Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1860-11-16
A Eaylic Woman.

On the Illinois river, two hundred
miles from its junction with the Mississip-
pi, there lived, 10 1912, pioneer, known
in those days as "Oid Parker, the Squat
ter" His family consisted OF wife aud
three children, the oldest a boy of nine
teen, a girl Of seventeen, aud the youngest
boy Of fourteen. At the time, Parker
and his oldest boy had gone in company
with three Indians on hunt, expecting
to be absent five or six days. The third
day after their departure, one Of the lndi
ans returned to Pa,ker's house, came in
and sat himself down by the fire, lii bis
pipe, and commenced smoking in silence.
. Mrs. Parker thought nothing Os this, as 1t
was no uncommon thing for Indians tOruu
abruptly from hunt, at some sign they
nigh. consider omiDous Of bad luck, aud
iu such instances were Dot very communl-
ca,i:e. But at last the Iuiian broke sl-
ieuoe with-"Ugh. old Parker die"
This exclamation immediately drew
Mrs. parker's attention, who directly in
quired of the Indian, "WLat's the matter
with parker!'
The Indian responded, "Parker sici,
tree fell ou him; you go-he de"
The replies Of the Indian aroused her
suspicious. She, however, came to the
conclusion to send her son with the Indian
to see Ghat was the matter. The night
passed, aud the next day, aud neither the
boy nov the Indian returned. This con-
Ermei Mrs. Parker in her opinion tha,
there was foul play. She and her dausb-
ter barricaded the door and the windows
IL the bes, way they could. The young
est boys rife was tie only one left, he not
having taken it with him when he vent 10
hunt his father. Tie old LADY TOOK the
rifle, the daughter the aye-and, thus
armed, they determined to watch through
the night, aud defend themselves If neces-
sary. They had no, long to wait, After
nightfall, some one commenced knocking
stthe door, crying out, Mother. mother"
But Mrs. Parker thought that the voice
was not like that Of her son, and in order
10 ascertain the fact, she asked him where
the Indians were: The reply, which was,
"um gone" satisfied her on that point.
She then said, as if speaking to her son,
Put your ear to the latch-hole Of the
door. want to tell you something be-
fore We open the dooE."
The head was placed at the hole: the
old lady fired through the spot, and killed
the Indian. She stepped back from the
door Instantly, and it is well she Old, for
quickly two rifle bullets came whis'iiHg
through the wiudo.. 4 death!Ike silcuce
ensued COR about FIVE minutes, when two
more balls, III qrica succession, were fred
through the door; then followed tronen-
dOus punching with a log, the door gave
way, aui with a feudsh yell an ludiau
was about to spring in, when the unerrlng
rife stretched his hfeless body across the
threshold Of the door. The surviving H.
dian fred at random, and ran, doing 10
injury.
The mother and daughter, with the ri.
he and axe, then went to the river, took
the canoe, aad iu SIX days arrived among
the old French settlers at ST. Louis. A
party of about dozen men crossed over
into Illinois, aud, after an unusual search,
returned without finding either Parker or
the boys. There are yet some of the set
tiers in the neighborhood Of Peoria who
still point out the spot where Parker lived.
-!S.etches If Frontier Lie.