The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1860-11-08
A Heroic Woman.

On the Illinois river, two hundred miles
from its junction with the Mississippi.
there lived, in 1912, an old pioneer known
in those days as "Old Parker, the Squat
ter" His family consisted Of wife and
three children, the Oldest a boy Of nineteen,
a girl OF seventeen, and the youngest a
boy Of fourteen. At the time of which
we write, Parker and his Oldest boy had
gone in company with three Indians on a
hunt, expecting to be absent some five or
six days. The third day after their depar-
ture, one OF the Indians returned to Park
er's house, came in, and seated himself by
the fire, lit his pipe, and commenced smo-
king in silence. Mrs Parker thought
nothing Of this, as it was no uncommon
thing for one or sometimes more Of party
Of Indians to run abruptly from hunt, at
some sign they might consider ominous of
bad luck, and, in such instances, were not
very communicative. But at last the In
dian broke silence with
"Ugh, old Parker die
This exclamation Immediately drew Mrs.
Parker's attention, who inquired Of the In
diam
"What's the matter with Parker?"
The Indian responded
"Parker sick; tree fell on him; you 60
he die"
The replies of the Indian somewhat
aroused her suspicious She, however,
came to the conclusion to send her son
with the Indian to see what was the mat
ter The boy and Indian started. That
night passed, and the next day too, and
neither the boy nor the Indian returned.
This confirmed Mrs. Parker in her opinion
that there was foul play on the part of the
Indians So she and her daughter went
to work, and barricaded the door and the
windows in the best way they could. The
youngest boys rifle was the only one left,
he not having taken it with him when he
went to hunt his father. The old lady
took the rife, and the daughter the axe
and thus armed they determined to watch
through the night, and defend themselves
if necessary. They had not long to wait.
About nightalI, or shortly after that, some
one commenced knocking at the door, cry
ing out
sMother mothrrv'
But Mrs Parker thought the voice was
not exactly like that OF her son; and in
order to 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
nPut your ear to the latch-hole Of the
door | want to tell you something before
you open the door
The head was placed at the keyhole,
and the old lady fired through the spot
and killed the Indian. She stepped back
from the door instantly, and it was well
she did so, for quickly two rifle bullets
came crashing through the window. y
death-like silence ensued for about five
minutes, when two more balls, in quick
succession, were fired through the door
then followed tremendous punching with
a log, the door gave way, an Indian was
about to spring iE, when the unerring Fl
fe, fired by the old lady, stretched his
BODY across the threshold Of the door
The remaining, or more properly, survl-
wing Indian fred at random, and ran, do
ING no injury. The mother and daughter
with the rife and axe, then went to the
river, took the canoe, and in six days ar
rived among the old French settlers in St
Louis. A party of about dozen mel
crossed over into Illinois, and, after al
unusual search, returned without finding
either Parker or the boys. They were
never found There are yet some of the
settlers in the neighborhood Of Peoria wh(
still point out the spot where old Parker
the squatter, Sketches Of FiOnttc
Life.