Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-01-16
w A M
A Thrilling Episode of Life in the Rocky
Mountains.

Mountains.
The hcroines OF history are usually
characters made conspicuous by the
emergencies of war, or revolution, or
an unsettled state OF society. The
same heroic qualities exist in woman's
nature at all times. only in a peaceful
age, and a peaceful land, the situations
that call them ont occur less frequently
and are less likely to go upon record.
The Rocky .NoSntoin -News tells in The
following story what a girl can do bred
up i'll frontier life, and probably, tor
that reason, better fitted to cope with
its dangers: but cases of female bravery
are by no means uncommon in Il
| towns and cites. Those who complain
that the human race is degenerating
will do well to notice that in this IN
| stained it was the grit who proved equal
to the occasion. While the wom0n was
utterly helpless.
Reeds ranch did not differ materially
from hundreds OF Others in Colorado.
The same struggling, one-story struct-
ure. perfectly innocent of paint, with
outbuildings looking as if they We're
ready to tumble down. The family
consisted. at the time of this story. OF
Joe Reed. the proprietor. his wife and
two children. Ella. the eldest, vas y
rather pretty girl of eighteen, who for
several years had relieved the tired moth
CT of much OF tie burden of the house
work, attended TO the duties of the
dairy. and was a good hor>ewoman
withal. often accompanying her father
IN rough rides of miles Wien looking
for stray cattle.
Once a week Mr.. Reed went to Den
yer to.sell the dairy products, and pur-
chase such articles of food as could not
%quentlv accompanied him, and the two
women thought nothing of being left
alone in the house until long into the
night, as the distance TO the city made
Che drive Il long one.
1t was on n OF these evenings in the
early fall, just as they had completed
their supper and. the mother was ar
ranging the table for the hungry father
and son. that the younger, woman went
to the barn. the back of which was i'm
mcdia-ely on the road, to see Il calf that
was sick.
Suddenly she heard the voices of men
in the road near the barn. Listening
and scarcely daring 10 breath, she heard
words that almost troZe her with terror.
''Thc old man keeps his moncy-hox
in the drawer Of the Old bureau, but the
old woman carries the key"
elbow can we get at it," asked an
other voice.
1--WE can bind both women. and il
they make any noise, We can stop
that"
For Il moment the terrified listener
was fairly paralyzcd with fear; then,
she started up, and running quickly
around to the back of the house and
crawling through an open window.
went to u closet and took from it two
revolvers which We're always kept load
ed for emergencies, conccaling 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 %rullians enter by the
door.
The taller Of the two men demanded
4 supper, ''and let it come quick, too," he
said, in a menacing tone. The brave
girl placed the food on the table, know
ing that the scoundrcls would satisfy
their hunger before putting their pur
pose of robbery, and possibly murder
into execution. She then sat down il
front Of them, and watched them. The
moment their meal was completed. she
Suddenly thrust she muzzles of tn,
pistols in their faces, threatening t.
shoot if they moved.
EXpostulations and protestations were
in vain; the heroic girl stood there witt
eyes flashing and determined, for wha
to her seemed ages. The poor mother
us soon us she tomprehended the situa
ton. overcome by her great terror, hal
tainted and vas lying on the floor,
At last the sound of wagon wheel
was heard coming toward the house
and ina moment the father and brothe
entered the house in company with al
uncle who had arrived in Denver tina
day from their old Eastern home il
Pennsylvania, and by the merest acct
dent met Mr.. Reed on Sixteenth Street
in Denver.
AS soon as they comprehendcd tn
situation they compelled the rut1ian
with revolvers at their heads TO submit
to being bound with ropes. and whc
daylight came they We're taken to tn
county seat and placed in Jail.
The brave girl as soon as relieve
from her terrible guard duty, and tn
horrible strain on her nerves was take
OFT, went into Il succession of hystcric;
:. , spasms, and it was tor weeks that he
reason. if not her life, was despaired O.
7 She eventually recovered, however
! and afterward married a wealthy Der
v.r gentleman, and is now living in til
Queen City. The two me- were recoe
niZed as old offenders, in fact they wcl
) fugitives from %jusaics from a distal
county, and afterward served IL lon
time in the p%enitentiary in Canon Cit,
I'm walking always turn your toe
h outward and your thoughts inwar.
The former will prevent yor from fal