Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-12-28
From the Enquirer.
A HEROINE.

Inc IOiiOWjVS StHs1ufot TE"sV''bNHe
occurred ia this neiShherhood u few
nights since. We record it AZ an
example Of thu, happy presence of
miad and resalntier in the weaker
sex, which are worthy Of imitation (:
The heroine Of the story ia The
wife Of q militia man, vino is now
serving his tour of duty 6. Norfolk.
They are posr hut respectable net-
sons who live IN the county OF Hsno.
yer, sbaat 10 or 10 miles frsr this
city. Their house 10 near ihe fsrri
Of q Mr.. Boet~right: il is small.
and has but single roem 10 it,
The woman 10 q mother. With al IN
fat absut 4 months old. A few
mouths since che sdretired to bed,
lonely ard unprotected, with no one
| but her sleeping infnnt beside her.
The night WIS dark and rniay--the
feeble light Of the IRE, alone glim-
merel in the room. Amids. such d
scene, 50 cherries: and fui! of gloom,
so we'll calculated to excite the fears
Of wetnen. sko VAS disturbed t,t y
sudden rap at the door. She asked.
who was there1 4 rough and autho.
rits,ive voice demanded On eatranee,
Che asain enquircd the MANS ~ the
intruder. The persas ai.hout re
piled. tibet If she did not npen the
door Immediately, he world break il
open. She begged h;m TO wait for
q moment and she would let him in.
Having huidlcd or few clothes
and thrown some light wood upon
the Er-, she opened tho daor, and
was surprised 10 lind q negro man.
slave Of her ncighhar SIR. Boot
wrighi's She demanded Of him
whst he wanted
lie inform, ID her, with IN author;
tativs air, that he hal come TO sleep
with her. being acquainted with
the fellow. she replied With more
confidence than she could otherwise
have assumed, that be must no drunk
and out OF his senses. Nene Of
your airs (rer!ied the rH'iisD nv
mind Is made up, will sleep in
that bed to night, CT take yoHr life"
Terrified by his manner, made des-
per~to by her situation. yet hstor-
mined 90 yield her life rather than
submit to his wi.ie.. she yet had
e.ursys enough &. devise ssheu e
Ysr her escape whi"h she carried in
to Instant execution looking down
TO his feet, she discovered they were
msddy--" Why (says she you can.
nat think to sleep in nv bsd With
such feet as these {; you mast wash
lhsm.' Tho follow .hiakiag him
ssif on the eve OF accomplishing his
wishss. very readil. as.crtei TO the
tsrns--Auj she pouring seine water
in . sogsin, seated him 10 chair.
on the hearth, with his back TO-
wards the rest Of the room. Step.
ping hack, sho seized an axe which
lay On table near the door, snd ere
the splssLisy Of tho water over his
feet permitted him 10 suspect her in
tsntioas, she whirled the axe with
such tremendous effect upon his
skull, that he fell dead from his
seat. She caught up her child,
rushed out Of the house, and msIis
the best Of her way through the rain
and gloom Of the night 10 her neigh
Dor Mr.. Bsotright. 10 him she dis
clsssd the terrible events which had
just transpirsd /; when no replied,
in a manner which does him erodit,
I" that he was sorry to lose such
fellow /; but, tbAt 90 fas frem blsm.
inK her, be commended the spirit
which she had exhibited in the de-
fa.ea other virtue" Persons were
Immediately sent to tho scene OF
these transactions when the evil
denses OF har heroism were placed
before them. So efcctual was the
blew, which he had received, 80
powerfully had her arm nsrved by
despsrstlss and terror, fallen upon
his skull that IN the act Of tumbliag
int the hearth frsm bis stopping
posture, his brains had falles from
their cavity into the nogxia between
his feet.