The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1864-04-27
VOL. XXXTV.}

and for some time she could hear then,
conversing in low tones among them
selves.
As this affair happened when the In
dams were known to be at peace with the
whites, there could be no evidence but
their own actions, that the present party
was hostile, and therefore Mrs Wells
began to gather strong hope that, now
she had fed them, they would 90 quietly
away and leave her in peace But such
was not their Observation-Disclosures because
muderously inclined, or because they
were strong party against weak, de-
fenceless woman.~ and felt they could
annoy, frighten and rob her with i'm
punity, we are not prepared to say. AT
any rate the spokesman soon returned to
the door, and, rapping loudly on it again,
said:
''Injun much thank-a heap Open
door-him say good bye"
''fou can say that just as well where
you are" replied Mrs. Wells. Il have
treated you well, and now, unless you are
wicked Indians, you will go away peace
fully"
"No," rejoined the savage, in bolder
and more threatening tone, .Injun come
in"
"Once for ALL said the heroic little
woman, anger begianing in some measure
to take the place of fear, ..you shall not
come in and if you attempt it, the con-
sequence be upon your own heads
What poor squaw dor' cried the
savage, in tone Of insolent contempt.
Try it and see - was the defiant an
swer.
The Indian said something to his com
panions in their own language, and n
laugh followed This, after brief
silence, was succeeded by fierce whoop,
or yell, that seemed to strike chill to
the very heart of that poor wife and
mother, and which caused the little girl,
who had till now kept perfectly quiet, to
start up with n scream of terror
"Oh, Ella, you unnerve me?' ex-
claimed the agonized mother, springing
to and clasping the child in her arms.
"Now the Indians must know you are
here, and if / am massacred, you will be
lost. Hark" she continued as success
sion of heavy blows fell upon the door;
'the wretches are trying to cut their way
in, and / must be ready for them. God
help me : 1t is terrible thing to take
llIc Dut L leei Ii lS uutN 10
save myself and this sweet innocent by
every means in my power, and | will do
it Lay down, Ella and keep quiet
mama won't let the wicked Indians come
to her darling!v
The little girl, as if she comprehended
all that was required of her i'm that hour
straw, \: I ~'thout ,gttsIi9 Y 0ther@ws5d,
blows now fell constantly upomahe door,a
that the Indians were deter
mined upon cutting their way in; in
taking up the gun, with firm resolve
to defend herself to the last, Mrs. Wells
placed herself in position to fire upon
her ienemics "a soon a single opening
should enable her to see them.
They worked steadily and fast, and
seemingly in concert, occasionally eX-
changing n few words with one another,
and once or twiee. breaking out into
light laugh, evidently showing they were
not very apprehensive of anything very
serious. They doubtless supposed they
had poor helpless woman in trap.
and therefore felt very courageous and
careless. ed
With pale face, knitted brow, com
pressed lips and eyes that almost glared,
Mrs. Wells watched the vibration of that
door under the axes of her foes; and
when she perceived one particular part
of the thick slabs began to quiver and
splinter and let in light, she placed the
of her gun there with q firm hand,
and drew back the cock with fingers that
no longer trembled.
The blows now rained fast, and in less
than q minute hatchet struck through
and opened an aperture two inches by
three. This success was greeted by
shout of JOY, and one of the Indians put
his face down to peer in. He never knew
what he saw: for at that instant Mrs
W ellis fired and blew his head to
atoms, scattering his brains over his
laughing companions, whose sounds of
merriment suddenly turned to yells of
surprise, horror, rage and dismay.
Dropping their hatchets and catching
up their guns they quickly thrust the
one after the other, through the
aperture, and discharged them at ran
dom into the dwelling. But the recoil
of Mrs. Wells overloaded piece had
thrown her down, and she thus escaped
unharmed. Getting upon her feet, she
drew aside to a corner behind the door,
and, with the GOODNESS of veteran, pre-
pared to reload her gun, nerved 10 this
state by the belief that on her presence of
mind and physical exertions the safety of
herself snd child depended.
But at this moment of fearful trial she
heard the crack of distant rifle, follow
ed by cries, or rather howls of dismay
from the savages about the door. who
seemed to dash off as If from some pur
suing enemy Soon after there was an
other but distant yell; and while Mrs.
Wells stood listening and fairly trem-
bling now with the hope of rescue, her
ears were greeted with the welcome
sounds of her husbands voice. She
staggered to the door, tore down the bars
threw il open. and with wild shreak of
joy, fell fainting upon her husbands 5
breast
He had returned rather sooner than he
expected, and just in time 20 see his
dwelling besieged by the party of four.
While creeping up for shot, the dis
charge from within, and the death Of
one of his foes, had cheered his almost
fainting spirit, by giving him one assail-