The Meeker herald., 1889-05-11
A BRAVE WOMAN.

IN tus Sutumn " Sos6 povttoo OF toS
Csps Colony known ~ 0si~kaIand had
b-ca In considerable fsrmsof. and the
tires. altar smoldsrin9 Tor some time. hsd
broken out In the flames Of rebellion and
war The fierce tribs who inhabits I'd this
country from tho Ant conquest by the
English In 1884 bon, the yoke OF thrslldom
with no good grace. and had on more
than one occasion since that time broken
out In rovoit against their conquerors,
and ~ many petty breaches Of discipline
and good behavior had gone unpunished.
had =, length thrown down tho gauntlet
TO England and commenced hostilitlss by
. sudden snd vio,rat attack upon h1s
native allies. tho fnGr~s. an adjotn,
sos trib. A call to arms was made By
tho colonial authorities. and a. som -
forcrs could 10 orgaEiss-i they wers sent
with all haste to tho front 10 check these
! sAyA,ses In their carcas Of rapino aud
plumber II Is during the time that passed
between the breaking out Of tho war and
/ tho arrival Of troops TO the rr.eue Of tho
scattered white population In this rstSl
iious Sis,rie; that tho following episode
took place
Situated about fifteen mile, from Ibeks.
| a small native village and la tho ldu,eLs
reserve. WA u lOncly mission station,
comprising q ,Glsil chapel. . house and
foe native hg,a Hero IL ~as that o
member 81 tn. Church Of England Mis-.
s!onsfy society esrrs~si ON his lat,oss AID
sought 10 turn these ssvAe~s from iheis
~syh of darkness To th1s1 Of light Tho
family besides tho minister CONSISTED Of
hi, vito aud thru. small ehiidr-u. the
eldes, = G,rl ng-i ~ ind two boys. aSsd
respectively 10 and Z. besides which we're
two native female ~orvantA
Al tho tim. Of tho aitAsk by shs KAHN
upon tho tln.v, tho mis- slonay ~aa
away from home attending to his religious
duties Al . n~ightotna village. Tho dfsi
news Of tho rising that rvaeh~d his vie
~As Of . drssdfui n,s...-ro that bad
taken piacp by tho Kssfs~ near iboka. la
which the proprietor Of = ssor~ and his
family hal b--n nuri~rvI BY hand Of
ihe.r bip-i'hirs'y warriors after . stub,
born resistance. and tho ssorv looted and
burnt Tho pp1r woman va for the mo.
u,~nt psrai. red with fear ~ 90 what would
b. tho fate "f her husband. far hsosn hone
and unHrn-i. and In tho uidsi Of ihs.s
rclrnti~ss fo~z. and also what would 10
tho fats for Lur.clf and her ehiidrrn II an
siiarx w.s asdo upon them. Tho arst
night wa, passed In anxious wAie hing and
waiting and hoping against hors thu, hsf
husband Nigh; fvturt. though sho know
ths; ,snirss warning hsd rveeh~d him In
,iino 10 must 10 err nov sgrroandrd
Tho morning ds~H--i without any even:
ostriio.tane- Lavin. occurred. and ia, day
~or- on and no align of either friend "
enefny wa> rrcn- Ano:hss night passsd
aid another dawn hroks, and With Il cane
terrible news. A friendly native Who haA
b~sn travelling co during tho aiEhS ~
ported to ono Of The servants that ths
hrha> az puihsana had cruelty busahssssl
tho missionary Ia . drunken fIvasy. tam
Ing . deaf car TO his ea,svsti~s to spare
him who ,lsai done ilrin y, harm. and
lha: h- hal iioi Afsrr enduring terrible
,ossurr. asking pardon TO- Lls murdsrsss-
Tho shock was terrible IN tho aaltessd
wife. bu: the Instinct Of the mother
srs-s within her for tho preservation Of
her cii,iarcn sh- assumed command Of
tho h;tic garrison and -, herself ahput
vsesuslinS IL TO Withstand . siege u n~css.
aasy. fvry;hin. ~as brposhs IN fru0
tbs chapel and siorci In tbs hooss, the
windows md d,ors ~rrc barseaded With
bags o! moalics ,eomL aad Aaythlns
that came to hand thai wouh servo 10
turn spar OF stop ballet. A plentiful
s:ruAIn. and Lastly Ill tbs available arms
Of tho quondam fossr~ss VEN sasnsd out.
loaded and pat II rssAinssa st enn~ smAll
loopAolss that haA bssa lsft far ths pas.
poss.
A friendly native vsat cut 10 rsaoo.
hotter. and sisout 10 o'clock returned with
tho startling information that hand Of
about hfly mon. on foot and eo horss-
back. vere making their way seross the
plain In the direction Of tho station. and
w-rr then about thrss miles distant. CON.
Ing on n; a krisurcly Pare. but fully armed
Tho doors wcr, Instantly fastened and
bsrricalci and every corner Of tho houss
vas inspected by iis bravc commander.
Who determined 10 scll hcrHelf and her
little ones as dearly al rpssiblc. She
airovc TO rnlly tho courage Of h~r llttlc
force by prayer and recollection that
they ~orc In Coils hands. but thc ser~a ants
wcrr almost b-Ridc themselves and
mcsned and wcpt At their impending
danger. A little hero arose In the eldest
boy. who said. You aud Tomb shoot.
guns" Nearly an hour passed In this
dr,sdfui suspense Tho approaching
party carnc lcisurvly on and headed toward
. point Q quarter Of mils to tbs left Of
tho honss. ~hcrc they paused. and hope
began 10 assert itself that after all they
might pass and leave them unframed.
but IL soon lccamo evident that the n.
sui, Of this short halt only meant I
council Of war as to the plans to b pur.
sued In attacking tho house. th0is
cagio eyes having taken In the fart that
. hah oS'h HNs sheo . thN}-" VI euu
that tho inmates wcrp determined TO show
Bsht. Abou: dozen Of tho horsemon
gallopcl forward. and pulling up their
hor-c, hundred yards from tho house.
ono Of their number rode forward Q few
PAGES mud sending on. his strong vo.cc. he
uttered In the peculiar rolling. mclliduous
language Of tho katIIr . summons upon
tho garrison TO surrender. promising that
their lives should b spared. There was
not an inmate Of that household that did
not know how lit,lo tho word Of Ka6lr
could b. relied upon. and tho reply that
was -ent forth 10 this demand was that
tho band should move on about their bust.
ness and leave their masters, the English,
60 theirs. A dcrislvc laugh from the aav.
ago followed this. and no yelled out
blood curdling answer that his bAnd
would tear tho hearts ont OF tho inmates,
as they had from tho father. They then
retired towards their allies on foot. and
after short consultation caro- forw ard
with many yclls aud brandi-hing Of a..
scgais towards the house till they were
within seventy yards. when they stopped
and commenced wild firing upon the
fort, the balls from their rides pattcring
upon tho sides md roof. but doing no
damage.
The brave lady, with hes one compan.
lon In arms and surrounded BY tho two
boys. who each graspcd n cartrtdgs. sent
a reply in tho shnpc Of volley from their
rifles which took effect upon one Of the