Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1895-06-05


farm house to farm house. There had
not been an Indian outbreak for
twenty years in that section, but some
disquieting influence was hard at work
on the redskins. Some said the Indian
Messiah was coming, others that one
of Geronimo's lieutenants had been
sowing this excitement among them {;
be that as it may, there was watchful
anxiety at the toot and q growing
feeling of danger in the breasts of the
neighboring ranchmen.
One soft winters night. when the
dump-laden rain-wind blew heavily
from the south and the low-hung
cloud-blanket shut out every wee ray
of starlight, dark-mo mounted figures met
in sheltered hill basin. Zen, twenty,
fifty, they gathered; then in single
file, with muffled hoofs, they wound
away from their prison. Several
hours later as the mischievous band
stealthily made its way out on the
plain. o stunted figure, N o ragged
blanket, snrunk silently into the
bushes to let the cavalcade pass; and
then emerged once mcre from her
cover and struck into swinging trot
in the rear of the swift-moving riders.
A faint, angry flush of dawn peeped
over the sombremountains rs the red
skin braves surrounded the few scat
tered buildings composing Rush Sta
tion. A dog barked in the rear of the
saloon, and, in response, q sharp re-
port sent shudder through the chill
morning air; with howl of anguish,
the poor beast rolled over in the dust.
At tho crack of the pistol, the ha't
dozen men in the shanties came tun-
bling out from different doorways.
Not one was moro than half dressed,
but each one had snatched up his rifle.
What odds are six men against fifty :?
As the hastily wakened settlers stun
blcd out from their cabins q leaden
hail ratified around them; two OF their
number fell, struck off at once by the
raiders. ''Injuns, by the tarual
heayens!" cried Ike Dempsey, and the
four remaining defenders, now very
thoroughly aroused, drew quickly
back into the store and blazed away
from this cover at their murderous as-
sailants. They had ammunition in
plenty and spare guns. Ike's wife put
her two little sobbing children into
big box in the centre of the building
as the point that was iurthest from
danger, and herself filled the hot,
smoking rifles. The fusilade was thick
and fast, and bullets flew in through
the openings. Pat Grogan's right arm
was shattered, but he rested his gun
on the window and fired away vim
dictively. Poor Smith was shot
through the lungs, and fell in dying
condition; Mrs. Dempsey took his
place, handling her rife deftly. Time
aud again some sharp howl of anguish
told of q we'll directed shot at the half
concealed, sinister foemen.
Morning was advancing; perhaps by
this time the flight from tho reserva-
tion was discovered, and soldiers were
coming to help them-if only they
could keep the red devils at bay
while longer. Vain hope! Black
Wing, chief of the raiders, had also
thought of the soldiers; he concluded
it was time to make short work of
these .sharp-sighted marksnen who
wero picking off his companions. There
came sudden, fearful yelling, swift
rush and retreat of moccasined feet,
then the pungent smell of smoke, and
the omiuous cracking of the fire lick
up the dry boards. The heat became
intolerable-to remain was sure death
from the destroying element.
"We must run for it, boys!" cried
Pete Oberlin. "The door of my
shanty stands open, m ther' ain't no
Injuns inside it,"
The shot-riddled portal was flung
wide, with the two little lads in the
middle, the forlorn hope sought new
refuge, their guns speaking death in
the passage. Ike Dempsey fell in his
own doorway, shot through the brain.
Pat Grogan fell in tho roadway, and,
at the same moment, the brave who
had shot him rcclcd and toppled down
from his saddle. With horrible
sense of sickness, Pete saw savage
horseman bury his tomahawl in the
woman's head, and then snatch up one
Of the children and dash his skull on
the doorstone The other little fell
low slipped from the hand that
grasped ut him and stumbled over the
cabin threshold, barely escaping
bullet; sharp whistle cut the cir,
Pete felt stinging pain in his shoul-
der, and fell to the ground uncon-
scious.
With IN cxultant shout at tho de-
struction OF this last enemy, the saw
age band swarmed from their places
of attack and hastily entered the
buildings, slowing away whatever was
easily portable and making sad havoc
in G-ogan's stock Of liquors; but they
were not yet far enough from the re-
servation to allow themselves long
stop. The store was burning aercely;
to force his unruly following to hurry,
Black Wing fired the saloon with his
own hand, the wooden frame blazing
like tinder.. One by one the sheds
and sbacks we're ignited; three or four
wretches, with fresh, CORY scalps dan
Cling at their belt, rushel over to ap-
ply the torch to the only remaining
building, Peter Oberlin's shanty. A
young brave stumbled over the inani-
mate form in the pathway, and with
whoop of delight waved his keen blade
over the thick black locks. Just as he
stopped to his victim, On odd, long
drawn cry arrested his arm in its mo-
tion. A wild and dust-covered figure
sprang into the blood-crazed circle.
pouring out torrent Of cultural
abuse and lamentation that somehow
commanded attention.
The old woman-for it was Wawaga
-beut above the PROSTATE man, wav-
ing off the armed braves, and felt for