Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1858-01-28

lowing can easily be found. Ihe story was
told us by an old and valued friend, now
residing in the country near this city, but
whose early days were spent near the trag-
ic adventure here recorded.
We give the story as related to us by the
hero:
1t was about the year 1905, that I set
tied in Virginia, near the falls of the Kan
awha.
The country, at that time, was but an
unbroken wilderness. But few settlements
had been made then by the whites; and
they were so far apart as to reader vain all
hopes of assistance in case of an attack
from hostile Indians great number of
whom had still remained in the neighbor-
hood
lived there alone with my wife for sew
eral months unmolested, and, by dint of
perseverance, had succeeded in making a
large clearing in the forest, which l had
planted with corn, aud which promised AZ
abundant yield.
One morning, after we had dispatched
OUR humble meal. and had just prepared
to ventura. forth upon my regular routine OF
labor, my attention was arrested by the
tinkling of cowbell in the corn field.
"There." said my wife, "the COW is in
the corn-feld."
But the ear of the back-woodsman be-
comes, hy education, very acute, especially
so from the fact that his safety often de-
pends upon the nice cultivation of that
sense. I was not so easily deceived. l
listened-the sound was repeated. That,
said l. in reply to the remark of my wife.
has not the tinkle of bell upon the neck
of 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, II had no rifle and seeing
that it was properly loaded, l stole eau
tiously around the field toward 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 to answer to his decoy-bell, that
he might send the fatal bullet to my heart
l approached, without discovering myself
to him until within shooting distance, then
instantly raised my piece and fired. The
bullet sped true TO its mark, and the Indian
fell dead.
Not knowing but he mi ght be occompa-
MED by others, l returned with all speed
to the cabin. and having firmly barricaded
the door. 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 seeming hopeless
ness of my situation, l discovered that
had but one charge of powder left. Icould
make but one shot; and then. if attacked
by numbers, should be entirely in their
power. Determined tn do the best with
what had. poured out the last charge of
powder and put it into my musket and then
waited for the approach of night. feeling
confident of an attack. Night came on at
last. A beautiful moonlight night it was.
too, and this favored me greatly. as there
by would be able to observe the move
ment Of the enemy as they approached my
cabin. 1t was two hours after rightfall,
and as yet l had neither heard or seen a
sign of the Indians. when SUDDENLY 1 was
startled by the baying of my dog at the
stable. knew that the Indians were COM
Jag. 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 az the stable that
they would advance from that direction, /
posted myself at the port hole on that side
of the cabin.
had previously placed my wife on the
cross pole in the chimney, so that in case
our enemies effected an entrance into the
cabin. she might climb out through the low
chimney and effect her escape. For my
self entertained no hope, but determined
not to be taken alive, l resolved to sell my
life dearly.
With breathless anxiety, l watched the
port hole. At length, / saw them emerge
from the shadow of the stable and advance
across the vacant ground towards my cab
in. One. two. three-great heavens!--si1
stalwart Indians, armed to tho teeth, and
urged on by the hope of revenge. and ]
alone to oppose them, with but one charge
of powder. My case was desperate indeed
With quick yet stealthy steps, in close sin