The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-05-21

cure your door with strong bars, and
close it every night at sunset, and post
one of your number as sentry, that
you may not be taken by fatal sur
prise.
That's just what tells 'em, Colo
nel,' chimed in Mrs. Meeks. a strong,
masculine woman, from the backwoOds
of Virginia. who, with her husband
and two children, occupied the block
house with us. he being employed by
our company in the capacity of scout.
runner and hunter. and she as general
indoor manager, the only female yet
in the settlement. That's jest what !
tells 'em-for l knows the Injuns a
heap-the dirty, mean, sneaking var
minis. that is arays a pokin' thar
greasy faces around when you don't
expect 'em! | tells 'em, Colonel, that
some dark night, when we're all
asleep, it's more'n like they'll pitch
right squar' into US, and murder and
sculp US afore we know what's what.
But eff yer thinks, Colonel Stacy, that
my talkin' does bit of good. ye're
mistaken heap. | mought as well
talk to so many stumps; even my old
man, Ike, has got SOS he don't seem
to keer a dern. Well, well, eff we keep
our hair on till next spring, I'll be
powerful disappointed. that's all
81 had been out hunting that day.
and had been so fortunate as to shoot
an old buck, feat Of which felt quite
proud. Around our usual evening fire
were collected some eight or ten Of
our party, who were .variously en-
gagged in cooking. eating, and thawing
their half-frozen limbs, for the night
had set in intensely cold. Even the
dogs had crowded up 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 favored
mouthful. We had stacked our arms
in a distant corner. and no one was
thinking of danger. | was relating
nv exploits to my brother John. who
seemed as proud of my success rs if it
had been his own; and Big Bill, as We
had named one of our mum ber 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 N the other, when
suddenly the door was thrown wide
open. and a fierce Mohawk sprang in
and held it back.
Indians Indiansr shouted !, start
ing to my feet.
'At the same moment a terrific vol
ley was poured in upon us, followed by
the most appalling yells that ever NOR
tails heard. Several of our men fell.
l saw Big Bill pitch forward, as if
shot through the back; and another,
who was bending over the fire. in the
act of toasting piece of meat, went
right 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
to be standing near the door, and es-
capped the fist volley unframed. in
stantly caught up an axe, and, with the
true spirit OF border woman, made a
tremendous blow at the savage who
had first entered. The latter caught
the CLEAN of the whirling ak, and
lodged his head, just enough TO clear
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 a 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
flash, 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, unnO::ced 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