Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-06-24
A HOMESPUN HEROINE.

n 1AVhI@JA bA lAGih0AR AZ
The close Of stormy winter day
found me approaching log farm
house Of the better class, standing Ia
the center OF one OF those long, mar
row fertile valleys among the rocky
Ozark hills OF Southwest Missouri.
.'Howdy, stranger, +" he said; want
70 get 20 stay over night, reckin.
Well jest light for it's good bit TO
the highest neighbours, even lowing
! were mean enough to send you
there. late as II Is. which ! amt
All this was said before ] could utter
word In ms own behalf, but ! was
only TOO glad 10 accept the hospitable
invitation, and ia a few minutes found
myself sitting before q great fire OF
hickory logs. which roared In the
stone Fireplace and made the homely
interior Of the room al bright as day.
The simple country meal over. we
resumed our seats BY the ire. and by
degrees ! drew nay old host into res
iRting some ~ his personal recollee-
lions, particularly Of that fearful
four years from 1861 10 1866. when
the Missouri hills and valleys wit
messed many a deed Of blood. and
many gallant struggle which well
deserves 10 be told 70 al succeeding
generations. but whose memories are
fast passing away With the lives 81
The actors themselves. / viii en-
denvor 70 repeat one ~ these tales In
the language u my host. although ]
can not hope 10 give the quaint action,
the hpmeiy flashes 81 wit, and the
touches 81 feeling. rising a. times 10
pa'hos, with which he recited this
true narrative
II were the day ~ the FIRST little
eight betwiSt the rebels and our iel-
lsrk We called Ii the battle oi Dug
Spring. but bless my souls II weren't
hardly q scriinmage 10 Wilson Creek.
that followed bit sfier Howsom-
ever. a were the first battle We had
down this away.
If were acting as sort % scout
Ike Tor the Union gineral, ana got 70
SEQ most on the shooting that we're
done. After she light were over goi
leave % come home fui ID Amt fur
tipr than about five mile from here 20
the Dug Spring. 8nd lowed The old
woman muugbi get TO worritIng II !
didg't come 10 les her know I hadn't
bern killed hy the rebels yit
II he'd he'd my supper. and were
setting In The door yander smoking
ms pipe. like We be now Il were git.
ting right dark.like here IL the hol-
Ter. though ] could see the daylight
still shining on The tops ~ the trees
on Pore mountain yaDdea J we're
smoking and a studying 0ver the
lighting | had seen, and didn't notice
uHtcll ] heercd some fcller holler
Hello. Gus thar by the fence,
II looked up and could Jest make
out the shapes 81 two men q standing
In the shaddcr Of that thar biz sugar
tree. SO says. Hello yourselves.
strangcrs Then the fcllor went on
70 say as how him and his pardner
were on their way 70 iine the Union
army and he'd got often their road
and were special anxious 20 cit into
the Springfield road; and would be
SO kind as TO come out and gil them
started right?
"Weu. never took second thought
but up and walks down the path 70
the fence, and. being as | were
heap Younger than ! ne now. ] fist
put my hand on the top rail Of the
fence and BIT over III the road. he'd
ms belt on sit, with my Colts navy
Ia the holster, andthe way matters
come out Il were mighty lucky fur
me that ] he'd IL! too. fur no quicker
did I tech the ground than one OF
them fellers he flung his arms around
me from behind, and pinned my two
arms 10 my sides like they were fast
IN wise.
u grabbed my pistol with my right
hand, but couldn't git to pull i
aiOre the other Teller he jined in
a-trying TO twist the weapon outen
my hand. seed TO once that these
fellers didn't have no weapons them
selves, or they would hev used them
aforo they tried 10 git mine, and
knuwed that my only chance for my
life were TO hang on to that there
pistol, and, stranger, Il were mighty
slim chance, tool
at weren't more than two minutes,
] don't reckin, though Il seemed
heap longer then. untell ] went down
on my knees and one hand, with one
big feller onto my back a-choking me
with both hands. and the other foller
a-twisting away at my pistol, and
every once and again hitting me a
terrible jolt with his fist, to keep me
awake rs Il werel
~ could feel myself awakening
fast, and knowed couldn't keep my
hold on that pistol much longer, but
| were bound TO die game, Il die | had