Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-05-01

old Jack, who, at the crack of the rife
shots, had also hurried homeward a
fast as he could. On foot, to be sure
he could no longer have saved his skin
I called to him to hold himself fast by
my stirrup strap, and so I dragged th'
old man with me over hedge ant
ditch.
Still fifty PAGES distant from the shel
tering walls, my horse received a bul
let and fell under me. Now we had tt
run for our lives. But that would ne
longer have been of any use to us hat
not the Indians, according to their Gus
tom, sprang from their mustangs neal
the house, and next of all sought cover
They sent last volley after US wher
we bad reached the door of the house
Jack received serious wound, while
got off with slight one.
You can readily imagine that we lost
no time in shutting and boiling the
door. Then I surveyed the state o.
affairs, and must confess that my heart
gave jump when I weighed the pos
sibilities Of our defense.
According to my estimation, the red.
skins might be from twelve to. fifteen
men strong. They had been, as We
learned later, sent off from large body
to stampede our cattle, and, ifpossible
to get our arms also. We ourselves
possessed, indeed, plenty of weapons
and ammunition, and also solid stone
house with loop holes, but there were
only three men in it-myself, Jack,
and cowboy named Tom, who hap
pened to have something to do that
afternoon in the ranch buildings. Two
of US were wounded into the bargain,
and one quite badly. On the other
hand we had, including my wife, five
women and three children to defend.
So the prospects were far from favora-
BILE. Still we did not despair for all
that.
First of all, we had to quiet the wo-
men, who broke out into tears and la,
mentations when they saw what fix
we were in. After my wife, however,
had overcome the first fright-which
she felt more on account of the children
than. herself-she showed herself
am still proud of it today-to be true
child of the border. Still another, q
Texas woman, named Maria, was as
courageous as any one else. But the
other women huddled together with the
children like flock of sheep, and cried
and walled without intermission.
The house had an upper story.
which was likewise provided with
loop holes. We men placed ourselves
on the ground floor, and at first
watched the enemy outside AS we'll as
we could.
The rear of the house looked toward
the river, on which rock ed good
boat held fast by a rope. In front was
the yard with the outbuildings, which
also had loop holes, and stood at
right angle from the house, so that we
flanked them with our fire. Properly,
the yard should have been taken pos
session of and defended but we lacked
men for that purpose, and we had
been in the house scarcely 10 minutes
when the redskins opened fire on us
through the loop holes in the yard
wall.
We answered the same, of course,
now from one spot, now from another,
although we could see our foes as
little as they US. Both sides fred at
the opposite loop holes, and the
Indians, to be sure, had much the
best of it at this by their superior
strength. Bullet after bullet flew
whistling into the house. My wife
and Maria wanted to support US with
their guns; but I would not allow it.
as every approach to loop hole was
much too dangerous. So we sent
them up stairs to watch the river and
boat, and it was fortunate that we did
for they had been up stairs scarcely
five minutes when Maria saw an
Indian glide toward the boat. The
devil had not reached it yet, however
when she sent him a well-aimed load
of lead between the ribs.
Indeed, the only possibility ofescap'
ing was offered US, in the worst case
by that little vessel.
So the firing went on until sunset
but then misfortune fell upon US, and
indeed, in the fullest measure. First
Jack was disabled. The trusty old
man had locked his teeth and suppress
ed the pain from wound, but was al
last so weakened by the loss of blood
that he could keep himself on his legs
no longer, and sank finally to the floor
half unconscious. Once more the brave
fellow tried to rise and take the gun in
his hand, but fell back again immedi.
ately, and we quickly carried him to all
upper room, where we made him as
comfortable as possible.
That was only the beginning of the
misfortune. A quarter ofan hour later
Tom, the other man, was shot dead on
the spot as he was on the point of fir
ing. Now the defense on the house
had fallen upon one man, upon myself.
And I assure you that my heart sank
down to my feet when I told myself all
that must occur if we wished to escape
destruction. Yet my stubborn courage
did not forsake me. So long as we
,,;Il bod tho hoot T uould not desnair