The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-02-28
A PERIL OILS slrlIArIoN.
rho Act of Brave Woman Who Faced
DRnger--A Reminlscence OF Wild Bill

DRnRer-A Reminiscence OF Wild Biz
Away back in the Sixties" before
the buffalo, deer and antelope were
killed and driven from Kansas, in the
middle and western portions of that
State, the settlers made 'dugouts" for
their habitations. The settler would
dig into hillside one or more excava-
tions, twelve or fifteen feet square.
In front and around the sides he stood
cottonwood logs, which would be kept |
firmly in place by stamping earth in the
trenches. The roof would be made of
poles covered with branches, earth and
sod.
One of these dugouts was constructed |
in hill which sloped to one of the |
streams tributary to the Arkansas river.
twas of better class than was usually |
found in that new region. 1t had a
panel door and two windows of upper
and lower sashes.
In this house lived an Eastern gentle
man named Wentworth, with his wife.
He had invested in sheep, and was
obliged to go to store few miles
from his home to look at some blooded
stock which an importer had for sale.
He left his home without fear of inn
pending danger, as the Indians in Kan
sas had been quiet for some time.
The day was passed by Mrs. Went
worth in a woman's usual home pur-
suits. Toward evening she stepped to
the door to see if her husband was re-
turning. Her large Newfoundland dog,
which was standing near her, growled
and looked toward the thiclxet bordering
~ A 1. .f L.
looking that way she saw an Indians
face peering through the bushes. She
called her dog to her and shutting and
fastening the door and barring the solid
inside shutters to the windows, she
lighted lamp and prepared for the at
tack she knew must come. Her husband
always kept a gun loaded with buck
shot to defend his sheep from the large
grey wolves, which in that day were SC
destructive to the fiocks.
In few minutes Nero, the dog, de-
tected the approach of the Indians.
They broke the glass in the window
and strove to push the blind open.
Failing, they went to the door and ham
mered on it with their weapons. Mrs
Wentworth made no reply. They
pushed, and the frail lock yielded, The
door flew open and the brave woman
discharged both barrels of the gun into
the group of savages. The dead and
wounded fell on the floor of the room
and the porch outside. The dog flew
among them, and must have killed
those who fell only wounded, as some
of them showed marks of his teeth, and
he was covered with blood when his
master returned.
The Indians who were not injured re-
tired after their comrades fell, not know.
ing what might be their fate were they
to attempt to enter the dugout.
Mrs Wentworth was thrown upon the
!, floor by the recoil of the heavily.
charged gun. In falling her head struck
the wall, and she was so stunned that
she became insensible.
AS the Indians were reconnoitering
preparatory to another attack, Went
worth, accompanied by Wild Bill, a
/ well-lknown scout, leading some twenty
ranchmen, all heavily armed, rode up.
( Wentworth and Wild Bill threw them
selves from their horses at the door,
and, leaning over the slain, raised Mrs.
:. Wentworth, placed her on the bed and
applied restoratives. She was soon able
to tell her husband of the attack. The
pile of dead attested how she had de-
Tended her home.
Wild Bill left them, and, mounting
r his horse, was soon engaged in follow
2 ing the now flying savages. Few OF
2 them escaped.
: The boy who herded the sheep was
S killed and scalped by the Indians, but
f the sheep were brought in by the shep,
s herd dog that night.
t Had it not been for Wild Bill, Went
t worth would have known nothing OF
S his wife's perilous situation, and he
e would have returned to find desolated
and burned home, his wife slain, Oh
i worse a captive.
k Wild Bill was on his way to Fort
e Riley to procure troops to intercept q
e band of Cheyenne Indians who had left
+ their reservation and We're on thewar
d path He went to the store where
i Wentworth was, to inform the owner
c so that he might warn the ranchmer
d in the neighborhood. He knew the
!, course the Indians had taken would
u leau Uneln ny NenGWOrun rdncL, anC
y on hearing that Mrs. Wentworth was
+ alone, he called for volunteers to go tC
her defense. AS there was large
v number of ranchmen at the store to sec
n the blooded sheep, he was soon ON his
@ his way at the head of the squad OF
|, men, who arrived at the Wentworth
}, ranch just in time to save the brave
7, woman from a horrible fate.
e After this experience Wentworth solo
s his ranch and stock and returned to the
d East.
h Wild Bill afterward became famous
e as a marshal of Abilene and Salina
u Kan, where he was IA terror to the wilC
IL element during the building of the Kan
e sas Pacific railroad, and companion
u scout with Buffalo Bill for Generals
d Hancock and Custer.-Chicago Journal
# HINDU BABIES.
= When They Are Girls There Is Trouble ii
% the Household.
II Hindu baby girl is an unwe!com'
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