The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1861-05-21

my .oiioi, ahu Piay iuly ud"uihS Aio
revolver, bade me defend myself like a
man, and then went 10 the woods to his
daily work. l slipped the revolver in
my pocket, but could not wholly diyest
myself of my fears.
For an hour | sat in my low rocking
chair, with my child at my side, count
ing the minutes as they flew, when my
attention was attracted by noise in the
opposite side of the room. Looking
quickly around, to my dismay and ter
ror | saw a dozen Indians evidently just
returned from war, each bearing bis
bleeding scalp, The formost advanced
and appeared to be the chief of the party.
He approached, and would have lain
rough hands on me, when my darling
boy raised himself to his full height, his
blue eyes flashing, demanded what they
meant by their intrusions, and how they
dare lay violent hands on his mother.
The chief paid no attention but bade
his warriors bind us, which was quickly
done, and, after few moments, the chief
retired in consultation seizing the op-
portunity, l scratched on the wall
Harry, we are in the hands of the
Indians -
The chief soon returned, and we were
borne with rapid but noiseless steps into
the wilderness. The chief who had
bound US now attracted my attention.
was sure had seen him before-where,
l could not say.
Three days and nights without stop
ping we were borne away from home,
and the fourth day we stopped in hol-
low, which | found strewn with bones
aud skulls. While contemplating this
scene with horror, | looked up, and the
Indian chief stood before me. With a
sneer over his dark features, he said, in
good English !;
:. Though you have forgotten me,
Jane Mannering, for SO l cali you, l
have by no means forgotten you"
Who are you ?" said |.
/ am Mark Ruthson," the chief re-
piled, and in those painted features | re-
membered the hypocritical face of the
consummate coward and villain.
There was no pity in his reyengeful
heart, and | read our doom in those hard
features.
Do YOU see yonder tree 2" said he,
in quick, sharp voice. Before the
night your young boy will be bound to
that tree, and his young scalp will be
clipped from his head by my savage
friends, and you will remain, and in the
morning will share his fate
A scornful silence was his answer
O, how quickly the day flew and the
night approached and just as twilight
was setting in, a ruthless savage seized
him roughly by the arm and bound him
to the tree. First he waved his toma-
hawk over his head to frighten him, but
the boys blue eye looked steadily at the
savage in scorn, and his cheek never
blanched. In rage at his utter scorn,
the Indian raised his tomahawk for the
last time. lnstiuctively my hand rested
on my revolver. felt sure of my aim
| raised it slowly, pointing il at the saw.
ages heart, and fired With frightfuI
yell, he sprang into the air and fell dead
With scream OF rage, the Indians
rushed upon me another one fell by my
revolver. Again | attempted 10 fire, but
my pistol snapped throwing it away, |
resigned to die aud just as the foremost
Indian was about to sink his knife in my
bosom, the sharp crack of rifle was
heard, and the Indian fell, bathed in his
own blood. The next moment the stall
wart Harry Cheverly leaped into the
ring. All the Indians fled but THEN
chief, who rushed upon my husband,
shouting
Ila Harry Cheverly, revenge Al
last !" and pointed his pistol, which mis-
sed fire The next moment my hus-
bands knife was in the renegade heart
Our meeting | need not describe Har.
~ had seen the lines | wrote him, and
that of my child. We were troubled nc
more with savages, for the next year old
Tippecanoe, with the avenging riflemer
under his command, drove away and
cleared the forest of our dusky foe.