The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-02-13


woods..-.They had murdered all the he
roes. What then? They had that day
to learn, if they knew not previously
that despair can always mould heroines
out of the American women. Sudden
ly the majestic form of the great chief
Weathertord, trembled.- He heard the
voice of Lucy Dean, giving orders and
encouraging the females in the block
houses, to resist to the last extremity
Immediately every angle Of the for,
roared with exploding rifles, touched
Oft by the wives and sisters of the slain
and fifty Indians fell to rise no more
A conflict, still more terrible than the
first, followed, which was finally termi
mated, when the enemy fired the strong.
holds, and with a single exception, ali
the women and children persisted in the
flames.
"Come down Lucy; you shall not be
harmed. Oh! come down. cried the
chief of the Greeks imploringly, as he
saw the red blaze mounting over the
honsc where he had distinguished her
ce.-.-But his words were drowned in
the shreks Of mothers and their babes,
burning away in the agonies of the
mort torturine of all deaths.
Give thousand dollars exclaimed
the frantic chief, to the man who breaks
open that iron-hound door!!' and soon
the shutter started from its hinges, be.
meath the hail Of blows from rocks,
hammers, and hatchets. Wcathcrford
cut loose with his sword from the friends
who would have detained him, and dis.
appeared in the burning building. Af
ter some ten minutes, the chief issued
forth from the flames, his face blacken.
ed his hair crisped, and his clothes on
fire, but bearing in his arms the fainting
form of Lucy Dean---that precious bur.
den; for whom he would have plunged,
without shrinking, into fathon,less hell
itself.
Oh! miraculous lii sh. ief 1--we. thon art
in truth the OILY ray that ever reac.lt<,
this dark dungeon of a world frdp q
sun which beams above all the stars;
and thou bright essence of celestial
ether, such as the angels breathe, it is
God gives thee even to the hardest al
savagcst hearts. pure as rain drops, and
as sweet as the cream Of Olympian nec-
tar.
That evening the Creek commander,
with one division of his army, set out
for his own plantation on the Alabama
river. The reader needs scarcely to
be Informed that the beautiful young
orphan was carried along with them.
Five days alte.' the Massacre Of Fort
Mimms, a man and woman might have
been seen coavcIsing in the porch of a
framed house, overlooking the Ala
balna. The woman was seated, and
appeared to be weeping. The man was
standing, and gesticalatcd with much
animation, as if engaged in the delivery
Of an eloquent speech. The world
could not have offered to the view no.
bier specimen of human organization.
Tall in person, straight and admirably
proportoncd in figure, with every mem.
bcr cast in classic mould, he might be
pronounced matchless in material per-
lection. All who have pcruscd Clair
born's "Notcs on the War in the South,
will recognise in our portrait the dread
ful Creek half:brccd Chief, Weather
ford.
"Yonder is my farm, and fly slaves
said the Chief, pointing his finger in the
direction of a fertile plantation; | am
assured of Generals commission,
soon, from the greatest nation on the
earth; and when New Orleans and
Louisiana are conquered, shall be a
British Governor; and all shall be yours,
if You will share my fortune, as you al.
ready possess my heart, undivided
Wcatherford paused for an answer
in VAIN, and then continued:
II have loved you for years; I have
given you every possible proof of ten.
derucss. The fortune Of war threw
you i'll my power, and, although my
passions are ardent as the sun in sum
mcr, | have never even brcathcd in
your ear an immodest wish. Oh be!
jls:, be generous, dearest Lucy; at least
be mcrcitul to one who has done and
endured so much on your account
The deep carncstness of the speaker
at length appeared to produce its effect
on the young girl. She raised her pale
face and fearful eyes, and remarked
mournfully--
"lou say you love me; then give me
one more evidence, and l may think
better of your proposal.
"What is it?' he asked with n look
of intense anxiety.
"Ercak off your bloody alliance with
the enemies of my country, and bid
your warriors cease to murder innocent
women and children"
"Never' replied Weatherford, in &C.