The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-04-14
Kentucky Heroine.

1
| In the backwoods of Kentucky, during
the early settlement of that region, a man
named Hiram Peters fixed his home. H.
had wife and two small children, who &C
companed him into the wilderness, and he
erected his humble log cabin on his new
purchase, some distance from any fort AT
that time there was little fear of Indians, as
they had not ventured into that section to
commit any depredations for long time
and i, was believed the settlers there W nld
be safe from any future molestation.
Mr.. Peters had been in his new home
scarcely more than twelve month. when
he took sick and died. leaving his poor wi
dow almost inconsolabe for his loss"
One afternoon, in the ensuing fall, while
she was at work in the field, not far from
her dwelling, with her children playing on
the ground near her, her attention was ar.
rested by hearing her child say:
ana, dar is man out dar!' ...
She looked in the direction indicated by
the child, and was startled at perceivlng, on
the edge of a distant wood, human figure,
which resembled an Indian. She only had
glimpse of the object, just as it was dlsap'
pearing into thicket; but she had seen
enough to fill her with alarm and dismay ;
and catching up her youngest child, and
taking the other by the hand, she ran down
to the dwelling, and closed and bolted the
door. ard secured the windows as well as
| she could. She looked around and saw an
axe standing in one corner, and the gun
! which had belonged to her husband resting
on some hooks overhead, where it bad re-
mained untouched ever since his death.
For few minutes she gave way to the
emotions she could not control. and wep'
and sobbed with violence that seemed as n
| it would break her very heart then sudden.
ly remembering the danger, which neither
her grief nor prayers could avert, she dried
her eyes and looked around with the sharp
fierce glance of the panther preparing to de-
fend her young.
"They shall not have these pretty babes
while | have life to defend them! !" sh,
thought; and hurried'y placing the children
on the floor, she got up and took down the
gun for the first time since her husband!
death.
She knew but little about weapons Of this
kind, but she had often seen her husband
load, prime and fire. and try the depth o
the charge with the ramrod. aad she now
thrust the latter into the barrel, not KNOWN.
whether the piece was loaded or not. 1t die
not 60 down the entire length, and struck
, with a deadened sound, and she felt thank
ful that at least she had one charge to de-
liver to her enemies, in case they should at
tack her dwelling. She shook out the old
priming, as she hid seen others do, and put
in new; and then. standing the gun up
against the wall, she went aud got the axe
and put it by its side.
Minute after minute went by. each length.
ened into an age, as it were, by fearful
suspense, and still she heard nothing to give
her any further alarm. Could she have
been mistaken in regard to the object she
.aw2 Could il have been hunter instead
of an Indian She trcmbled now with hope,
as she had previously trembled with fear,
and prayed for deliverance from her dread,
as only mother placed in her forlorn stu.
alton could pray.
Thus long hours passed away the sun
gradually sunk behind the western hills, and
night drew her dark pail over the earth
And still she sat, almost as otionless as a
statue, holding her little children as prizes
of greater value than her own life, and fear,
fully listening to every sound without, not
unfrequently with quivering lips and sus
pended breath! The innocent little children,
feeling more safety in their mothers arms
than she felt for them, had gradually fallen
asleep. and Their long. regular breathing
showed that with them the danger had ceas.
ed, and that whatever tho great future
might have in store for them, they were un'
consciously happy in the present.
Suddenly the poor mother fairly bounded
from her seat, "a series Of wild, prolonged
terrific yells resounded through the st III air
and were succeeded by dead and ominous
silence. She had not been mistaken in her
fears, and her hopes were fallacious-the In
dians were upon her, and the dread deeds o.
darkness were about to begin !!
Don't make the least noise, nfy httf,
dears, or the monsters of the forest will have
us all r. she said. in . terrified whisper Il
her now awakened and frightened children
aud the little creatures, as II with a sens.