The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-09-08


up and seized her rife. She had seen
the horses stop and begin to rear and
plunge as they came near the south end
OF the field, which was fringed by the
forest. She saw her husband pulling
them and using the whip but in mo-
ment more the animals dashed off at full
speed. just as they started grandmother
heard faint cyl yiF' and the next mo-
ment caught sight of score of saveges
as they dashed out of the woods and
made for her husband.
"Just exactly us dreamed" she whiE-
pered to herself, lifting the rifle clear of
the floor.
Grandfather caught sight of the red
skins as soon as they broke cover, and
he wheeled and made for the house at his
best pace. For few rods he held his
own, but then his fifty years began to
tell on him, and the shouting Indians be-
gan to gain. They were thirty rods be-
hind him at the start, but before half the
distance to the house had been traversed
they were not ten rods behind.
Run father run for your lifeI' shouted
grandmother, waving her hand to him;
and he did his best.
But the old man did not have it in him.
He was within iifle-shot of the door,
when the redskins bore him down to the
grass, right in plain sight OF his wife.
Five or six OF them halted TO take care of
the prisoner, and the rest, whooping and
yelling, made for the house. Grand
mother stood square in the door, and the
rifle was slowly lifted. When the FORE
most savage was twenty rods away, out
on q lire went the barrel, there was a
quick report and the Indian fell forward
on the grass. Then she stepped back,
closed the door, and the next nome Mt the
shouting demons jumped against it. The
door stood like rock. Bsffied and dis
appointed the Indians hacked ct the
boards with their tomahawks, as il to
hew their way in. Striking away, one Of
the blows fell on knot in the p ank and
the knot fell at the woman's feet, while a
hole as large as o mans fist was left in
the door. Encouraged by this the Indi
ans we're chopping away, when grand
mother seized the revolver, took swift
aim, and horrible yell mingled with the
report. The Indians then fell back to
where they bad left their prisoner, and
and were cut OF range.
Grandfather had his arms tied behind
him, and after few minutes walked out
few feet in advance OF his captors. He
looked at the house, the n looked back,
and refused to obey the command given
him. The Indians advanced drew their
tomahawks, and then the captive shout
ed:
"Nancy Nancy unbar the door, leave
the rifle in the house, and come out here.
They won't hurt your
The wife heard every word Of it, and
the trembling tones of the old mans voice
made her heart ache. But she knew that
the Indians had forced him to make the
appeal and that it was only iuse TOR
them TO get another prisoner. She made
no reply, and directly the redskins forced
the old man to speak again.
NANCY !" he called. "The Indians
say if you don't come out they will MUIR
der me right here"
1t was the hardest struggle in her long
life, but grandmother realized that both
would certainly be murdered if she COM
piled, and that if she held out there was
hope that help might come from immi-
grants or hunters before night. Tears
came to her eyes, and she could not choke
down her sobs as she thought of her hus-
bands fate; but che was determined to
resist to the last. As she did not reply,
one of the Indians, who could speak En-
glish quite well, stepped out and shout
ed:
Some, hurry up, quick. You no come
out, we kill old man.
"Peter Barnes" shouted old grand
mother, her mouth at the knot-hole, 81
know that you don't want me to come
out, and shall not come! have the ri
fle and revolver, and ehall defend the
house to the last! Be on your watch for
a chance to break away and run to the
house."
The Indians understood sufficient of
the speech to know that the woman did
not propose to sure nder, and they gath
cred around the prisoner and held con-
sultation. At length, leaving two Of their
number to guard him, the others, fifteen
in all, made a detour and collected on
the north side OF the house. They had
no arrows to fire the house from dis
tance, but gathered brush and piled it
against the north door TO force the wo-
man to come out
She had no loopholes on that side, but
going up stairs she softly removed strip
of "chinking" from between two of the
loge, thrust through the hand holding
the revolver, and shooting by guess,
badly wounded one of the savages. With
a great whooping and yelling the rascals
drew out Of range and held another con-
sultation. In few minutes they all re-
appeared on the &c nth side, gathered
about grandfather, and directly struck
course for the woods from which they
had just issued, grandfather being led
along BEND. The woman watched them
with the greatest anxiety, believing that