Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-06-27
went to and fro on her household du-

]
ties.
When scrubbing and washing ol
tdishss had en8ptied the water pail, she
vent to the well to fill it. Looking
down the road she saw afar OF dark
object moving toward the settlement.
HInkkIe it, the loaded team of some
| faFmeTs she Yf0t back to the fort and
resume s1her 4prk ahhFipging.
bsa 2 n e esbeniS5, ss9 paksS ,apTSd Hsi
head out OF the door to see how Tor the
team had progressed. To her horror
she saw band of Indians only short
distance OF making straight for the
fort.
Not a white man was in sight, for
every one, together with the women
kaRl children of the eettlement, had
Il,eenl eEed by the beautiful day into
In an instant she took in the lsitua-
ton. If she attempted flight, she
would be captured before she could run
a hundred rods. To be eaptared was
ldeath-the surrender of the fort. She
would stay in the fort, and alone fight
the savages until the men, alarmed by
the firing of guns, came to her aid.
With bang the oaken door swung
shut, and down went the heavy wood
en- bar. Going from loOp-hOle to loop
hole, she place. loaded musket By
each one.F
yTheterrib1e war wheo5 startl led her
for moment. Then her voice ra:g
out, loud and clear, "Here, Jim, George,
Henry, JOnn, Bill! Don't you hear?
Jim, stand by that hole. Bill, you
take that gun!"
Two guns were fired, and then the
voice called out, "George, shoot that
bigsIBjunL Henrys aim fer rthe-ehief J"
Two AlnoEe bullets went ~Akzing
amgng 1he Indians. : ~
They were taken aback. They had
supposed the fort deserted, save by the
woman. But it was full of men. An
other shout, another bullet, and this
time it hit one of them. They hesita-
ted to advance. Bullet after bullet
whizzed, and two more men were
wounded. sH r
Then theystufBed and fed, and when
the men came running to thefort, the
brave woman had scarcely strength to
unbsr the dooEs EF
|. Aslengthhe after this. brave defense,
a farmer, living near the fort, started
one morning 10 NOW. As was usual
in those days, hei carried his musket
with him. Hehad Especial reason for
being on his guard, for certain Indi-
an had become his personal enemy.
On arriving at the hay field, he leau~
ed his gun against a tree, threw of his
coat, sharpened his scythe, and began
moving.
AS, swinging his scythe, he drew
near the lower end OF the field, he saw
an Indian erourhHg Behind roY of
bushes. The farmer was cool man,
and swung his scythe as steadily as if
he had seen nothing.
Looking again, he sawEthat the In
vas his enemy. In one hand be held
a tomahawk, while scalping-knifeI
was stnGk in his belt. The farmer knew
that if he attempted to run for his gun,
the swiftfoOi6d lrdian would be upon
him before he had gone hundred feet.
Self-possession was his protection.
He moved up to the bushes, and
then turned, swinging his scythe as if
anxious to reach the end of his swath.
Waiting until the mower had depart
ed two or thfee rods from the bushes,
the 4Htlian moved noiselessiy through
me ljpshes and crePt after the iaFmeT.
lBuf with every swing efthe scythe,
the farmer, glanciDg cautiously over
his leftshoulder, had taken in the po-
sitiOn of his catlike enemy.
. Nearer crept the stealthy savage.
One step more, and he would be upon
the mower. Raising his tomahaVk,
he braced himself for the spring, and
fell on the ground, dead.
The farmer, with all hsi strength,
had swung his scythe, with its point
inclined up, completely around. 1t
wounded the Indian so that he fell
dead,