The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-08-21

peared on the south side, gathered about
grandfather, and directly struck a course fol
the woods from which thew first issued
grandfather being led along behind. The
woman watched them with the greatest anx-
iety' believing that they had abandoned the
siege and that she should never see her hus-
band again.
| one watched and waited for about half an
| nour, and was just thinking of opening the
| door, when faint whooping reached her
| from the woods. A moment afterwards
grandfather came flying across the fields.
waving his hands to her. Two or three min
utes later the Indians burst out of the woods
In full cry, but were forty rods behind 1.-THE
| fugitive.
| Grandmother realized that an escape had
been made, and she laid down the revolver
and stood ready to open the door, AS the
| fugitive got within twenty rods, being then
| thirty rods ahead of pursuit, she began to
unbar the door. She had only touched it,
when some one leaped against it, not one,
but four of FIVE. Finding it fast, the savages,
| for such they were, set up howl of rage and
| retreated out of range. Grandfather was
standing still, about fifteen rods from the
door, and the woman did not have to look
twice to see into the game One of the In
dams had donned the prisoners clothing,
damned the familiar hat over his forehead,
ana the pursuit was all a sham. Before he
had lett the woods, four or five Indians had
made detour, and softly approached the
mouse, SO as to be ready to leapiin when the
par came down from the door. 1t was not
grandmother's good wit, but their own haste
In leaping out which had prevented the cap
lure Oh the house and her death.
,,,,T he savages then tried another plan.
Ihey brought the old man out of the woods
naked, except his shirt, tied him to a wild
plum tree just out of rifle range of the house,
and then set about maltreating him, hoping
70 work on the woman's sympathies.
Grandmother could see every movement
made, and she was yearly crazed to see them
assault the old man with knives and clubs.
They pricked him until he was covered with
blood, though not seriously wounded in any
spot, and, cutting number of switches from
the hazel bushes. they whipped him until
they were tired of the sport The old man
| groaned little, but they could not make him
| cry out. as they had hoped to do; and in his
| heart he hoped that grandmother would not
be imprudent enough to attempt interference.
| Her heart, big with sympathy and distress
and her eyes full OF tears. the woman al
| lowed the sayages to get ahead of her.
Several of them moved back of the range
| of the knothole, skulked around TO the north
| side of the cabin, and grandmother's first
intimatlon OF their presence was when she
heard the cracking of flames in the brush
which they had previously piled against the
north door, AS soon as the flames were
lighted the savages drew off few rods and
commenced shooting at the spot over the
door where she had pulled out the chinking
to shoot at them before. Notwithstanding
the whistling Of the balls which every mo-
ment came through into the garnet, the
woman mounted the ladder with pail of
OF water, dashed the contents out through
the crevice, and mere accident guided the
dash SO that the flames were drowned out
Grandfather had his arms tied behind him,
and after few minutes walked out a few
| feet in advance of his captors. He looked
at the house, then looked back, and refused
to obey the command given him.. The In
dams advanced, drew their tomahawks, and
then the captive shouted:
Marcy Nancy unbar the door, leave the
rifle in the house and come out here. They
won't hurt YOU"
The wife heard every word of it, and the
trembling tones of the old mans voice made
heart ache. But she knew that the Indians
had forced him to make the appeal and that
1t was only ruse for them to get another
prisoner. She made no reply, and directly
the redskins forced the old man to speak
again.
''Nancyl' he called, "the Indians say if
you don't come out they will murder me right
here"
but grandmother realized that both would
certainly be murdered if she complied, and
II she held out there was hope that help
might come from immigrants or hunters be-
fore night. Tears came to her eyes, and she
could not choke down her sobs as she
thought of her husbands fate; but she was
determined to resist to the last. As she did
not reply, one of the Indians, who could
speak English quite well, stepped out and
shouted:
"Coma hurry nm oniolr Vou no oon,a
out we kill old manw
Peter. Barnes" shouted grandmother, her
mouth at the knot hole, 81 know that you
don't want me to come out and i shall not
come! | have the rifle and the revolver, and
i shall defend the house TO the last! BE on
your watch for chance to break awaykand
run to the house,"
Two.hours had passed since the first APP
pearance OF the Indians; grandmother had
killed one and wounded others, and such
firing and yelling had been kept up that the
redsdins were.fearful that help might come
to the woman, and therefore they withdrew.
She counted them as they went away to be
sure. that none were left behind. They took
the dead one on their shoulders, and
the wounded were assisted along, each
between two of his companions. They
entered the woods, and after an hour
had passed without their temperance
grandmother realized that all danger. to her
was over. She opened the door, took scout
around her house. and then her eye fell dpon
the horses. The animals had made long
run when first taking fright, going across the
helds for mile or more, and were now COM
ing towards the house dragging portion of
the pillow after them. In ten minutes the
woman was galloping towards the nearest
settlement, cerrying both rifle and revolver.
A ride of an hour brought her to the hamlet
and seven or eight men quickly mounted
their horses and returbed with her. The
cabin had not been disturned, and leaving
their horses there the men, headed by the
anxious and tireless woman, took up the
trail of the Indians. Following it for an
hour, nearly always on the run, they sudden
ly heard the report of rifles, followed by
whoops and yells.
Two bachelors named Turner had a cabin
and farm in the direction Of the shots, and
the pursuers realized that the Indians had
attacked them. They were hurrying to the
rescue, grandmother leading, rifle in hand,
when she suddenly gave sign of warning,
and all sank down. She had caught sight of
grandfather and his two guards. Through
the sparse timber the men could see grand
father bound to tree and his guards stand
ing near by. but their faces turned in the
direction of the battle which was raging be-
You'd.
Like so many tigers the pursuers crept
forward, and only halted when within eight
or ten rods of the captive. They silently
bodies of the guards, and would have deliv-
cred 1t in moment more but for grandfather.
He caught sight of them, and his joy was so
great that he could not repress loud shout.
The Indians turned on hearing it, and also
catching sight Of the pursuers gave yell
and darted away. A volley was fired as
they fled, and the one behind made great
leap into the air and fell over a log, four or
five bullets having struck him in the head.
The other one ran directly for his CON-
panions, and his news raised the selge of the
Turner cabin in a moment Finding that a
revengeful foe was on their trail, the Indians
made all haste out of the neighborhood and
could not be overtaken.
Grandfather was like a child when re-
leased. He laughed and cried by turns,
threw his arms around grandmother, shook
hands with the men and acted like one gone
crazy. He had been cruelty used blythe red
rascals, and was so weak when he attempted
to start homeward that the men had to carry
him most Of the way: The couple were not
a week getting out of the State, going back
to their old home; and in time grandfather
recovered and was about again: But to the
day of his death, when grandmother took
occasion at the breakfast table to say she
had dreamed this or that, he never again
charged her with being whimsical, or ex-
DrQSsP0 desire fn see her midnioht viQiong