The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1889-05-30

But Of yer thinks, Colonel Stacy. that
my tall<in' does a bit Of good, ye're
mistaken a heap. / mought as well
talk to so many stumps; even my old
man. Ike, has got SOS he don't seem
TO keer dern. Well, well, ef we keep
our hair on It'll next spring, I'll be
powerful disappointed, that's all.
II had been out hunting that day.,
and had been. SO fortunate as to shoot
an old buck, afeat ofswhfch felt quite
proud. Around our usual evening fire
were collected some eight or ten Of
our party, who were ..variously en-
gagged In cookings eating, and fhawing
their half frozen limbs. for the night
had ~ In Intensely cold Even the
dogs hadcrowdedsup to the best posi-
tions they could get before the bright,
genial blaze. and were alternately
blinking at the fire and wistfully
watching their masters for a favored
mouthful. We had stacked our arms
in q distant corner. and no one was
I'll thinking Of danger. / was relating
my exploits to my brother John. who
seemed as proud Of my success as If it
had been his own; and Big Bill, as we
had named one of our number from his
immense size, was in the act OF con-
graduating me. as he sat before the
fire, with piece Of meat in one hand,
and piece Of bread In the other, when
suddenly the door was thrown wide
open. and fierce Mohawk sprang in
and held it back.
"sIndians Indians!' shouted /, start
ing to my feet.
T "At the same moment terrific vol
ley was poured in upon us, followed by
the most appalling ye1ls that ever1nor-
tails heard. Several of our men fell
| saw Big Bill pitch forward, as if
shot through the back; and another,
who was bending oyer the fire, in the.
act of toasting piece Of meat, Went
fright down head-foremost, into the
blaze. Some three or four, who were
not killed by the first fire, started up
wildly, and would have rushed to their
guns; but the Indians were too quick
and too many for them; and falling
upon them with their hatchets and
knives. they cut them down and Drained
them before they could make any re-
sistance@ Mrs Meeks, who happened
fte@be standing near the door, and es-
capped the first volley unframed. in
stantly caught up an axe, and, with the
true spirit of a border woman, made a
| tremendous blow at the. savage who
had first entered. The latter caught
the CLEAN of the whfrfiug AK, and
lodged his=head, Just enough tosclear.
his skull, but not enough to avoid the
weapon, which came down with a
cleaving force, right through one side
of his face into his shoulder, dropping
him to the floor, all bloody and hor-
ribly gashed. The next moment an
other savage, with a surer stroke than
her own drove his tomahawk right
into her brain, and the poor woman,
without even groan, sank down dead
at the feet Of the hideous monster. At
the same instant her husband and
screaming children were all slain by
others of the murderous band. Only
two now remained alive, my brother
and myself; he in the act of ascending
the stairs to the apartment above,
closely followed BY two or three Of the
yelling crew.
"All this had seen as it were in a
fash, amid the greatest terror and the
widest noise and confusion, the whole
seeming to my bewildered senses more
| like a horrible dream than a reality.
By some providential means had in
the confusion gained a@corner Of the
room, unnoticed by the savage BUTCH
ers, and finding there large bundle
OF the skins and blankets used for our
bedding, | instinctively dropped down
and crept under them, trembling with
fear, praying for life, and hoping thus
| to escape.
'.For half an hour, it might be, re-
| manned there. in an agony Of suspense
beyond the power of imagination to
conceive, and which made the minutes
seem so many ages. heard the voice
of my poor brother begging piteousfy
| for his life, almost instantly followed
by the sharp crack of two or three
rifles and savage yell OF triumph
which assured me that his fate was
sealed, and myself the only one of the
party now left alive. Then heard
the Indians in the room at their hor-
rible work of scafping. otherwise mu=
tilating, and stripping the dead, and
collecting. together all the arms and
other articles oil, value to carry away
with them, and conversing among
themselves the whiie~-in-tones that
showed they were highly elated with
their successful foray, although their
language / could not understand.
Could ] hope to remain undiscovered,
concealed as was under articles of
so much valued Oh, how every nerve
and fiber in me trembled at the
thought!
but the terrible suspense and un-
certainty ended at last The plumber
/ ing savages could not pass, unnoted
and @unapprepriated the@slsins and
blankets OF their dead foes; and when
heard few of them talking near
me, and felt them lifting one after an
other the coverings above mel com
mended my soul to God, believing my
last moment was at hand.
Suddenly, thinking longer conceal
ment impossible, and irresistibly inn
PEELED to meet the worst, sprang to.
my feet, and. stood revealed to their
astonished gaze. A quick, slight start
of surprise, and half dozen toma-
4 hawks were raised to dispatch me.
One hand Of the nearest savage
grasped me like a vice, and the other
ft514f S,.f \ 5sttftt I, an