The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-08-19

miles west of st. Louis and
~ midway between the Mis-
iIll9ll ll9lll souri, and Mississippi riv-
ers, is the ruin-and even
that has almost disappeared-of a
quaint, heavily built log structure.
known in the early days of the white
mans advance into Missouri as Fort
Kennedy. This outpost Of the west
ward march of civilization was the
scene of battle waged on one side by
q party of marauding Indians. on the
other by woman, and the result OF
which was the woman'S victory. 1t
was the battle Of a woman for her
home and little ones and for her own
life, too. The fort was years afterward
superseded by substantial farm
house, the forest has given way to the
Ak and what was once thick woodland
is now divided into pasture and grain
fields. A railroad runs across one
corner of the farm, and in sight of the
house has grown up thriving Mis-
souri, town. The descendants of the
woman who fought and won the battle
still own, but do not live OH, the farm.
It was autumn and the Osages, the
tribe Of Indians that inhabited the ter
ritory at that time, were rowing about
in bands hunting, the game season
being at it's zenith. The red men were
not friendly with the ever-increasing
Palefaces, and, in fact, looked on them
as their inveterate enemies. The
whites returned the sentiment with in
terest, and collisions with hunting
parties of Indians were frequent. At
the time mentioned maraudings and
murders by the Indians had been more
frequent than usual. 1t was not
strange, therefore, that Mother Ken
nedy, standing at the front door OF
the fort, should. feel apprehensive as
she peered down the vista in front,
f1anked upon either side by long files
of giant oaks and hickories. She and
her three small children We're the only
persons at the fort. Her husband had
gone ont that morning with his dogs
and rife in quest of game. sailed and
dried venison having become 4 tire
some diet. He had said ne would re-
turn in the afternoon, but had not
come.
Musing on the probability of her
husbands return. fearing what might
have happened, yet daring not to think
on what she feared. Mother Kennedy
began doing the chores that evening
brings about farm house. She
noticed as she went about the work
that the hogs and COWS had come up
from the range earlier than usual and
huddled about the pens and feeding
places in manner not usual with
them. The two ponies followed her
about impatiently. 1t was almost dark
when Mother Kennedy finished the
evenings work and entered th- fort.
The evening meal over, the anxious
woman stepped outside to listen. She
thought she might be notified of her
husbands approach by his singing or
whistling. for he was q CHEEKY man. or
the barking Of the dogs. She waited
until 1t grew quite dark, and then sud
denly the cry Of panther broke on
the still night air. 1t seemed a long
way off and was plaintive as the wall
ing Of a child. "Paiuters" she said.
Thar amt been nary painter round
this settlement all this summer" and
again she listened. The cry was re-
peated. Her trained ear. this time eX-
pecting the sound, told her that it was
n counterfeit of the crying Of that
animal. The cry this time was nearer,
too. In an instant it was repeated on
the other side of the house, some dis
tance away. but still nearer than the
first. "Injuns"' said the hardy woman.
Il reckon l better get things ready for
the varmintS"
So she groped her way through the
darkness to the woodpile in the yard
and secured her husbands az. re-
turned and re-entered the fort. First,
she barricaded the door and set the
ak against the wall, to be ready for
emergencies. Then she looked over
her rife and saw that it was well
loaded. She leaned it against the wall
near a small aperture set at an angle
to command a view of the fort. Then,
without saying q word. she put her
little ones to bed This done she
looked. or, rather, felt about for some,
thing else to 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
forms of Indians gathering on the edge
DAf the clearing. a few rods from the
building. She raised her rifle. If il
were a panther, to fire would frighter
fhe animal away.
If the forms she thought she saw
were real, shot would warn the In
) dians that the inmates of the fort were
aware of their presence and prepared
to receive them. If. indeed, none were
hit, which she hoped might be the cass
If she fired, as it would prove to the
reds that it MIGHT he safer tn stsz