The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1883-05-08


house !" and scarcely had the words left
his lips ere brawnv savage, bearing a
lighted brand, came from behind the
barn. Another followed him with a
bundle oil. hay.
Nicholas face was grave
"They're going to do what I've been
afraid oi-build fire against the front
door 1t is perfectly dry, you know,
for the roof projects over it. They have
the advantage, too, for when they are
there We cannot see to shoot them. Be-
side," still mere gravely, tour ammuni-
ton Is getting )ow-have you noticed
'it7"i 80 :. -'''-'e--- - ~f
"Yes," said Elsie, with a little chok.
ing sob. "Father was intending to get
some more at the. fort this very day
when he came home from the mill"
"Help me downstairs, dearest" said
Nicholas 81 will stay bv the door,
and, believe me, no one shall enter ex.
cept over my dead body! Put the load
ed guns beside me-"
Pale and exhausted after his exer-
tions, Nicholas reached the. lower story,
and there, propped up bv cushions, his
eyes glitterirg with feverish light and
his hands tightly grasping the guns, he
listened to the movements of the enemy
eltside
A faint smell of smoke crept through
the crevices. The case seemed desper-
ate indeed And as Elsie beheld her
brave ard wounded lover, her coura-
geous little brothers and sweet baby. sis.
ter sleeping calmly in spite Of the noise,
her heart was torn at the thought of the
fate threatening hem!
Selling one Of the loaded guns, she
hurried upstairs. In the hope of see
ing a foe she might shoot, she peered
through one of the loophoIes, and as
she did so she felt the high heel of her
slipper caught in hole in one of the
p'anks of the floor. She stopped to dis
lodge her foot, and then some impulse
made her examine the hole Evidently
there had once been knot in the lin
her This had fallen out and the rats
had gnawed the, aperture until it was
considerably larger.
Smoke was curling up through it and
Elsie knew by this that she was stand.
ing just over the place where the ene-
my's fire was kindled, for, as has been
already stated, the upper story of the
house projected over the lower, the
space henestb forming sortof porch
And it was in this porch that the Indians
were gathered.
"The wretches!" muttered Elsie. 81
can hear what they say Burn US out,
will they7 If could tear away few
of these boards without the redskins
knowing it l might fire down and kill
one o, twe.. Ali! and the exclamation
was juhilant, for Elsie's quick wit had
suggested plan.
, Hurrying downstairs, she said to the
boys: "Peterkin, carry my wash tub up
stairs-make no more noise about it
than you can help Hans, come with
me-"
While Peterkin ebeyed the command
of his sister, the latter, with Hans aid,
began carrying upstairs pailful after pail
ful of the boiling hot soap, which was
then poured into the tub waiting for it.
"EIse," whispered Nicholas, as she
passed him on one OF her upward jour-
neys-"Elsie, the door is beginning to
burn! l can hear the wood crackIe -
AS last resort, when the crash comes,
you take little Liza and the b)ys and
rush out the back door! ] will try and
detain the savages as long as can, so
asto give you chance. Make for the
river as fast as you can. Ifyour fathers
boat is still there, get in it and row
across. Keep in the shadow and coax
Liza so that she won't cry. Kiss me
good bye, sweetheart, and may the kind
God above watch over and protect your
Elsie stopped and pressed kiss uron
his pale.s PAIN wrought face. "Oh.
Nicholas! I cannot leave you to die
here alone-no, no.. not, even for the
sake of the children! Perhaps we may
all he saved! L have .plan-oh, pray
that il may not faI''-and with one
more passionate embrace Elsie again
rushed up the narrow, oaken stairs
! Reaching the place where the knot
hole was. she knelt down. and. with o
small hatchet, began to tear away the
boards Ere long faint CLEAN of the
6re blazing below was seen through the
cracks Then little more careful work
and she could see the plumed heads and
copper -colored shoulders OF the dozen
savages, who we're SC intent upon their
task OF feeding the fire and battering
the door. that none of them saw the
work that was going on over their
heads!
Elsie" whispered Peterkin-"Elsie,
Nicholas says that they have nearly
burned and cut a hole through the door,
and that you must come down ard get
ready to fee! Oh! what's that" as
the report of musket was heard below.
For Nicholas, seeing that d small |
opening had been made in the door,
placed his musket to il and fired ran
dom shot, which was attended with ex
cellent results, for one of the savages
tell wounded to the ground.
While the air resounded with the
wrathful yells of the Indians as they
bent over their fallen comrade, Elsie,
with the boys aid, tipped up the tub
over the hole in the floor, and the next
instant stream OF scalding hot soap
was poured down upon the enemy!
And then what hnwls of pain What
mad caperings, as the Indians vainly
strcye to free themselves from the burn
ing mass that had fallen on their heads,
shoulders, arms and bodies! Every
thing else was forgotten in their efforts
to ease their paint! -.,.,.e.-.s. - r-
"The river" screamed one, and like
pack of frightened infuriated animals
awsy tLey rushed down the grassy slope.
hoping to relieve their burns by plung-
ing in the cold stream. But in this in
stance the old saying, "out of the frying
pan into the fire." was verified, for,
scarcely had they reached the rivers
bank, when they received such volley
OF bullets that two-thirds Of their num-
ber fell to the ground killed or mortally
wounded!
1t was Herr Meyer and party of SOL
diers from the fort. They had come
across the river IN boats, and bad come
ashore lust as the savages came rushing