Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-11-28
GeIettc0 MlisfcIIanp.
AN INDIAN S REVENGE.
BY RALPH KrNGwooD.

Where the Kentucky river cuts it,
way through the mountains, having up.
ON either hand, bold, rugged cliffs that
lift their submits 500 and / 900 feet, as
the case may be, above the stream, there
lived in carly times settler by the name
of Rufus Bronson, who. with his wife
and child, charming little girl of some
eight or nine years of age, occupied the
rude cabin at the base of the precipce, a
little back from the river.
Although greatly exposed to danger.
the Indians at that time being very plen-
tiful throughout the region--he mana
ged to live quietly for several years.
The Indians frequently visited the rude
home Of the hunter. and being always
welcomed and provided with such food
as might be in the larder, they main
tanned a friendly attitude.
Especially were they fond of the child,
Maggie. and more than one fierce war
rior had been sitting on the grass in front
of the cabin, listening to the childish
prattle Of the little one, or else engaged
in making it some toy or plaything from
willow twigs or plant bark
In this manner several years had been
passed, and Rufus Bronson came to feel
as secure as though he was in the walls
of frontier fort
One evenings Bronson and bis wife
were seated near the doorway, when sud-
denly shadow fell across the threshold,
and the next moment, tall savage, whose
reeling steps and bloodshot eyes told that
he was intoxicated, came staggering up
the log steps aud threw himself upon
them.
His first demand was for fre-water,
which Of course was refused on the plea
that there was none in the house,
The Indian became cross and ugly,
swearing with terrible oaths that if the
liquor was not produced he would mur-
der the whole household. Bronson was
brave, determined man, and he saw
that he would be compelled to take very
prompt steps to prevent the savage from
executing his threat.
Waiting until the warrior had made a
demonstration, which he soon did, by at
tempting to draw his tomahawk, Bron-
son sprung upon him and knocked him
down with blow of his fist, and then
quietly disarmed and bound him where
he lay. After few moments Of furious
rawlings and futile efforts to free himself,
the savage rolled over and sunk into a
drunken slumber
He did not awake until the next NOR
ming, but before he did so the settler had
quietly removed his bonds and restored
the weapons, which he laid by the sleep
er's side.
The savage, on awaking, rose slowly
to his feet, felt his wrists as though the
thongs had left feeling there, took up
his weapons and without speaking a
word, left and disappeared in the timber
near by.
"What think YOU Of that p asked the
wife, turning to her husband with sea-
red look.
"Pshaw y Don't trouble your head
about the drunken brute" answered the
settler, lightly, but as he turned away
and stepped into the yard he muttercd
Like it Well, not much. The fellow
must be watched | was in hopes tina
he would not have remembered, but tha
lump where my fist landed was enough
ifnothing else, to recall the circumstance.
The summer passed away and they say
the drunken guest no more. lie failei
to make his appearance. But as tn
leaves began to fall, the settler, one da.
while returning from hunting on tb
hills, and passing through dense piec
Of timber, not far from the house, caugh
sight Of a figure lurking among the bush
es, but which quickly disappeared, whe
he advanced toward where it. was. Th
/ figure was that of an Indian warrior, an
Rufe Bronson would have sworn it wa
the Indian whom he bad knocked dow
and bound the previous summer. Tb
knowledge was not in any way comfort