of powder and put il
into nv musket. and then waited for tho
approach of night feeling confident of an
attack. Night came at last. A beautiful
moonlight night it was too, and this favor
ed me greatly, as | would thereby be able
to observe the movements of the enemy as
they approached my cabin. 1t was some
two hours after nightfall, and as yet had
neither heard nor seen q sign of the Indi-
ans when suddenly was startled by the
baying of my dog at the stable. knew
that the Indians were coming. The stable
stood little to the west of the cabin, and
between the two was a patch of cleared
ground, upon which the light of the full
moon fell unobstructed. Judging from
the noise at the stable that they would
advance from that direction, | posted my
self at the port hole on that side of the
cabin.
l had previously placed my wife on thu
cross-pole of tho chimney, so that in cas'
our enemies effected au entrance into tho
cabin, she might climb out through thu
low chimney and effect her escape. Fol-
myself, entertained no hope; but deter
mined not to be taken alive, | resolved t,
sell my life dearly.
With breathless anxiety | watched a
the portfolio. AT length l saw them c
merge from the shadow OF the stable ant
advance across the vacant ground towards
nv cabin. Ono two three = grea
| Heaven six stalwart Indians, armed TO tn,
| teeth, and urged on by the hope of re