Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-09-21

Then down the chimney they shout and roa,
Shrek at the lattice and shake the door.
The old man, signing, repeateth still,
"The will o. the wind is boyhood's will;"
The boy, with wondering, silent lips,
Thinks OF the sea and the waited ships;
And each in his dim heart longs to find
Out OF this world the way o. the wind.
SURROUNDED BY INDIANS
The Story Of Brave woman's Trial.
A bright, warm. Spring d y; TIL
sunlight streaming through the leaf
less branches of the huge trees tn
birds taking advantage of the glorious
weather to sing their loudest, sweetes
songs, and all nature rejoicing in th<
breaking up of the long Winter:
sleep and the advent of Spring.
In the foreground of the scene
stands the humble house of from
tiersmen, rough structure Of logs
and bark in front of the door the
grindstone on which the sturdy settler
whets the axe that has already laid
low so many monarchs of the forest:
against the rough, unbOarded walls
hang the skins of animals that the
skill of the hunter has captured.
At the front of a tree Immediately
in front of the door two children are
at play-little tots. the pride of the
settlers heart-a boy of six years,
and 4 girl year or two younger.
Such was the scene presented at
the home of Gabriel Latour, on the
Pawnee river, in Western Kansas. in
the Spring of 1850.
Latour had followed the adven.
turous life of 4 trapper and hunter for
many years, until finally, tired of
roaming without any settled home, he
married the daughter of Missourian
settler, ''toOk up a quarter section OF
land and went to farming.
His wife, born and raised on the
frontier, was a fit htlpmeet for a man
whose life must necessarily be one OF
hardship and privation. Marion La
tour was one who could handle rife
or pistol as we'll as the implements OF
her household industry, and to her
skill in the use of those weapons is
her success in the following seige
attributed.
As the sun began to creep slowly
down the west and the shadows were
frightening, Mrs. Latour came to the
door to call the children to their even
ing meal.
Her husband had started that morn.
ing for the settlements on the Saline
river and he was not expected back till
the next day.
''Come Children she called, ':it's
time you were both inside. Come
Emma" and then the words died on
her lips and the blood ran cold to her
heart as her eyes fell on a little clump
of bushes about dozen yards to the
rear of the tree where the children
were sitting.
Did her eyes deceive her Was
that brownish red thing she saw but
a heap of the last autum's leaves !?
No. Too we'll she knew what it was
the hidecusly.painted face of an In.
dian.
Then the natural cool courage of
the woman showed itself. 1t she be-
trayed her knowledge of the presence
OF her savage foe, it would but precip-
1tate the attack, which was now i'm
minent.
Like a tightening flash she formed
her plan of action, and then stepping
out from the door she went around do
Ing some work outside, just as coolly
as 1t there wasn't an Indian within a
thousand miles, but with every nerve
strained to its utmost tension, and ev-
cry sense on the alert for the least sign
of attack.
''Come, come children" she called,
after a few moments, "the evening
meal is getting cold.''
The little ones ceased their play and
came running toward her, and they all
walked into the house.
To close and lock the heavy door,
and to swing to and bar the Strong
shutters of the window was but the
work of moment.
Not an instant too soon was the work
accomplished, as the Indians at once
saw that they had been discovered,
and a shower of bullets and arrows
were hurled against the house.
Hastily placing the children in a
place of safety, the brave woman ran
/. to the rack where the arms. always
loaded were kept.
She found two double. barrelled shot
guns, Spencer rifle and plenty Of
ammunition, so that as long as she kept
the Indians at a distance she was all
right.
A yell from the savages startled her.
Ronning to one of the loopholes in the
front OF the house, she saw four of
them making rush with the evident
intention of getting up to the door
before she had time to fire at them.
The shot guns were loaded with pis.
tol bullets. Running the muzzle of
one of them out through the loop
hole, she took aim at the foremost In.
dian. A crack Of the piece and he fell
dead. q . -, 8
The others turned and ran, but it
was too late Again the fatal crack
OF the gun, and another savage went
to his happy hunting grounds. The
other two succeeded in getting under
cover before the heroic woman could
bring the second gun to bear upon
them.
q howl Of rage and dismay arose
from the edge Of the timber as the
savages' saw the fate OF their compan.
ions. and for q long time no apparent
ehort was made by them to continue
the fight. "a. ..5 81.
She knew by the stiffness that was
kept BY the Indians that they were
getting ready some now plan Tor her
capture. &.
Suddenly q thought struck her.
Should they make an attack from be.
hind the house they would he upon
her before. she was aware. How was