The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1826-05-17
FEMALE HEROIS.u.

+ EsHs1LE IIEhOIOsHs
A correspondent Of the New Y ork
Evening Post, in letter dated Match
es, on the 18th Of August last, gives The
following account of transaction
which occurred twelve or fifteen years
ago in Indiana, soon after the first set
Element of that country by the whites.
The writer states that the story was
related TO him a short time since bv
one of the parties concerned. William
and Mary, the persons here alluded to,
were young farmer and his wife, who
we're very pleasantly situated on fac
farm, and, with three beautiful children,
were in the enjoyment Of blessings
which rarely fall to the lot CT the set
tiers of new country.-N. Y. Oh.
In this situaiion," says the account,
" matters stood at the memorable bat
tie of Tippecanoe, when the whole
frontier, and indeed the whole State,
was thrown into commotioa and alarm.
Many depreda'icus and massacres
we're committed by the Indians, and
some sdeeds Of dreadful note were
done which never could be satisfacto:i-
ly accounted for. The brave and hu-
I'mane General Harrison, who comtnaa,l
ed al that time, had erected, in various
paris of the State, what were termed
lines of block houses, in which were
posted detached parties Of soldiers and
militia, whe acted as picket guards to
the frontier inhabitants-they also serv-
ed as line of communication from post
to post, and as place of refuge for the
weak and defenceless from the ap,
proach of an enemy. One of these
| line of bock-houses extended through
the settlement in which William lived.
and most al the inhabitants had taken
shelter within their walls. He, how
ever, from some cause or other, had
neglected so 10 do, as we'll as one of
his nearest neighbors. One morning,
William had taken his rifle, and go.a
some miles on business. promising to
return home as early in the evening as
possible, lie had not been gone more
than an hour, when Mary, who was a
few rods from the house with her chill
dren, was alarmed by the sudden and
horIid yell Of the savages-two OF
them at the same time appearing in the
skirts of wood, few hundred yards
distant. She instantly caught mp the
two children that were nearest her,
and fled to the house-having placed
them within the door, when she was
returning for the other she saw with
agony that one Of the Indians had al
ready seized upon her helpless child,
while the other was making towards
the house with heightened strides, ter
rife ycIis, and uplifted tomahawk.-
What was 10 be done? there was no
alternative. she retreated precipita;eIy
within, and scarce a moment was left
to secure the door on the Inside with a
wooden bar, when the Indian was al il
endeavoring to force il open: but find
| ing II much better secured than he had
anticipated, he began to utter the most
horrid excavations, and called his COM
panion to his assistance-they both
seemed 10 speak the English language
| FN'iNN''y' N'iASIi uOt ~ itttc i.I'TiSGu
Mary They made yarious efforts to
force the door, all The while utering
toe most dreadful threats, that if she
did not immediately open it, and let
them in, they would murder her child,
and then burn down the house over her
head. Alas poor Mary, she knew but
100 well that death was their portion.
and persisted in keeping the door bar
red. They at length became despe-
rate, finding themselves much foiied !;
and actually dashed the chiid's brains
out against a tree that stood before the
house, while the mother was looking
through small opening between the
logs Of The building. A darkness came
over her eyes, her heart ceased TO beat
for moment, and she sunk upon her
knees, for she could support herself no
longer, and bad almost tainted. She
however soon rallied her faculties. Of
Tered up a teryent ejaculation to that
Omnirotent Being who is all powerful
to save, and arose. Her first thought