Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-02-08

red saw Bill and his ten dead opponents.
The story as told by Bill himself is as fo.-
lows:
WILD BILLS STORY.
1T was in 81. when guided dctach-
ment OF cavalry who were comiu in from
Camp Floyed. We had nearly reached the
Kansas line. and were i'll south Nebraska,
when one afternoon | Went out of camp to
go 10 the cabin of an old friend of mine. Il
Mrs. " altman. took only one of my re-
vvlYers with me. for although the war had
broke out didn't think it necessary TO ear
~ both my pistols and in all or nary scrim-
images. one Is better than a dozen, efyol
shoot straight. | saw some Wild turkeys
on the road as was goin down, and popped
one Of en- over, thinking he'd be just the
thing for supper
W ell. rode up to Mrs. Waltman's Jump
cd of my horse, and Went int the cabin,
which i like most of the cabins on the pra-
rie. with only one room, and that had two
doors. one opening i'll front and t'other OH Il
yard, like,
How are YOU, Mrs. Nal.man2, said feel
ing a> jolly as you please.
The minute She SAN me she turned a
White Us Il sheet and >crcamed;'Is that you
Bill: Oh NY God, they viii >ill you Run
ASfi ~ liz MI vi.
Who's a-goin to Kill me- Saidi. There
two tina; caa play al that game.
Its Mkaadlas and his gang. There :
ten of them. and You've no chance.
They've jc> gone down the road to the corn
rack. They came up here only five min
uteS ago. NJ kandlas was dragging poor
ParSon Shipley on the ground with a larat
round his neck. Ihe preacher was most
dead With checking and the horses stamp
ing on him. M'kandla> knows Yer bring
ing i'll that party OF ankee cavalry. and he
swcars hell cut Yer heart out. Run. Bill
run. But its too late: they comm up the
lane.
While She was taIkin remembered
had but one revolver. and a lead gone oul
OF that. On the table there was a horn OF
powder aud some little bars Of lead.
poured some powder into the empty cham
Der and rapnmed the lead after it by ham
Hcrine the barrel en- the table. and had just
capped the pistol when heard Nkaudia:
shout:
There's that id 1-ank Wild Bis horsc
he's here; and Wen skin him alive
iii had thought ofrunnjn before it wal
tee late now. and the house was my best
holt-a sort Of fortress. like. | neyel
Thought should leave that roem alive
The scout stopped in his story. rose from
his seat. and strot,e back and toward i'll !;
state of great e:lcitment.
L tell oawhat it IS Kernel he resumed
after a while. i don't mind scrinmage Will
these fcller> rouI.3 here. Shoot one Oh
I've Of them and the rest run away. Blu
all OF VI hahdla> gang were reckless. bloc
thirsty devils. Who would tight as long a'
they had strength to pull a trigger. l have
been i'll tight places. but that : one Of the
few times | said my prayers.
Surround the house and give him nC
quarter. yelled +fkaudlas. When
heard that l felt - quiet and cool as if
was a-@oin to church. | looked round the
room and saw Hawkins rifle hangin' oyel
the bed.
Is that leaded:' said to Mrs. Mailman
Yes the poor thing whispered. Size
was so frightened she couldn't speak oui
loud.
Are YOU sure:' I>aid, as I jumped to
the bed and caught it from the hooks. Al
though my eye did not leave the door. yet
I could see she nodded Yes agaiI. put
the revolver on the bed. and just then
Mkan dlas pohed his nose inside the door
way. but jumped back when lie saw me
with the rifle in my hand.
Come in here. you cowardly dog. ]
shouted. Come in here and fight me.
.N'kandlas was no coward he was a
bully. He jumped inside the room with hi;
gun levclled 10 shoot: but he was not
quick enough. Ny rifle ball went through
his heart lie fell back outside the house
where he was found afterward holding
tigh, to his rifle, which had fallen over hi:
head.
His disappearance was followed by Z
Veil from lis gang. and then there Was q
dead silence. put down the rifle andtooh
the revolver, and | said to myself; Only
siX shots and nine men to kill. Save youi
powder. Bill. for the death-hu@,s a-comin !.
Il don know why it was. Kernel contin
ned BID, looking Mt me inquirin Fly. but a
that moment things seemed clear and sharp
l could not think strong.
There was "A few seconds of that awfu
stiffness. and then the rutfians came rush
inc in at both doors. How wild they look
ed with their red. druken faces. and inilamet
ewes. shouting and eusS;ng, But never
aimed more deliberately in my life.
Observation-Disclosures ;"and four mei
fell dead.
That didn't stop the rest. Two of then,
fired their hird-Guns at me. and then
felt sting run all over ne. The room
was full of smoke. Two got in close TO IN,
their eyes glaring out of the clouds. One
| knocked down with my list. Y oil are
out of the way for a While. thought
the second | shot dead. The other thu et
clutched me and crowded me onto the bed
l fought hard. / broke with my hand one
mans arm. He had his fingers round my
throat Before | could get 10 my feet
was struck across the breast with the stocl
of rifle, and felt the blood rushing out
ofny mouth. Then got ugly. and | re-
member that got hold Of a Knife and then
il was all cloudy like. and l WAS wild ant
struck savage blows, following the devil,
up from one side TO the other of the room
and into the corners, striking and slastins
until knew that every one was dead.
All ola Sudden it seemed as il my heart
was on fire. was bleeding everywhere
rushed ont to the well and drank from the
bucket, and then tunlbled down in Il faint
Breathless with ,he intense interest with
which had followed this strange story. all
tho Innrn flli.illinrr md uDIl AA.hnn IL horn