Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-08-22

E53E The southern s.o2e Q. Il
Nogi hillside. about hity-ivc
miles ives; OF 81. Louis and
~ midway between the Mis-
Ilal Gfi souri, and Mississippi; lir-
e-s. is the ruin-and even
that has almost disappesrei-of Il
quaint. heavily built log structure.
known In the early days Of the whi.c
mans advance into Missouri as Fo-t
Kennedy. This outpost o: the wcs:-
ward march of civilization was the
scene of battle wageG Oh one side by
a party OF Ilaraulin= Indians. on the
other by 4 woman. and the ieSult OF
which was the wom:n'; v.c;ory. Ii
was the b1st:e C. Il woman :c- Ecr
home and little cnes ard Cor he: own
life. too. The fort was wears afterwa"d
superseded by Il substantial farm
house. the forest has given way 10 the
ax and what WIS once ;hi.;l woodland
Is now divided Into pasture ard grain
fields. y r;:.!rJ:.l !;s:::,s :c:css one
corner OF the farm. and in sight OF the
house has grown M thriving Mis-
souri, town. The descendants % the
woman vino fought aal wen the battle
still own. but 10 rot live on. the farm.
II was au;uan aEd IL" cSagas. the
tribe of Indians TIN. in.iah. II The &C.
ritory 1T that time. We've gOvia. about
in bands hunting. the =amc season
being 81 its zenith. T,.a :ell men We're
not friendly With IA, c:-iEcrcasin:
palefaccs. ana. in fact. looked on then.
as their invcicratc enemies. Tine
whites returned the r;iment with in
terest. and collisions with hun.in.
parties OF Indians wee freqCent. III
the time mentioned :..araul.ugs and
murders Oy The Indians l:al bnrn mo.c
frequent than usu9l. il was not
strange. therefore. that Mother Ken
nedy. standing M the front doo- OF
the fort. should feel &porehensive aS
she peered down Ia vista in front.
faIked upon either So by long files
of giant oaks AMI hicho:i.<. Size and
-fier three small children We" iha only
persons NJ The for:. Her husband had
and rifle in quest of ga:Ga. Sai:ed and
dried venis0n h9rin. Jerome tire
some dict. He had sad :" .you,d re-
turn in the afternoon. bat he'd not
come.
missing on the p:-o1G aiii.y OF he:
husbands i'e I'm. fearing what .nici.t
have EaDpcnc.'. yet daring M. 10 thin,
wiz; siic feared. Mother Kennedy
began doing iie chores thar evening
brings about farm house. Sic
noticed rs size ,."at aboat he wGrl;
that tho hogs ai.i cowS had come up
from the range r9rl.e- ;lian usual AMI
huddied about iiic !.enS and feeding
places in Il manner rot usual with
them. The two nor.es followed Ler
abogt inpatieniy. Il was Amos: dark
when Mo;hc: ke-Iei: finished the
Evenings wo.k ard o,;e"cl tia fort.
The evening meal Owe. -. anxious
woman stepped OUTSIDE - ii,;cn. She
thought she might bn notified a. her
husbands an;,roa. !. ny III. S.Ggia. O.
~hisiling. fo- he was 4 CHEEKY man. or
The barking of the dogs SHE waited
until Ii grew quite dark. and then sud
denly the cry Of Il panther broke on
the still night mir. II seemed a long
way of and was pla ;niive - the wal
Inc Of child. 'Pain:erS:" She said
Thar amt been nary painter round
this settlement all this summer" and
again she listened. The cry WAS re-
pc1:ed. Her trained car. tbs time ex-
pcctinS the sound. Joid no. ,htt i was
n counterfeit of tie c~yi... OF that
aniG;.al. TIL" cry this ;jn:o WAS nearer.
too. In an instant i was repeated on
the other Side Of ti.r hpuSa. some dis
tance away. but s;'l. nearer ;han the
first. 'lnjuns.'' said III hardy women.
Il reckon better ger things ready FOR
tho yarmints''
q So she CROPPED her way through the
darkness to the woodplle in the yard
and secured her husbands AK. re-
turned and rc-entcred the fort. First.
She barricaded the door and set the
Ak against the wall. III be ready for
emergencies. Then she looked over
her rifle and saw that It was well
loaded. She leaned il against the wall
near Z small aperture Set at an angle
TO command Wow of the fort. Then,
without saving n word. she put her
little ones Ia bed. This done she
looked. or rather. felt about for some
thing else 10 do. There seemed moth
ing. She listened. The false panther
cry grew very close to the fort. Peer
ing through the portfolio of the fort.
Mrs. Kennedy fancied she could see
FERNS Of Indians gathering on the edge
OF The clearing. few rods from the
building. She raised her rife. l; II
were panther. 10 fire would frlghten
1je animal away.
IL The forms she thought she saw
were real. shot would warn the In
dans that the inmates of the fort were
aware of their presence and prepared
TO receive tfem. If. indeed. none were
49, ile hoped might be the case
a. it would prove TO the
1t uisht be safer to stay