The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-11-07
S(listtllaucous,
A Heroic w oman.

On the Illinois river, two hundred miles
from it's junction with the Mississippi, there
lived, in 1912, an old pioneer, known In
those days as "Old Parker, the Squ'tter.'
His family consisted Of vile and three
children, the Oldest boy Of nineteen, girl
ofseyenteen, and the youngest boy ol
fourteen. AT the time of which we write
Parker and his eldest boy had gone in com
ppny with three Indians on hunt, expect
Ing 10 be absent some five or six days. The
third day after their departure, one OF the
Indians returned to Parker's house, came in,
and sat himself down by the fire, lit his pipe,
and commenced smoking in silence. Mrs.
Park ,r thought nothing OF this, as It was no
Uncommon thing for one, or sometimes more,
ci o party ct Indians TO run abruptly from
hunt, at some eign they might consider or'I'
nous Of bad luck, and, in such instances
were not very communicative. But 1t last
the Indian broke silence With
"Ugh, old Parker die"
This exclamation Giately drew Mrs.
Porkers attention, who directly inquired OF
the Indian
"Whats the matter with Parker !"
The Indian responded
"Putker sick tree fell on him ycu 60
he die"
The replies Of the IndiOn somewhat arous
, cd le- suspicious. She, however came to
the conciSscD to seld her son with The In
dian TO see v ha; was the matter. The boy
and Indian started. The night pessed, and
the mex, day, too, and neithe- the BOY DOT
the Indian returned. Tnis confrrced MIS-
Parker in her opinion that there was lO:h
play on The part Of the Indians. So she ard
her daughter went to work, and ba'ricaded
the door nnd the windows in the best wsy
they could. The youngest boys rifle was
the only one left, he not having taken II
with him hen he went TO hunt after his to.
ther. The old lady took the rife, the dHuah'
ter the exc and, thus armed, they deter
mined to watch through the night. and de
fend themselves, if necessary. They had
not long to wait. After niehtloll, or short
ly after that. some one commenced knocx'
ing OF the door, crying out .'.
. "Mother mother !" a4 &.
But Mrs. PIrkerthoueht the voice was moi
exactly like that Of her son and in order l'
ascertain the fact, she asked him where the
Indisns were. The replyi which was, sun
gonc," satisfied her on that point. She ther
ssid, as if speaking to ter son
"Put your ear to the latch.hoIe Of th'
door. / want to tell you something betor'
you open the door,"
The head was placed at the key hole, AM
the old lady fred through the spot and kllle'
the Indian. She stepped back from tn
door instantly, and it was well she did so
for quickly two rife bullets came crashing
through the window. A death like eilenc
ensued for about FIVE minutes. when tw'
more balls, 10 quick succession, were flfe
through the door then followed tremen
dous punching with log, the door gavt
way, and with fendsh yell, on Indian nv wa
about 10 spriDg in, when the uneFring rifie
fred by the old lady. stretched bis lieles
body across the threshold of the door. Th
remaining. or more properly, surviving Ind
an, fred and ran, doing no injury. The me
ther and daughter. with rife and axes the
then went to the river, took the canoe, en-
in six days arrived among the old Frenc
settlers at St. Louis. A party OF about
dozen men crossed over into illincis, an %
after an uDusual search, returned withol
finding either Parker OF the boys. The
were never found. There are yet some
the settlers in the neighborhoods Of Peori
Who still point out the spot where old Ps
ksr, kus - the sqaa..er, lived.- Skssehss " Ere
-iisr LDs.ds4s saa a X, ssa & .gj4g I'D
9pi fEt3B ---sssss'-- sA.s
what goes most against = tsrmel
..,.4 Eyis reauir0 machine,