The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-08-24
ayscutsgs, Commerce, Mangactapes Arts, Sciences Do

Tue necessities OF frontier existence It was
full. She poured out glass and then delib-
erateiy empded the contents of the vial into
the jug and shook it till she was satisfied the
powder and liquor was thoroughly mixed
She placed it upon the table, with the glass
beside it, and then muttering : It's in self de
fence. IF don't kill them they will us, the
red varmints,' she crept hurridly into the cell
lar. and letting down the trap door and light
ing candle, proceeded to opiate to the babe
who had just awakened. 1t was soon lulled
to sleep and folded closely to her bosom, for
she was determined to suffocate it rather than
risk it in the hands of the Indians.
A half honr of torturing suspense and anx-
ieto followed. and then the war.whoop burst
upon their ears and the cabin door was vio.l
lently broken open. There was six stalwart
braves and as they rushed in. yelling and
leaping and brandishing their tomabawka, IL
seemed to the women below as though hell
had lost some of of its fepds They had three
lcaptives with them, young Nick Edmonds aud
a three-ye old boy. Two of them FASTENED
to bind the feet of the poor creatures whom
they had that night made homeless, and who
had been spared the scalping knife, only that
other and deeper pains might be inflicted up
lon them, while the others rushed to the beds
whereupon they supposed new victims lay.
They were empty. of course, and maddened
that their prey should have escaped them
(they struck aliglit. flor they had brought off
Nick 3 match safe and his wife's winter stock
fcandles.) and commenced the work of de-
Istruction. The feather beds and pillows we're
ripped up with their hunting knives. and their
icontents scattered. The straw ticks were car
ried outdoors and set FIRE to. The chests and
trunks were broken open and after selecting
such things as they thought would please q
favorite squaw, they strung the others into
irags. The dishes was swept from the shelves
land the tin pans and basins Glove into tw ain
with their hatehets. The little furniture ol
4 which the young wife was so proud and which
she bad brought hundreds of miles. was ruth
lessly split up and a Gre kindled with its spIint
4 ers.E The arm of one of the most iufuriated
red men was raised to cleave the table, wber
his eye caught sight of the jug of whisky anc
: the glass. In moment he had drained ths
3 latter and poured it full again and drank i
et down sgain. The rest followed him. and stay
3 ed not their lips from the glass 'till the las
drop was shaken from the jug. Then tighten
ling anew the withes with which they ha,
bound their captives,they wrapped their blank
cts about themselves and lay down before tn
ample fireplace,now all of brilliant blaze wit
the pine and mahogany which they had thrus
s into it. They evidently thought themseIye
. in comfortable quarters and their looks an
actions expressed perfect satisfaction.
5 But not long did they lie there quietly
One after another began to writhe and groal
( land ere long their agony was fearful TO be
81 hold Edmonds and his wife cannot to th
] dav, thouehlthirty years have passed. speak
it without shuddering. They shut their ey,
q against it then. but their hands were boun
and they could not close their ears to tf
4 horrid yells of pain which issued from eae
- whitening lip. sa 4
It did not last long though. One by OIL
they staggered out into the open air and f
down upon the snow and DIED.
T The silence that followed their departu
was awful to the eaptives. It was the wei
8 hour of the night, and to their excited brai
every Pickering shadow which the fire Zig
- cast uponathe wall, seemed phantom fro
the lard of death. as Is
.My God cried Edmonds at last,w gre
Idrops stood upon his brow. must we be
this o. if could only loosen my hands I
Don't fret yourself, Nick. I'll soon fl
you fs aF
r. Who speaksf' he exclaimed, while the p
]. SEPARATION started anew and trickled down
!, face ia heavy beads.
a II should think you were consideral
!. frightened, Nick, not to know old grandma
e er Smiths voice. said the old lady, gently,
o she emerged from the cellar. Those red '
a. mints are all dead. reckon, by this time.
n !, thoughti it would FIX them out. I though
n could send them to their heavenly hunt
s grounds. il. i tried pretty hard. / owed tn
n a grudge. the blood-thirsty heathens. ]
never forgotten how they used me and my pi
u ty first baby. can remember as long as
Ez Indian s5ass7 s ~
=, While she was talking thus, she was at
: same time busy in severing the bands of
''iS three captives, and when that was finished
: bade Nick go into the cellar and lift out
- half dead Mary. White and trembling
: though in the hour of death, lay the p
=. creature in his arms, while her resolute M,
= er, undismayed by the destruction about
went hurriddly to work to fix her up
- Luckily their soft snow white blankets, !
their bright ribbon binding, and their
y /. chintz quilts had struck the fancy of the
ans, and been laid aside. From these
Smith soon formed neat and comforts
couch, and placing the fainting woman D
~ lit, she made her drink the rest of the v
~ and then put on the tea-kettle and soon b
no hot cup of coffee for them all.
They've done up the job for you, ha,
-, :. they she said, addressing Nick, as they 9
-, cred about the hearth.
he yes, grandmother. My little home Isl
I'M and my barn and stacks of hay and wheat
~ my corn-crib-all,' and be bowed his
nd and covered his face with his hands {
as. Yes said the wife, piteously, and all
AXE we had in the house-the linen sheets
nix, towels, pillow-cases and table-cloths Il
ook took so much pride in spinning and wea
ays. and my beds and pillows and bedding
ust here her voice failed, and she burst into