Year: 1873

light over the peaceful plateau. Mrs.
Hickman and Betty were seated on the
porch, which fronted towards the river.
The little boys tired from their gam
bols were sleeping on rug in the par
lor, and the brave Jim was ga setting
in de kitchen looking outen de win
der" Whilst thus sitting, Betty drew
the attention of her mistress to band
of men that had just made their ap-
pearance from the banks of the river
and were boldly marching for the
house. AS they came nearer they had
no difficulty in seeing that they were
Indians, their bright musket barrels
glittering in the shimmering rays of
the moon. One of the men led two
females, which the ladies in the porch
took to be captiyes. Jim, ode brave
nigga" saw them too, and slipping out
at an opposite door he crawled on his
hands and knees until he reached a
thicket, when he arose and bounded
away as if Old Nick were after him.


Mrs. H. now fully comprehended the
dreadful situation, and determined to
meet it calmly. She whispered to
Betty to be calm and show no signs of
alarm. The marauders were quickly
in the yard and formed themselves in
front Of the porch, one of them taking
charge of the two captives, whom he
had tied to two small saplings in the
lawn, telling them that if they made
any noise "Injun would kill"


Mrs. III. now arose and advanced to-
wards the murderers and enquired what
the braves wanted. Her question, de-
Ilivered in the silvery accents of her
voice, accompanied with a sweet smile,
appeared to please the savages, and al
though bent on murder most foul, yet
the chief seemed to think there was
time enough to eat supper and do
their fendish work afterwards. He
told Mrs. FL. that "Injun much hun
CRY; Injun want eat; Injun want fire
water"


With smile the lady told them to
be seated on the grass and their wants
would be supplied. While speaking
with them she saw by the moonlight
their belts were hung with reeking
human scalps.


Her stern and terrible resolution
was at once formed. The Indians now
were all squatted on the grass at the
command of their leader, while the la
dies went into the kitchen for some re-
freshments for them. They soon re-
turned with a basket filled with bread
and dried venison hams, which they
carried to the villains, and smiling
sweetly on them told them to eat. The
savages did not know the purport of
those sinister smiles, and were, COM
pletely thrown off their guard. The
lady now told them that they would
60 and fetch the fire water, at which
the villains gave a grunt of satisfac-
ton.


Mrs. H, taking Betty with her, went
into her husbands Office. She now
took demUohn which she knew con-
tained gallon of fine old brandy
She then took from the medicine shelf
a vial containing 4 ounces of clear,
inodorous liquid, which was a power
full narcotic. With firm hand she
poured the contents of the vial into
the brandy. She and Betty now went
boldly and gave the liquor to the In
dians. The chief first smelt the bever-
age, then tasted it, pronouced it good,
and commenced drinking and gulping
it. One of them said to the ladies,
"Pale squaw, good; no kill; make in
jun wife. Kill children, mebbe, but
no kill squaw."


Mrs. H. knowing that wild scene
would now occur as the eight in num-
Der had drank gallon of strong brandy
and four ounces of a powerful narcotic,
took Betty and went up stairs and
watched them from a window. The
medicine was now at work. They first
commenced laughing; peal after peal
of laughter came from their savage
mouths. They now attempted to rise,
but their limbs were paralyzed, and
they could not move. With horrid
yells, they one after another sank prone
upon the ground, in deep suporifc,
drunken sleep, form which the fates
had decided they should never waken.
AS soon as they had all got quiet, our
heroines again made their appearance
on the scene of action. Betty lost no
time in rushing to relieve the bound
captive maidens. With a sharp knife
she quickly cut the cruel thongs by
which they were bound, and with all
the endearing words of love and pro-
lection that she was master of, she led
them into the house, whittier the mis-
tress. had retired. The weeping cap
tives, who were two beautiful young
ladies, soon told their tale Of woe. Du-
ring the preceding afternoon the In
dians had attacked their house, killing
and scalping their father, mother and
two little brothers, and took their girls
with them, telling them that they we're
to be their wives, and further that they
had murdered three other families be-
fore they arrived at the Doctors. The
heroines now persuaded the weary cap
tiVes to 60 to bed, after which they
proceeded to finish the work that they
| II L T