Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-11-06
A SHOT FOR LIFE.
Daniel Boone and His Tgusty Rifle.
An Episode of the Dark and
Blood Ground.

Blood Ground.
Where the Kentucky river cuts its
way through the mountains, having up,
on either bank bold, rugged cliffs, that
lift their SUBMITS FIVE hundred and a
thousand feet, as the case may be, above
the stream, there lived in early times a
settler by the name of Rufus Bransou,
who with his wife and little child, a
charming young girl of some eight or
nine years of age occupied the rude
cabin at the base of the precipice lit
tie back from the river.
Although greatly exposed to danger,
the Indians at that time being very
plentiful throughout the region, he man
aged 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 was in the larder, they maintained a
friendly attitude. Especially were they
fond OF the child Maggie, and more than
one fierce warrior 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 her some. toy
or plaything from willow twigs or plant
bark.
In this manner Geyeral years had been
passed. and Rufus Branson came to feel
as secure as though he was within the
walls of frontier fort. One evening
Branson and his wife we're seated near
the doorway, when suddenly shadow
fell across the threshold, and the next
moment a tall savage, whose reeling step
and bloodshot eyes told that he was in
toxicated, appeared and staggering to
the log steps threw himself upon them.
His first demand was for fre-water,
which vas of course refused, on the
ground there vas none in the house.
The Indian became eraas and ugly, and
declared with terrible oaths tket il the
laser was not produced he would mur.
der the gsole household. Branson was
d brave, dster#iaed man, and although
he dreaded the necessity, yet he saw he
would be compelled to take prsmpt gteps
to prevent the savage from executing Eis
threat.
Waiting until the warrior had made
dem onstration, which he soon did by at
tempting to draw his tomRhawk, Bran
son sprang at him, knocked hins down
with a 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 saw
age rolled over and sank into Q drunken
sleep. He did not awake until the pext !
morning, but before he did SO the settler |
had quietly removed his bonds and re-
stored the weapons, which he laid by the |
side. The savage, on awaken
ing, rose slowly to his feet, felt of his
wrists, as though the thongs had left a
feeling there, took up his weapons and,
without speaking a Sord, lett and sisap-
peared in the timber near 5y.
What do you think of that?" asked
the wife, turning to her husband with a
frightened look.
"Pshawl Don'E tropble your head
about the drunken brutel" ansFered the
settler lightly; bat as he turned away
and stepped into the door he muttered.
Like itf Veil, not much. The fell
low must be watched was in hopes
that he would not have remembeEs3, but
thai lump where my fist landed was
enough, if nothing else, to recall the
The summer passed, ard they saw
their drunken guest no more. II e failed
10 make his appearance. But as the
leaves began to fall, the settler ons day,
while returning from hunting on the
hills, and passing. through dense piece
0f timber not far from the house, caught
night of figure lurking in the bushes,
1pt quickly disappeared when he ad-
1anced to where it wac. The figure was
hat Of an Indian warrior, and Rrauson
seuld have sworn that it was the Indian
warrior Ehom he had knocked down and
)ound the previous spring. The news
vas not in any way comforting, and
renee he did not tell his wife Of his discovr
lry.
II would only alarm her. be thought,
md V.thout, perhaps, any good result. ,
de simply toad her he had discovered
,ear tracks near by, and that she and {
he child must stay within or close TO |
be house 9Ering his absence. Ia
Several days afteFFards Rufus Bran {
Iop beard the dogs in the timber down i
y the river, and, knowing they never {
pened without good cause, he caught I
ID his rife and hastened where they q
Tere barking. They had struck a fresh {
ear trail, and as be arrived in sight. {
hey fairly lifted It, going Of in c
traight l.ae down the river.
The chase led hiEs several miles, and, b
hen he At last cot a shot tbss suished :
ruins career, he found that Il was Il
lree or four o'clock in the afternoon. 2
Winging his meat 10 a saplirg, out Of ,
each Of cat or Wolf, be started for home I
} get his horse and return s4a tsfch d e
iai night II
Taxing . near cut, be approached the ?
abin IRON the western side, where the Q