Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-07-23

kissed nay hand to mother, as 1 saw
them drive ont of sight.
~ felt somewhat elsted to have the
little house all to my sell. aud resolved
to be az good housekeeper as mother
was. lsewed all the afternoon, and as
evening came on l MIXED our own
COW, and then took up an old history
of the United States to read.
"It was darker than usual that af-
ternoon, for, though the sun set be-
tween and 5. there we're signs of cold
rain Storm coming on. Though it was
gloomy outsiie. strived to have
everything in the kitchen as cheerful
and comfortable rs possible. A great
log fire was on the hearth, and the
flames and sparks went dancing up the
wide chimney.
II read ON and On, beedless of the
time, for the early history of our
country had great charm for me.
The Indian wars were novelty to me
and l sas living over. in imagination,
the struggles of the early settlers,
their wives great trials and heroism,
and, for time, was in another land
land of romance that had once been
reality.
Then there was the description of
the murder of Miss McCrea on her
way to meet her lover. 1t seemed to
me as though I had never hated In
dians 80 much as did when l Tread bow
they murdered that poor, innocent
young woman.
:" had been 80 busily employed in
reading that had paid no attention t.
outside matters aud had fallen into
quite a revtrie, out of which I was
aroused by three things. First-The
log had burned through and the end
had fallen on the hearthstone. Second
The clock in the corner struck IL
Third--A flash of vivid lightning, fol
low. d IN few seconds by deafening
peal of thunder, almost blinded and
stunned me.
4" was then aware that the storm
was coming, for the wind roared
around the house and ratified windows
and doors. The late hour, the strange
ness of the sounds outside, and my
solitary position made me, I must con-
ftss, not only lonely, but nervous as
we'll. No use of thinking of going to
bed, for I knew 1 could not sleep in
such storm as was On it's way. aud my
head 30 full of Indians with their
butcheries and massacres.
1.-The rafting of the back window
annoyed me and resolved to SEQ if l
couldn't give it lesson in quietness
by fastening it tighter.
"As WAS about to do so q flash of
lightning illumined the scene outside
and beheld--to my horror-what ap
peared to me to be the figure OF a tall
Indian standing but q few rods from
the window. Was I dreaming or had l
filed my mind so full of Indians and
their evil designs aud doings as to
make me see things that only existed in
my imagination For the first knew
l was awake and for the second
would watch and see. I had not long
to wait, for very soon another flash of
lightning came and the figure WAS still
there--lt wore colored cloak of som-
kind and its features were perfectly
h;deous.
II never so longed {, see father,
mother and brother Ben as I did at
that time. What wac to be done and
what could I do? At first I thought
would open the front door, fly down
the road and rush at once to our neigh.
boris house. I saw how foolish and
impracticable that would be, for the
night was pitch dark and I should
only lose my way; the storm would
overtake me before had gone half o
mile and the Indian would hear my
footsteps and, being feeter of foot than
l, would soon capture me. Something
must be thought of aud something else
done, and quickly, too.
The women of whom I had read
that very evening had been brave in
time OF danger; why could 1 not fol-
low their example, even if I were only
q girl? ! thought of what they had
done, and resolved to repeat the action
OF one OF those brave women of the
old, old times.
The water was boiling in the huge
pot that hung upon the crane over the
tire. This scclding water I emptied
into pail and made my way towards
the window with it. Gently I opened
the window; ut the first flash of light
Mug threw the scalding water over
my Indian and saw him drop to the
ground. Then all was still. But not
long did quietness reign. The storm,
that had been threatening so long, now
burst forth in all its fury, and the rain
came down in pouring torrents.
Would morning never Gomez l
knew it would be many AN hour before
the daylight came, aud how could l
live through these long and weary
hours?
Had I killed the hostile Indian ?
But. after all, how did I know it was
nestle Indian? It might have been
Q peaceful one who only wanted shelter
from the storm. How was I sure it
was an Md,un. at all? Perhaps Ben
had returned and dedged mp, Indian
fashion, for the sake of giving me q
scare? That wasn't his nature ut all.
heated more water in case of need.
1.-The rain kept pouring down as if
1t meant to food the earth.
Suddenly my eve fell upon little
pistol belonging to Ben. aud which he
had taught me to use. As l was ex
aiming it fash of Lightning revealed
TO- my eye two eyes glazing in at the
window. was entirely wrought up.