The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-07-05

Of "Uncle john" which hung over tho
door between the two apartments
Then he closed and barricaded MS best
he could the doors of the cottage and
waited.
He had not long to wait. for very
soon the posse, composed OF dozen
men, halted in front Of the dwelling.
and the leader advanced and raped
loudly on the door.
1t is probable that the posse had lin
gcred little. knowing the direction in
which Mrs. Richie had fled with her
child. and guessing that the family to
whom she would impart the informa-
ton Of the destruction of her own dwell
ing would be frightened thereby into
leaving also. and thus enable them TO
avoid the scene which. in justice. it
must be said was no pleasure to them;
and evidently they thought that the
riise had succeeded. for the leader of
the squad remarked as he halted the
men:
.Gucss we shan't have to frighten
anybody to death here to ret them TO
leave
He was right The occupant OF the
cottage was not frightened. but in
another minute the officer was. for he
heard the click of rifle lock and
knew that there was not only some
body within, but that that somebody
meant business; and. hastily stepping
back off the porch, he said to the men:
Nobody at home here; guess we've
done enough for one day. anyhow;
let's quit and 60 home" And in
another moment the whole posse was
out upon the road and headed in the
direction from which they camo.
1t is more than possible, it is prob
able, that the officer did not intend to
destroy the house from which this little
family had fled. and which Erastus
fend at the risk Of his life.
1t was one Of the best cottages in the
whole ranch and was too valuable to
be destroyed if the family could be
frightened into leaving without; hence
those nearest it had been destroyed
first, with the expectation that il would
result in its abandonment, if not i'm
mcdiately. at least within a very short
time; and the purpose of the posse in
stopping at all had been to add to the
fright of its occupants by threats and
by their prcscnce; instead of which
their leader had received fright him.
self, which induced him to move lit
tie more rapidly than was his wont,
and to keep his person well sheltered
behind the wagon in which was dc
posted the axes and iron bars, by
means of which they had carried on
their work Of destruction at other
places.
When Erastus was satisfied that the
men were really gone, he unbarricaded
the door and returned to the anxiou:
group behind the bluff.
AT first they could not be persuade,
to 60 back to the house, the little girl
crying and begging their mother II
''hitch right up and 60 back to tn,
States where at least their lives wer,
safe; but finally venturing far enough
out to take look. they saw approach
ing man, whom Mrs. Richie recog
nized as a ncighbor, and were rcas
surcd.
The neighbor proved TO be another G
the evicted s1uatters looking for sheltc
for his houscless family. and when job
Parsons and Bill Richie rcined up thci
heated ponies in front Of the cottag
that night, it was the only one standin
within Il circle of two miles on ever
side, and dozen families with thei
little stores of household goods wer
domicilcd within. or camping bcneat
its hospitable shadow.