River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-12-19

before me, flashes of fire burned my
eyes, strange features, bearded, malig-
nant, glared at me. I leaped straight
at them, striking fiercely. Once saw
Grant, and aimed a blow at him. Then
he was gone, swallowed in the ruck.
Our mad onrush swept them back,
helpless, demoralized. stumbled over
bodies, slipped in pools of blood, yet
kept my feet. Every muscle ached; l
was cut and pounded, yet drove into
the mass, shouting to those behind:
Come on, lads! Come on! We're
driving them!"
| A yard, two yards, three-beyond
| the door where the men had escaped
we won our way. Then they could go
no further. Blocked, unable to retreat,
wedged helplessly against the far end
of the hall they turned like cornered
rats. | could see nothing of Jones,
but heard him, raging like fiend.
NOW, you ours, now!" he stormed.
you cowardly scum-perhaps you'll
fight when you can't run! What are
you afraid of? There's only handful,
you can chew 'em up, if you will! Push
| 'em back, therel Push 'em back!"
With yell of rage, those crushed
against the wall hurtled forward, driv-
| ing the Others; men were lifted and
hurled at us; others gripped at our
feet; by sheer force of numbers they
swept us backward. 1t was hand to
hand, neither side having time to re-
| load their weapons. The smoke rose,
permitting a view of the shambles.
| There was a tangle of arms, tumble
of faces. They were maddened beasts,
desperate, revengeful. Hands clutched
at us, gun butts were thrust into our
faces, the crush too dense to permit
of their being swung overhead. My
Dragons had their sabres out, and
stood to it like men, the steel blades
dripping as they tasted blood. But
killing one only brought new man to
| the front. One does not see so much
as feel in such a tumble. Yet I knew
we were worsted, outnumbered They
came at us like a battering ram. l
saw the sergeant shot through the
forehead; / saw Eric go down beneath
crushing stroke, and roll under my
feet. / stepped on bodies, fighting for
my own life as l never fought before
| Somewhere had gripped gun out of
dead fingers and swung it savagely,
| smashing the stock at the first blow,
but retaining the twisted iron. The
! intensity of excitement seemed to
| clear my brain. began to distinguish
voices, to notice faces. heard Grant
| yell safely in the rear; heard Jones
roar, "To hell with em! To hell with
'em!" Out of the murk of struggling
| figures I made out his black beard,
the CLEAN Of yellow fangs, and leaped
| toward him, striking men down until
l was able to swing at his head. He
went over like a stricken OK under a
butchers ak, knocking aside two men
as he fell 1t gave me chance to
spring out of the melee.
ITO the stairs, men! The stairs!"
I cried. eve can hold them there!"
| l cannot describe now how we made
| it, but we did. l only know Tom and
held the rear, sweeping circles of
death with our whirling un-barrels,
falling back step by step as we fought.
At last 1 felt the bottom stairs with
my foot, and heard voice shout
Come up, sir! Well hold EN- now:"
| Then / was above the heads of the
mob, gripping the rail, and sobbing for
breath. There followed a moments
wait, an instant of hesitancy. | began
to see and feel once more. Below us
the hall was damned with men, so
/ -
most helpless. Blood streamed from a
cut in my forehead, nearly binding
me, but 1 wiped it away, and took one
glance at their angry upturned faces,
and gained a glimpse of my own men.
There were but six of us, and one of
these lay helpless propped against the
wall. Tom and I stood alone, his face
blackened by powder, his shirt ripped
into rags: the other three were above,
pistols In hand.
Are they loaded?" gasped.
eyes, SIR"
Stand ready then, but look out for
above; there was a guard up there
| Tom"
He turned his face slightly.
Move back step or two more;
we've got to hold them"
"All right, sir"
l felt weak from loss OF blood, my
head Keeling. and had to hold to the
rail. Below US, growing like wild
beasts, but seemingly leaderless, the
mob crushed forward to the foot of
the stairs. Suddenly saw Grant, and
the sight of him gave me new life.
"You black-faced hound" called
down aDgrily. You've kept yourself
safe so far Now come on"
He snarled some answer, what. /
know not. There was an empty pistol
in my belt, and I flung it at him with
all the force of my arm. He lodged,
the weapon striking the man behind.
With howl of rage the fellows leaped
toward US, bearing Grant on the crest
of the wave. The pistols of the ORA
goons cracked; three fell, blocking the
stairs with their bodies. We had room
now in which to swing our iron bars,
and we battered them like demons. /
lost sight Of Grant, the red drip OF
blood over my eyes making all before
me a mist. / only knew enough to
strike. Yet fight as we would there
was no holding them. We were forced
| to give way. Guns began to spit fire.
I saw the wounded Dragon dragged
| down under the feet OF the mob:
hands gripped my legs, and / kicked
at the faces in my effort to tear loose.
| Tom reeled against the wall, his arm
shattered by blow, and one of the