The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-08-31
IN WOMAN'S BEHALF.
SPRY WOMEN OF THE WEST.
Notable Examples of Their Grit In the His
tory of the Frontier.

tory of the Frontier.
The building of the west has not been
accomplished by man alone. says the n.
Y. Advertiser. His helpmate, woman,
has proved herself fully his equal in
courage and endurance. and has done
her part in upbuilding the settlement
of the frontier. Perhaps there is no
lot in which woman requires more ma
tive pluck than that of the frontier set
tiers wife Thousands on multiplied
thousands of these have acted well
their part and made of their husbands
life Il song where it might have been
dirgc.
But there are other women of notable
character, and among them a few exam
Piles stand ont brilliantly and are known
to every frontiersman who has grown
up with the country. Their names have
become household words, and their
deeds are recountcd around happy
household fires in handsome farm and
city homes on the spots where, in the
old times, the Indian, cowboy and
Scout roamed at will.
One of the most notable heroines in
prairie lore was Mary Simpson, the
wife of pioneer who lived in the south
west portion of Nebraska along early
in the seventies She was the captor
Of Ireland" noted desperate who
had terrorized the whole Platte valley.
For months he was heard of here, there,
everywhere, robbing, burning, pillag-
ing, and the sparsely scattered settlers
were alarmed.
In vain did they try to protect them
selves-he was ever ready to attack the
weakest side of their little guards. At
last the strain became too severe. A
little baby left alone in u settlers home
was found dead and the trace of Ire
land was on the deed. The action
touched the quick heart of the settlers,
and posse was at once formed to ride
down the brute. They formed vast
circle and gradually closed in. On the
second day Mr.. Simpson and his wife,
who were alone at the right of the line,
were surprised by a big-bearded man
springing out of clump of bushes
Simpson was some distance away and
his wife was leading his horse.
Without waiting for her husband she
sprang to the saddle and raced after
the stranger. He was being overtaken,
when, on plunging through small
bunch of trees, he came suddenly on a
member of the hunting party. A sweep
of his huge fist sent the man out of his
saddle, and Ireland was in the seat and
away.
Mrs. Simpson was by this time not
far behind, and was lashing her steed
to the utmost of his power to overtake
the criminal Ireland saw her, and
turning, fired at the woman. She re-
turned the shot from revolver in the
sadilcbaSs, and then prepared for a
surer method of warfare. She was an
expert with the lasso, and the long
rawhidc rope of her husband hung at
the saddle bow.
Loosening it, she coiled it carefully,
and racing rs her horse was, swung it
around her head. Ireland did not SEQ
it, and it whirlcd away in graceful
curves and settled down steadily, sure
~ and firmly over his bare head. With
jerk IL came taut, as Mrs. Simpson
pulled her horse back on his launches
Ireland was jerlSed from the saddle and
dragged for dozen rods over the grass
before his captor felt willing to give
him permission to rise. He did not
rise. He was dead and Mrs. Simpson
was the heroine of the hour There
was no judge, jury or inquest. The
settlement WIS glad to have him gone
Another bright star of the cattle trai
was Anna Kim ball, who saved the life
of Col. NJ. II. Rankin, one of southeas
Texas richest cattlemen. The herd wa.
making its slow way northward, ant
was in the southern part of Kansas
when Miss Kimball, the daughter of /;
rancher of that section, rode for som,
distance alongside the animals.
Suddenly there was one of those out
breaks which no man can give caus
for or explains stampede, Startled
OF II twig, the huge herd starts int
motion, following few leaders an,
rushing pcll-mell over hill and vale un
til at last, wearied out, the animals ar
brought to a stop by sheer exhaustion
after many have been trampled t
death. Miss Kimball saw out on tn
prairie the owner of the herd, Col
Rankin, who was walking about TO
n little exercise. She also saw tina
with the great circle the herd was max
ing he would be in direct line of the on
coming tide of flesh and horns.
With quick decision that would hav
done credit to the general of an army
she plunged the spur into her pony an
dashed into the very jaws of danger.
was race between her and the here
The cattle were coming at breaknec
speed and with a blind fury that notl
ing could avert. 1t was simply que.
ton Of who should reach the bewildei
ed ranchnan first.
As She came nearer she leaned owe
from the saddle and motioned to him
catch the horn of the saddle rs sh
came by. lie was 1.-THE and active, an
without more than slowing up slight
She reached over and, throwing an arr
around his shoulders, half lifted him u
behind her just as the herd came III
The why little pony made tracks fC
the open plain, and in n moment the
were safe. The fact that the fair re
cucr tainted away Immediately on sc
ting out of danger did not decrease hs
al, ,.oS,,nat FOR. har. history r