The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-12-11
SHE STARTED OUT WITH HER GUN
AND SAVED THE Day.

AND SAVED rHE DAY.
A Mormon elder had been up among
the North Carolina mountains spreading
his doctrines, and among the poor and
illiterate he had made converts. A day
was set when these were to assemble at
certain hamlet and start on their West
ward journey. l met them at a bend in
the road and drew aside to let them pass.
Half mile further down they stopped
to eat dinner from the baskets which had
been prepared. was watching the last
one out of sight when tall, gaunt wo.
man, who must have been fully go years
old, but who was still rugged and full of
determination, came up from the other
way. Her dress was of the plainest and
ner head was covered with sunbonnet,
while she had on neither shoes nor stock
ings.
She was cal trying rifle on her shout.
der and she came up so quietly that
was startled.
"Mawnin', stranger" she saluted as
she came to halt.
"Good morning"
'Hev them dun passed this way?"
"'rhe people with the Mormon elder?'
Eyes"
"Just passed out of sight. Are you
one of the party?"
God Forbid" she replied as she
grounded her rifle and leaned upon it.
"What do you think?"
about Mormonism?"
eyes"
81 think that elder ought to be driven
out of the country. Those, poor deluded
people have no idea of what is in store
for them"
THAT'S what I've told em I've
talked and talked, but they wouldn't
harken. My ole man is down thar with
EN-
What! Has he left you behind?"
''Sartin. He couldn't sell the squat,
but he got shet of most else and left me
back thar. He's got the Mormon religun
the powerfuleSt sort, and he's gwin to
take five or six wives out thar. I've bin
wife to him fur forty years and mo- :"
And what are you going to do about
it?' l asked.
Stranger, hitch yer boss and cum
alOng!" she answered, Us her face grew
very hand and her eyes flashed.
walked beside her down the trail, but
we didn't say word. could hear her
breathing exciUedly, and two or three
times she examined the rife to see that
it was in perfect order. We passed the
turn at length and came full upon the
party, seated on the rocks with their
luncheons before them. No one saw us
until we were close at hand. The Nor
mon elder sat in the centre of the group.
Twenty feet away from him the woman
halted, brought the rifle up to her shuul-
der, and, in low but very menacing
voice, said:
81 want yous to go! Go right down
the trail ! If yous doan' go I'll kill yo'
shores I'm livin' woman"
The elder rose up, pale faced and trem-
bling, and, after look to satisfy himself
that not one of the crowd was moving to
interfere, he started off. As he went the
woman called after him:
Keep walkin'! Shores thar's God
in Heaven, I'll kill yo' if yo' ever show
yo's face back yere again!"
With her rifle to her cheek she covered
him until he passed the bend thirty rods
below. Then she turned to the people,
every one of whom seemed dumfounded,
and said:
Scatter back home! You's amt
gwine with him! Pick up yO'r traps and
be a-gittin' or somebody'll die!"
Her husband was one of the first to go,
and the others hurried after him. When
they reached the spot where my horse
was tied they halted, and as we came up
the woman said:
"rhe elders dun gone fur good and
faint no use to foller on. Scatter to yu's
homes and be glad that the Lawd has
dun saved yo' in the nick of time. Jrp-
tia. march! March straight ahead rze
gwine TO he right behind yo' all the
wayv"
And so she saved the day. The elder
never came back, and every convert re-
turned home to pick up the old routine
of life, and soon to return thanks that it
was sU.-DetrOU Free Press