Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1893-06-22
Up the EaYine.

tains, aroused me from sleep and
gave me the news that the Apaches
had crossed the stream both above
and below and were advancing Oh
the house. He and his SOD, the
latter a boy Of sixteen, had been
out scouting. My left arm was
4 IN 4 sling from a recent wound,
but I had ridden thirty miles the
day before toWarn him and others
that the band of redskins were
making for Mexico by that route,
burning and killing whenever op-
portunity offered.
There were the settler and his
wife, the boy above mentioned, a
girl of ten, another Of eight, and
q boy Of FIVE or six. In addition
there was a little boy four years
old, whose parents had been killed
by the Indians about a month be-
fore. Itwas decided that we should
get into the ravine in the rear of
the house at once. The man and
wife and youngest child went first.
His boy and the two girls followed,
while /, having charge Of the little
orphan, brought up the rear. All
the children were awakened, and
4 there was fear that the two little
boys would betray us by crying,
out. Before starting I whispered
to Tommy:
ssThe Indians are coming, but if
you keep still we shall get away
all right. You will ride on my
back. We are going among the
brush and trees where it is very
dark. IF I fall down or the limbs
switch your face you must not c-y
OUT
No, me no Ky out2n -he Hhis-
pered, as,I bent down for him to
climb on my back.
Iheard the claster of the ponies
on the hard road as I left the back
door, and I was only fairly con-
cealed when the Indians began
yelling and battering at the door.
The; others had such start that l
could not oyertake them. And,
too, they turned into the first
rayine on the right, while ! kept
straight on. A dozen times I
almost fell headlong, and a dozen
times the boy was brushed almost
off my back. I felt that he was
crying, but very quietly: Perhaps
he feared I suspected him, for ss !
stopped to take breath he drew
himself up and whispered in my
ear:
Ne no Ky out and make Injuns
come
The raaskiina did n notts Il fire the
as Il B aoa have beer al. 81
j beaeon tto their pursusrs, but
tlhey snash he'd every hing brsakas;
Bile, too what they wanted, and.
after about half an .hour g onfinued
on their way. l reached f'oint3a
mile from the house and then sat
down on a rock in the deep rayinei
to pass the rest of the night. ]
took Tommy on my lap and hug
ged BIN closely, but no words were
exchanged. After awhile I thought
he dropped off to sleep, and Twas
getting bit drowsy myself when
/ suddenly heard bear coming
down the ravine. The click Of his
claws on the stones was proof that
it was a bear, and his heavy step
signifed that he was a big one. I
could not see my hand six inches
away, but pretty soon I got the
odor of the bear.
The rayine was about thirty feet
wide, and Twas sitting close to the
west wall. Bruin came down sniff
ing and growing, and just op-
posite me he stopped, and doubt
less had a good, square look at the
invaders. I had lost my revolver
n my flight, and was perfectly
helpless. / simply shut my eyes
and waited for the attack. 1t did
not come. The bear shifted and
growled for a while, and then took
a sudden panic and started off
down the ravine. I was drawing
long breaths of relief and feeling
glad that the boy in my arms had
! known nothing of the danger,
when he suddenly reached up,
drew my head down, and whisper
ed in my ear:
HE went swoofl' swoofl' .woof?'
but no ky out and bring Injuns!"