The Dawson journal., 1884-12-18
BRAVE ELLA RirD.
How Brave Western Girl Defended
Her Fathers lIeine. ~
From the Rocky aIountain News.

| Cling, one storied structure, per-
fectly innocent of paint, with out
buildings looking as if they were
ready to tumble down. The fam
lily consisted, at the time of this
story, of Joe Reed, the proprietor,
his wife and two children. Ella,
the eldest, was a rather pretty
girl Of eighteen, who for several
years had relieved the tired moth
er Of much Of the burden of the
house work, attended to the du-
ties of the dairy, and was good
horsewoman withal, often accom-
panying her father iii rough rides
of miles when looking for Stray
cattle.
Once a week Mr.. Reed went to
Denver to sell the dairy products,
and purchase such articles of food
as could not be raised on the
ranch. Willie frequently accom-
panied him, and the two women
thought nothing of being left
alone in the house and long into
the night, as the distance of the
city made the drive long one.
1t was one of those evenings in
the early fall, just rs they had
completed their supper and the
mother was arranging the table
for the hungry father and son,
that the younger woman went to
the barn, the back of which was
Immediately on the road, to see q
calf that was sick.
Suddenly she heard the voices
of men in the road near the barn.
Listening and scarcely daring to
breathe, she heard the words that
almost froze her with terror:
"The old man keeps his money
box in the drawer of the old bu-
reau, but the old woman carries
the key"
"How can we get at it?" asked
another voice.
eve can bind both women, and
if they make any noise, we can
stop that" For moment the
terrified listener was fairly paral-
zed with fear, then she started up,
and running quickly aroundto the
back of the house and crawling
through an open window, went to
toa closet and took from it twore-
volvers, which were always kept
loaded for emergencies, conceal
ing them in the folds of her
dress.
Hastily rejoining her mother
in the larger room, she was just
in time to see two burly looking
rulfians enter by the door. The
taller of the two men demanded
supper, "and let it come
quickly, too he said, in a men,
acing tone. The brave girl placed
the food on the table, knowing
that the scoundrels would satisfy
their hunger before putting their
purpose of robbery, and possibly
of murder, into execution. She
then sat down i'll front of then
and watched them. The moment
their meal was completed, she
suddenly thrust the muzzles OF
the pistols in their faces threaten
ing to shoot if they moved.
ExpostulatiJns aud protesta-
tions were in vain: the heroic girl
stood there with eyes flashing and
determined, for what to her seem
Ell ages. The poor mother as
soon as she comprehended the sit
uatioD, over come by her great ter-
ror, had tainted and was lying on
the floor.
At last the sound OF wagon
wheels was heard coming toward
the house, and in moment the
father and brother entered the
house in company with an uncle
who had arrived in Denver that
day from their old eastern home
in Pennsylvania, and by the NOR
est accident met Mr.. Reed on Six
teenth street, in Denver. Assoon
as they comprehend the situation
they compelled the rufians with
revolyers at their heads to submit
to being bound with ropes, and
when daylight came they were ta-
ken to the county seat and placed
in Jail.
The brave girl, as soon as she
was relieved from her terrible
guard duty, and the horrible
strain on her nerves was taken of,