Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-01-08
Mtisftllantous. q
A Shot for Life.

here the kentucky river cuts its
way through the mountains having up
on either bank bold rugged cliffs, that
lift their submits five hundred and u
thousand feet, rs the case may be,
above the stream, there lived in early
times a settler by the name Of Rufus
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 prec-
ipice little back from the river.
Although greatly exposed to dan
/ ger. the Indians at that time being
very plentiful throughout that region,
he managed 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 rs was in the larder, they
maintained 4 friendly attitude. Es-
I pecially were they fond Of the child
I 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 some toy or
plaything from willow twigs or plant
\ bark.
! In this manner several years had
/ been passed, and Rufus Branson came
| to feel as secure rs though he was
| within the walls of the frontier fort.
{ 10 nd L., fa
seated near the doorway, when sud-
| denly a shadow fell across the thres-
4 hold, and the next moment Il tall saw
age, whose reeling step and bloodshot
/ eyes told that he was intoxicated, APP
4 peared, and staggering TO the log steps,
threw himself upon them. His first
| demand was for iire-water, which was,
Of course, refused, on the ground that
there was none in the house. The In
dians became cross and declared with
produced he would murder the house,
hold. Branson was brave, determin-
cd man, and although he dreaded the
necessity, yet he saw he would be COM
PEELED TO take prompt steps to prevent
the savage from executing his threat.
Waiting until the warrior had made
a demonstration, which he soon did by
attempting to take out his tomahawk,
Branson sprang at him, knocked him
down by blow of his fist, and then
he 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 sank into a drunken sleep. He
did not awake until the next morning,
but before he did SO the settler had
quietly removed his bands and restor-
ee his weapons, which he laid by the
sleeper's side. The savage, on awak-
ening, rose slowly to his feet, felt his
wrists as though the thongs had left a
feeling there, took up his weapons and
without speaking word, left and dis
appeared in the timber near by.
what do you think Of that" asked
the wife, turning to her husband with
a frightened look.
"Pshaw! Don't trouble your head
about the drunken brute!" answered
the settler lightly; but as he turnee
away and stepped into the yard he
muttered:
"Like it? Well, not much. The fel
low must be watched. was in hopes
that he would not have remembered
but that lump where my fist LANDED
was enough. if nothing else, to recall
the circumstance"
The summer passed, and they saV
T their drunken guest no more. He fail
ed to make his appearance. But a.
the leaves began to fall, the settler on
, day while returning from hunting OF
the hills and passing through a dens
piece OF timber not far from the house
caught sight of figure lurking in th
bushes but which quickly disappeare
when he advanced to where it was
The figure was that of an Indian wal
f rior, and Branson would have swor
[ that it was the Indian warrior whom b
{ had Knocked down and bound the pre-
8 vious spring. The news was not in an
way comforting, and hence he did nc
tell his wife of his discovery.
' 1t would only alarm her, he though
v and without, perhaps, any good resul
!, He simply told her he had discovere
;. bear tracks near by, and that she an
O the child must stay within or close
the house during his absence.
}. Several days afterwards Rufus Bra
son heard his dogs in the timber, dow
,r by the river, and, knowing they new
4 opened without good cause, he caugl
q up his rifle and hastened to where tn,