Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1889-01-25
A BRAVE WOMAN.

Ntie Nuioig khOMu as Naleknianu had
been in considerable ferment. and the
hres, after %smoldering for some time. had
broken out In the flames Of rebellion and
war. The fierce tribe who inhabited this
country from tho first conquest bv the
English In 1884 bore the yoke of thralldom
with no good grace, and had on moro
than one occasion since that time broken
out In revolt against their ~conqucrors.
and as many petty breaches Of discipline
and good behavior had gone UNPUBLISHED.
had at length thrown down the gauntlet
10 England and commenced hostilities bv
n sudden and violent attack upon her
native allies. the Fingres, an adioin
ing tribe. A call to arms was made by
the colonial authorities, and as soon rs
forces could DO organized they were sent
with all haste to the front to check these
savages In their career Of rapine and
Ilunder II is during the time that passed
between tho breaking out Of tho war and
the arrival Of troops to tho rescue of tho
scattered white population la this rebel
lious district that the following episode
took place.
Situated about fifteen miles from Ibcka.
e small native village and in the ldutche
reserve, was n lonely mission station,
comprising a small chapel, n house and u
few native huts. Here 1t was that a
member of tho Church Of England Mis-.
sionary sOciets carried on bis labors and
sought to turn these savages from their
ways Of darkness 20 those of light. The
family besides the minister consisted of
his vito and three small children. the
eldest a girl aged 19 and two boys, aged
respectively 10 and Z. besides which were
two native female servants.
At the time Of the attack by the Kaflrs
upon the Fingres the missionary was
away from home attending to his religious
duties at q ~neighboring village. The first
news OF the rising that reached his vito
was Of Il dreadful massacre that had
taken place by the Eaflirs near Ibcia, in
which the proprietor of a store and his
family had been murdered by a band Of
these bloodthirsty warriors after q stub.
born resistance. and the store looted and
burnt. The poor woman was for tho RIO.
ment %parnlyzed with fear as to what would
DO the fate of her husband, far from home
and unarmed, and in the midst of these
relentless foes, and also what would be
the fate for herself and her children if an
attack was made upon them. The first
night was passed in anxious watching and
waiting and hoping against hope that her
husband might return. though she knew
That unless warning had reached him in
timo ho must be ere now surrounded.
The morning. dawned without any event
ofimportanco having occurred. and the day
wore OH Il no sign of either friend or
enemy YVES seen. Another night passed
and another dawn broke, and with it came
terrible news a friendly native who had
been travelling on during tho night re.
ported to one Of the servants that the
fends ut Quintana had cruelty butchered
the missionary Is q drunken frenzy. turn
ing a deaf car TO his entreuties to spare
him who had done them no harm. and
that he had died after enduring terrible
torture. asking pardon for his murderers.
The shock was terrible to the afflicted
wife, but the instinct Of tho mother
arose within her for the preservation Of
her children. She assumed command of
the little garrison and set herself about
victualing II to withstand a siege If neces
sary. Everything was brought In from
tho chapel and stored in the house. the
windows and doors were barricaded with
bags Of mealies (corn), and anything
that came to hand that would serve 10
turn n spear or stop q bullet. a plentiful
supply of water was brought in from tho
stream, and lastly all the available arms
of the q%uondaE fortress were turned out,
loaded and put In readiness at some srlall
loopholes that had been left for tho pur.
pose.
A friendly native went out to recon
hotter, and about 10 o'clock returned with
the startling information that a band of
about fifty mon. on foot and on horse
back, were making their way across the
plain In the direction of the station, and
were then about three miles distant, com.
ing on at a leisurely pace, but fully armed
The doors were instantly fastened and
barricaded and every corner of the house
was inspected by its brave commander,
who determined to sell herself and her
little ones as dearly as possible. She
strove TO rally the courage Of her little
force by prayer and a recollection that
they were In Gods hands. but the servants
were almost beside themselves and
moaned and wept at their impending
danger. A little hero arose in the eldest
boy, who said: you and Tomb shoot.
mamma. and ! and Harry viii load the
guns" Nearly an hour passed in this
dreadful suspense. The approaching
party came leisurely on and headed toward
a point a quarter of a mile to tho left Of
the house. where they paused, and hope
began to assert itself that after all they
might pass and leave them unframed.
But IL soon became evident that the re-
suit Of this short halt only meant a
council Of wal as to tho plans TO DO pur.
sued in attacking the house, their
eagle eyes having taken in tho fact that
It had been put into n stage of siege and
that the inmates were determined to show
fight. About a dozen Of the horsomeI
galloped forward. and pulling up their
horses a hundred yards from the house,
one Of their number rode forward a few
PAGES and sending out his strong voice, he
uttered In the peculiar rolling. mellifuous
Language OF the Kaflr u m upon
the garrison to surrender, promising that
their lives should be spared. There was
not an inmate Of that household that did
not know how little the word Of q kn1iii
could DO relied upon. and the reply that
was sent forth TO this demand was that
the band should move on about their bust
ness and leave their mGsters. the English,
10 theirs. A derisive laugh from the saw.
age followed this, II he yelled out O
blood curdling answer that bis band
would tear the hearts out Of the inmates,
rs they had from the fGther. They then
retired towards their allies on foot, and
after q short consultation camo forward
with many yells and brsRdishing Of as
segais towards the llouse till they were