The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-01-01

the Surface. Ii tnaC cnap nau nau sur
face ore he might have been believed.
except that part about the land, which
was way of. IN Y. Sun.
TWO BRAVE WOMEN.
A Thrilling Episode Of Life In the Rocky
Mountains.
The heroines of history are usually
characters made conspicuous by the
emergencies of war, or revolution, o,
an unsettled state CT society. The
same heroic qualities exist in woman's
nature at all times, only in a peaceful
age, and q peaceful land. the situation:
that call them out occur less frequently
and are less likely to go upon record.
The Rocky Mountain Ne,os tells III the
/ following story what girl can do bred
up in frontier life, and probably, fol
thai reason. better fitted to cope with
| It's dangers; but cases of female bravery
are by no means uncommon IL ouI
towns and cites. Those who complain
! that the human race is degener..ine
Will do well to notice that in this in.
! stance it was the girl who proved equal
| to the occasion, while the sconaan was
utterly helpless.
Reeds ranch did not differ materially
from hundreds of Others in Colorado.
The same struggling, one-story saruct.
ure, perfectly innocent of paint, with
outbuildings looking as if they were
ready to tumble down. The family
consisted, at the time of this story, Of
Joe Reed, the proprietor, bis wife AID
two children. Ella, the eldest. was 8
rather pretty girl of eighteen, wh.s tol
several years had relieved the tired D,oth.
er OF much of tie burden of the hc.ise-
work, attended to the duties OF the
dairy, and was good horsewol.lan
withal, often accompanying her faGhe
IN rough rides of miles when LOOKING
for stray cattle.
/ Once Il week Mr.. Reed went to Len
yer to sell the dairy products, and pun
chase such articles of food as could MOI
| be raised on the ranch. Willie fire.
qrnntly accompanied him, and the tive
women thought nothing of being left
alone in the house until long into the
/ night, as the distance TO. the city made
the drive a long one.
1t was on one of these eveningsfn the
early fall, just rs they had complet,
their supper and the mother was az
ranging the table for the hungry father
and son, that the younger woman wer
to the barn, the back of which. was i'm
! medilely on the road, tosee a. calf chat
was sick
Suddenly she heard the voices of men
in the road near the barn. Listening
and scarcely daring to breath. she heard
words that almost froZe her with terror.
1.-The old man keeps his money-boy
in the drawer of the old bureau but the
old woman carries the key
'.How can we get at it.." asked an
other voice.
I'VE can bind both w0mer, and ii
they make any noise, We can Stop
that"
For Smoment the, terrified listener
was fairly paralyzed with fear; then,
she started up. and running quickly
around 10 the back of the house and
crawling through an open. window.
went to a closet and took fromit two
reyolver5which were always kept load
ed for emergencies, conceaIng them in
the folds of her dress.
Hastily rejoining her mother i'm the
larger room, she was just in time to see
two burly-looking rulfians enter'hy the
door.
The taller of the two men demanded
supper, land let it come quick, too," he
said, in ;amenacing tone. The brave
girl placed the food on the table; know
ing that the scoundrels would. satisfy
their hunger before putting their pur-
pose of ROBBERY, and possibly murder;
into execution. She then sat down in
front of them, and watcIed them. The
moment their meal was completed, she
suddenly thrust the rHizzles of the
pistols in their faces, threatening, to
shoot if they moved.
representations and protestations were
in vain, the heroic girl stood there with
eyes flashing and determined, for what
to her seemed ages. The poor mother,
as soon rs she comprehended the situa-
ton. overcome by her great terror, 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
uncleswho had arrived in Denver that
day from their old Eastern home in
Pennsylvania. and by the merest acct
dent met Mr.. Reed on Sixteenth. Street,
in Denver.
As-seo as they comprehensled the
situation they compelled the rnffiars
with. reyolyers at their heads to,submi:
to being bound with ropes. and when
daylight came they were taken to the
county seat and placed in jail. O
The brave girl as soon as relieved
from her terrible guard duty; and dhe
horrible strain on her nerves was taken
off. went into a succession Of hysteriit:fl
spaslns, and it was tor weeks thet hei
reason, if not her LIE, .wasSdespaireG Of.
She eventually recovered. however,
anil afterward married wealthy Den
WE gentleman, and'i now living in tina
Queen City. The two men, wore ueeog
nized as old Offenders, in fact tiey wert
fMgitives from justice fEomi a distant
eennty, and afierward served long
time in the penitentiary in Canon City