Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-01-31
AsHOT FOR ALIFE,

tHiH ASHOT FOA "A LIFE.
Where the Kentucky river cuts its
way through the mountains, having
upon eitherl.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 aisettler by the name OF
Rnfus Branson, 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 a little ezback
from the river. E9it9 a. -bA dead 81
Although greatly exposed to dam
ger the Indians at that time being
very plentiful throughout the region,
he managed to live quietly for sew
eral years. q hi.- 81 if'oi@ '';.im g 70
ii 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 friendly attitude. Es-
pecially were they fond of the child,
Maggie and more than one fierce
warrior had been seen sitting on the
grass in front of the cabin, listening
to the childish prattIe of the little
one, or else engaged in making her
some toy or plaything from willow
twigs or, plant bark. .r;.aba s.g
In this manner several years had
been passed, and Rufus Branson
came to feel as secure as though he
were within the walls of a frontier
FORT 9Oneiereningi Branson and his
wife were stated near the doorway,
when suddenly a shadow fell across
the threshold, and the next moment
a tall savage, whose relIing step and
b1oodshot eyes told him he was in
toxicated, appeared and staggered
to the log steps, threw himself upon
them. His first demand was for fire
water, which was, of course, refused,
on the ground that there was none
in the house. The Indian became
cross and ugly, and declared with
terrible oatbs that if the liquor was
not produced he would murder the
whole household. Branson was a
brave, determined man, and although
he dreaded the necessity, yethe saw
he. would be compelled to take
prompt steps to. prevent the savage
from executing his threat. -..-
Waiting until the warrior had
made a demonstration, which he
soOnidid by attempting to- draw his
tomahawk, 7Branson sprung at him,
knocked him down with his fist, and
then quietly disarmed and bound
him where he lay. After a few mo-
ments of furious ravihg, he rolled over
and fell into drunken sleep He
did not awaken until, the next morn
ing, but before he, did so the settler
had quietly removed his bonds and
restored the weapons, which he laid
by the sleeper's side. The savage
ON awakening, rose slowly to his
feet, felt his wrists, as though the
.throngs had left a feeling there,
took up his weapons and, without
speaking a word left and disappear
ed IN the timber near by. .'fa
Is eeWhat do you think of that?''
asked the wife, turning to her hus-
band with frightened look. k.l,g.;r
"Pshaw! Don't trouble your head
about that drunken brute!" answered
the settler, lightly; but as he turned
away and stepped into the yard, he
Enuttered--ie1si H5s. r.gt rss--
uI'Like it? Well not much. The
fellow must be watched. | was IN
hopes that he. would not remember,
but that lump where my fist landed
was enough, if nothing else, to recall
the circumstances" VI . lsaa. +.
The summer passed and they saw
their drunken guest no more. he
failed to make his appearance; but
as the leaves began to fall, the set
tier one day, while returning IRON
II,unting on the, bills, and passing
through dense piece OF timber not
So, So from the house, caught sight q
a"f ! e. tnre lurking in the bushes, which
a,i;sl { : Nv disappeared when he ed
Sdion,o d i TO whereit was. The figure
nos Ib, 1t of an Indian warrior, anC
Rrsnson, R would have sworn that j
,yas the anne Indian warrior whom
he had kn, ocked down and bound tn,
previous s. ring. The news was no
in any wayG , comforting, and henc
he did NOT t. Il his wife of his discOV
cry. -.s /,
It would o,viy alarm her, he though
and without, perhaps any good rt
suit. He sil,oRy told her he had dis
covered bear tracks near by, an
that she and the 9bilA must sta
within or clos e TO the :hoSse durih
IS Several da Us afterwards tipfu
Branson heard his dogs in the tiiaps
down by the river, and knoWln
tbev never opsaed without goe
cause. he caught, up his rine an an
| bastened to where the dogs we we
bsTEing. They had struck a tres
bsar trail, aud as be srnyed IN slgh
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