Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-03-04
EIsGELLAME Eous
A FRONTIER STORY.
AN INDIANS REVENGE.

GS$hFERE the Kentucky river cuts its way
2a.5Ec through the ountains, having upon
either bank bold, rugged cliffs that lift their
sunlRlts five hundred or a thousand steet. as
the may be. above the stream. there
lived in early timcs a settler by the name OF
katDs Branson, who, with his vito and only
child, charming it,ie girl of some eight or
nine years. occnDied the rude cabin at the
base of tall precpice u little back from the
river
Although greatly exposed to danger-the
Indians At that lime being plentiful through
cut the r"gion-he managed to live quietly for
several Years.
The Indians frequently visited the rude
home OF the hunter, and being always well
coined, and provided with such food as might
he in the laraer, they maintained friendly
utti'ode
Esreciallv we're they fond of the child
Maggie. and more than one fierce warrior had
been seen sitting the grass in front Of the
cshin. listening tD TIE childish nra,tIe of the
little one, nr.ei.c cr"acc6 in making it some
toy or riay:hinG Of willow twigs or plant bark
In 1niS manner several years had been
passed, and Ruie Er.nsnn ca,,e to feel as se>
cure as Though h" was within tie walls of
frontier tnrt
Que evening Hrnnson and his wife were
seated near the dnor1av, when suddenly =
shadnw fell across the threshold. mud the next
r3nment tali ss"agH. whose reclinv step and
hf"od.sh"t ewes tniG tnst he was intaxicated.
annearad. AID s!a@geriTg TO the log-steps.
threw himself dnwp upon them.
His frs: demand was for fire water"
which was of corrsn refused, on the plea that
there WAS none in the house
The Indian became cross and uglv. swear-
ing with terrible "0ths that if the liuuor was
not produced he wOuid murder the household.
Eranson was brave, determined man. and
although he dreaded the necessity. vet he saw
that ne would ha compelled to tuke rronnt
steps to preveut the savage executing his
Uhrcat.
Waiting until the warrior had made dem
ons'rsti"n. which he soon did BIZ nttemntinp
to draw his tomahswk, Bransnn spruDg nnon
him, knOrked him down with blow of his
fist, and then Quietly ,iissrmed and bound him
where he Law After a few moments of
furious rawlings and futile efforts to free him
self the savage rolled over aud sunk into a
drunken slumber
He did Mt awake until next morning. bu.
before he did so. the settler had quietly re-
moved his bonds and restored the weapons
which he lsid by the sleepers side
The savage, on awaking. rose slowly to his
feet, felt his rists as though the thronps had
left u feeling there, tnok up his weapons. and
without speaking word, left the cabin and
disappeared in the timber near by
"What think you of that 2" asked the wife.
turning to her husband, with scared look
"PshsW Don't trouble your head about
the drunken brute" answered the settler.
bur rs he turned away and step7ed into the
yard, he muttered: Like it. Well, not
much. The fellow must be watched. was
in hopes that he would not have remembered.
but that lump where my fist landed was
enough, ii nothing else, to recall the circum.
stance "
The summer passed, and they had seen the
drunken guest more.
But as the leaves began to fall, tho settler
one day, while returning from bunting on the
hills, and passing through a dense niece of
timber not far from the house, caught sight
of figure lurking among the bushes. but
which quickly disappeared when lie advanced
toward where it was. The figure was tina, of
an Indian warrior, and Rufe Branson would
have sworn that it was the Indian whom he
hap knocked down and bound the previous
summer. The knowledge was not in any ways
comforting, and hence he did not tell his wife
Of the discovery.
1t would only alarm her, without perhaps.
any good result, simply telling her that he
had discovered benr~tracks near by, and that
she and the child must stay within, or close
to the house, when he was absent
Several days aiterward, Rufe Brapson
heared his dogs in the timber down by the
river, and knowing that they never o1eued
without good cause. be caught up his rife and
hsstened to where they we're barking. Thev
had struck fresh bear trail, and as he arrived
IN sight, they fairly lifted it, going of in a
straight line down the river.
The chase led him several miles. aud when
at last, he got his shot that finished bruins
career, he found that it was three or four
o'clock in the afternoon.
Swinging his game to sapling out of reach
OF cat or wolf he started for home to get the
otd,erey mare and return to fetch it that night
Taking a near cut, he approached the cabin
from the western side where the timher ,,r.xv