The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-07-04
TWO BRAVE WOMEN
tExehansu.l

The heSoines of history are usually characters made conspicuous by the emergencies of war, or revolution, or an unsettled state ot society, The same he roic qualities exist in wcman's nature al all times, only ir peaceful age, and a peaceful land, the situations that oail them out occur less frequently and are less likely to go upon record. The Rae ir .ioaHfsiH AEsrs tells in the fullowing story what a girl can do bred up in frontier life, and probably, for tha, reason, better fitted to cope with its dangers but cases ot female bravery are by no means uncommon ln our towns and cities Those who complain that the human race is degenerating will do we'll to mo- tice that in this instance tt was the girl who proved equal to the occasion, while the woman was utterly helpless.
 Reeds ranch did not differ materially from hundreds of s;hers in Colorado, The same struggling, one-story structure, perfectly innocent of paint, with out buildings looking as if they were ready to tumble down. The family consisted, al the time Of this story, of Joe Reed. the proprietor, his wife and two children. Ella, the eldest, was rather pretty girl of eighteen, who for several years had re. lieved the tired mother ot much of the burden of the housework, attended to the duties of the dairy, and was good horss. woman withal, often accompanying her father h rough rides of miles when look ing for stray cattle.
 Once a week Mir. Reed went to Denver to sell the dairy products, and purch ase such articles of food as could not be raised on the ranch, Willie frequently accompanied him, and the two women thought nothing of being left .!cae In the house until long into the night, as the distance to lhe city made the drive a loug one.
 It was on one of these evenings In the early fall, just as they had completed their supper and the mother was arVang- ing the table for tke hungry father and son, that the younger wonan went to the barn, the back of which was immediately on the road, to sec calf tha, was sick.
 Suddenly she heard the voices of men in the road near the barn. Listening and scarcely daring to breathe, she heard words that almost frole her with terror.
 The old man keeps his money box in the drawer of the old bureau, but the old woman carries the key"
 How can we get at 1t {" asked an. other voice.
 We can bind both women, and il they make any noise, we can stop that T
 For a momen, the terrified listener val fairly paralyIed with fear; then, she started up, and running quickly around to the back of the house and crawling through an open window, went to . closet and took from it two Fevoivess which were always kept loaded for emer- gencies, coucea!ing them in the folds of her dress.
 Hastily rejoining her mother in the larger room, she vas just in time to see two burIy-looking ruffians enter by the door.
 The taller of the two men demanded supper, :" and let 1t 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 purpose of robbery, and possibly murder, Into ex. ecution. She then sat down in front ol them, and watched them. The rnonen, their meal was completed, she suddenly thrust the murzlss of the pistols In their faces. threatening to shoot if they moved.
 Reproductions and psotestasions were in vain the heroic girl stood there with eyes flashing and determined, for shat to her seemed ages. The poor mother, as soon as she eomprehended the situa- tion, overcome by her great terror, had tainted and vas lying on the floor. At last the sound of wagon wheels was heard coming toward the house, and h a 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 meress accident met Mir. Reed on Sixteenth street, In Denver.
 As soon as they comprehsnded the sit- uation they compelled the Fufsass w.sh revolvers at their heads to submi, to be- ing bound with ropes, and when day light came they were taken to the county seat and placed in jail.
 The brave girl as soon as relieved from her terrible guard dsty, and the horrible strain on her nerves was taken of, vent into succession of bysterieal spasms, and 1t was for weeks tha, her Teason, if not her life, was despaired of.
 She eventually recovered, however, and sferward married wealthy Denver gen. ,ieman, and is nos living In the Queen City. The two men were recognized as old offenders, in fact they were fugitiyes from tustiee from A dtstant coonsv and