The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1859-04-30

AS'eSsa " "oa"' ouu "ac Juss SoAhS W aS'
herself down and drop the trap door
which she had already cut off the strap
by which it was lifted, when a sudden
thought made her culver.
One moment, she stood irresolutc, then
unlocking the little portable desk which
she had taken from her sons trunk, and
which contained his deeds and notes she
took from it small vial, filed to the
brim with white powder. Then going
to dry goods box, which, sat upon eud
formed their cupboard, she seized the
whisky Jug, for in those days of which
We write that was considered one of the
necessities of frontier existence. 1t was
full. She poured out glass and then
deliberately emptied the contents of the
vial into the jug and shook it till she was
satisfied the powder and liquor were thor.
oughly mixed. The placed it upon the
table, with the glass beside it, and then
muttering: "It's in self defence. If
don't kill them they will US, the red var.
mints," she crept hurriedly into the eel.
lar and letting down the trap door and
Lighting candle, proceeded to admins
ter an 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 trust it in the hands of the Indians
A half hour of torturing suspense and
anxiety followed, and then the war,
whoop burst upon their ears and the cab,
in door was violently broken open. There
were six stalwart "braves," aud as they
rushed in, yelling and leaping and brand
ishing their tomahawks, it seemed to the
women below as though hell had lost
some of its iends. They had three cap
tives with them, young Nick Edmonds
and his wife and three-y year 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,
on them, while the others rushed to the
beds whereon they supposed new victims
lay.
They were empty of course, and mad.
dcned that their prey should have escap
ed them, they struck light, for they
had brought off Nick's match safe and
his wife's winter stock of candles, and
commenced the work of destruction
The feather beds and pillows were ripped
up with their hunting knives and their
contents scattered, The straw ticks were
carried out doors and set FIRE to. The
chests and trunks were broken open and
after selecting such things as they
thought would please a favorite squaw
they strung the others into rags Tho
dishes were swept from the shelves, and
the tin pans and basins cloyen in twain
with their hatchets. The little furni
ture Of which the young wife was Sc
proud, aud which she had brought hun,
dreds of miles was ruthlessly split up and
a fire kindled with the splinters. The
arm of one of the most infuriatei Of the
red men was raised to cleave the table,
when his eye caught sight of the jug Of
whisky and the glass. In moment he
had drained the latter and poured it full
again and drank it down. The rest fol
lowed him and stayed not their lips from
the glass till the last drop was shaken
from tue jug. Then Tightening anew
the withs with which they had bound
their captives, they wrapped thei,
| blankets about themselves and lay down
before the ample fireplace, now all of q
brilliant blaze with the pine aud mahog
ony which they had thrust into it. They
evidently thought themselves in comfort
able quarters, and their looks and action.
expressed perfect satisfaction.
But not long did they lie there quiet
| ly. Que after another began to writhe
and groan aud ere long their agony was
fearful to behold Edmonis and his wife
cannot to this day, though thirty years
have passed, speak Of it without shudder
ing. They shut their eyes against i,
then, but their hands were bound and
they could no: close their ears to the hor
rid yells of pain which issued from each
withering lip.
1t did not last long though. One by
one they staggered out into the open all
and fell down upon the snow and died.
The silence that followed their depart
ure was awful to the captives. 1t was
the weird hour of the night, and TO theil
excited brains every fickering shadow
which the fire light cast upon the wall,
seemed o phantom from the land O
! death.
any God" cried Edmonds at last
while great drops stood upon his brow,
"must we bear this! o, if | could only
loosen my hands -
"Don't fret yourself, Nick. I'll soor
free you."
Who speaks ?" he exclaims, while
the perspiration started anew and trick
led down his face in heavy heads.
81 should think you were pretty con
siderably frightened, Nick, not to know
old grandmother Smiths voice." said tn,
old lady gently, as she emerged from th'
cellar. "These red varmints are all dead
reckon, by this time. | thought i
would fix them out. | thought | coulc
send them to their heavenly huntin,
grounds, If tried pretty hard. ! owe'
them a grudge The bloodthirsty heath
ems. I've never forgotten how they uss'
me and my pretty first baby. l can re
member as long a, any Indian
While she was talking thus she was a
the same time busy in severing the band
of the three captives, and when that wa
finished she bade Nick go into the celia
and lift out the half dead Mary. Whit
and trembling as though in the hour Q
death, lay the poor creature in his arms
while her resolute mother, undismaye
by the destruction about her, went hur
risdly to work to fix her up bed, Luck
lily their soft, snow white blankets, wit
their bright ribbon bindings, aud thei
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