The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1862-05-07

for moment ceased their efforts, Bingham
sprung back to the ladder, exclaiming:
"You cussed hound, your hearts blood
shall pay for such cowardice
| He was not, however. permitted to put
this threat into executions; for just as his
foot was placed on the second round of
the ladder, crashing sound told him that
the enemy had. by sudden charge forced
the door. and thus gained an entrance to
the cabin. The safety and protection of
his wounded wife and little ones, were
more to him than the lives of twenty cow
ards; and relinquishing his purpose Of
vengeance he turned again, as he after.
wards expressed it, ''to die 10 the middle
of his foes.'' 'e 9
The greyish twilight of the approach
of dawn enabled him to see through the
shattered slab door group of Indians.
each of whom seemed for moment as
though fearful of entering the breach in
the face of the death dealing rife, that
they knew must be silently and fatally
|leveled upon the FIRST who should incau-
tiously advance. = :-y
That moment was indeed a fatal one
to at least one of their number. for Bing.
ham, clapping his piece to his shoulder.
fired. The leaden messenger, true TO its
mark, brought death to the foremost In
dian, who, with last yell, bounded from
the ground, only to fall back stifsuiug
corpse. a -a ~
"Come on. you sneaking, red cut
throats. aud III thrash any dozen of
youi' yelled Bingham at the top of his
s,entoriaL lungs, as he stood on the de-
fensive with his rife clubbed-for he was
we'll aware that the savage would instant
" rush on after drawing his fire.
With q fearful aud blood.curdling
whoop. in answer to his defiance, the chal.
lenged warriors now bounded into the
/ cabin. Still from such odds the brave
pioneer did not shrink an inch; but, as
thoughts of his family came again upon
his mind, double strength seemed to
nerve his arm; aud, springing forward to
meet the advancing savages, he whirled
his heavy rifle round his head, and bring
ing it down with giants strength upon
the skull of the nearest Indian, sent him
to his last account. Again the ponder
Gus weapon arose in the air aud descend.
ed, but this time with less success than
before; for the Indians, defending :hem
selves with their own pieces, warded off
the terrible blow, which served thus only
to shatter the stock of Bingham's own
| rife g 's' $50 7e4 ss-'s,. Nis1
| Having now ascertained, in the gloom
the position of their intended victim, the
would be murderers bending low, their
| pieces held above them for defense. pressed
4 upon him with their tomahawks and seal D.
ing knives And more than one of the
| terrible weapons reached the apparently
devoted Bingham's body, while his owr
blows were nearly all parried off and bro
4 ken. ea~t -3 ~H n' y"
But now, in the hottest Of the battle
and as he felt hatchet and knife whiz close
to his limbs in cut aud lupge, train O
thought flashed like lightning athwart his
brain. His foes had not yet succeeded
in surrounding him; they all knew tha
he was striking at them with his broken
rife barrel, and that all his blows were
directed downwards; therefore they were
comparatively safe in holding above then
their guns. Under cover of this defense
they were advancing upon him, expecting
presently to bring him TO the ground. By
hewing, stabbing, hacking q: his love-
limbs. This conclusion was forced upor
Bingham. and it had scarcely come tt
him before he formed bis resolution &C
cordingIy
Taking full, quick stride backward
he again whirled aloft the remaining por
tion of his rife barrel, bent slightly for
ward, and delivered tremendous longi
tudiual blow at the arms instead Of tn
heads of the Indians. The result instant
ly proved the correctness of his judg
ment. With q deadening sound, two 0
three knives or tomahawks swept befor
: the gun-barrel, were hurled ont of th
, owners grasps, and against the wall o
the cabin.
take that, you cussed red foolsl
thundered Bingham, as, elated at the sue
/ cess of his maneuver, he dealt secon
, similar blow upon his enemies.
The latter. taken altogether aback b
3 this bold and skillfully executed device
: retreated. while the heroic Bingham in
stantly followed up his advantage. No
d knowing where their intended victir
e would strike next, the savages became ii
r resolute, several of them suddenly low
4 ered the protecting rifles. One of tbes
immediately afterwards was felled b
t Bingham's veDgeful weapon.
e The Indians now lost all control {
9 themselves, and believing that they wer
contending with fend and not with
IS human. being. but q demon, commence
t. lighting at random with the intention {
IT making their escape. ~ g
e Blow after blow did the dauntless ma
n shower upon his dusky foes, till in th
y most dire dismay, three, who yet RENAME
Is nninjured, bounded for the doorway I
e which they had SO shortly before mad
their hostile entry As they reached th