Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-01-20

and removed TO Chester county, where they
till the close OF the war.
The Indians took Mary to their towns nnu
yet her to hoeing corn. An old negro "uo
| as also prisoner. told her 10 o's up W"
! Gus that were planted with the corn, auu
! ths hswould think her too dumb to learn asri-
cuitae and sell her to the Enghsii. ohe
LOOK advice, and was eventually soid 10 an
| eng captain, with whom she remained sew
erai year when she was liberated ana return
eu nome. yaving been so much exposed au-
ring her citivity, her constitution was SO
shattered thatshe survived her return but
snort time. their way out, she was ooii-
ged 10 wade thrcgh deep creeks, and, as the
Weather was very Sd, her clothes were often
| frozen into a solid nlys of ice.
She informed Capt,n Thompson that two
OF the Indians pursued Nim part Of two days;
but returned without Success. They regretted
his escape very much, as Hey intended to tor
ture him. The wounded indian left them
soon after his escape, and Sic never heard of
him after, but supposed he Ged, as he was
badly injured.
At that time she saw woman,s cousin to
James Cornelius, who resided in BSifaloe TIP.
that had been taken prisoner 10y The Indians
during the French When they hed taken
her great distance from home she managed
to effect her escape, and made her way through
the woods alone. The first day she came up
with mare and colt, and getting on her rode
out to pasture, laid herself down by a log for
the night, and never expected to see her gain.
W hen she awoke in the morning the mare and
colt stood by her side She rode her all that
day, and turned her out 20 Craze whilst she
slept, but the next morning the faithful ami
NAL was there, before, to receive her rider.
She rode her each day till she arrived at the
fort. By some, this particular circumstance
would be termed an interposition of Divine
Providence, to preserve the life of the woman.
1t is also stated that when sire came TO the
fort the mare would allow no other person to
approach, and when she was turned ont TO
Craze that night, made her escape, and was
never heard of again.
About this time there lived near where the
town of New Berlin now stands, family nam
ed Klinesrnith. A small party OF Indians
coming upon their dwelling, whilst the males
of the family were busy in the harvest field
of neighbor, plundered the house and car
ried away two of Klinesmith's daughters, one
sixteen, the other fourteen years old. The
party retreatcd TO a spring moth of New
Berlin-now called the Still House Spring
where they halted, and, not satisfied with the
triaing mischief they had done, left their
prisoners and booty in the care of the oldest
man of the party, whilst the main body pro
| ceeded to the harvest field, in the hope of get
ting some scalps to carry home as trophies OF
their success.
The old man lighted his pipe and sat dowH
at the foot of tree, keeping an eye upon his
prisoners. After some time the rain began 10
fall, when Betsey, the eldest girl, intimated TO
the sentinel that she meant to cut down some
branches from the trees, and cover small bag
of -four which the Indians had brought from
her fathers house. The Indian, little suspect
ing her real intention, assented, and permitted
her TO take one of the axes or tomahawks.
She pretended to lie very busily occupied with
her task, but contrived 10 get behind the old
man, and buried the axe in his head
By this time the scalping party, finding the
harvesters too numerous and well armed tor
their purposes, were their return, and al
ready approached near enough to hear the
groan or cry of the old Indian as he fell. The
girls fled-the savages pursued and fired The
younger girl, Just as she was in the act of
springing a fallen tree, was pierced with
bullet, which entered below the shoulder
blade. and came cut at the breast. She fell
and Immediately rolled herself under the log,
which at that point WAS raised a little from the
ground. The savages sprang over the log in
chase of her sister, without observing that any
one lay under it.
Betsey being a strong and active lass, gave
them a hard run, so that the harvesters. alarm
ed by the firing, came to the rescue in time to
save her. and change the pursucrs into fugi-
len tree, much terrified and weakened by loss
of blood, but fortunately not dangerously
wounded, the ball having passed through her
body without touching any vital organ She
recovered and afterwards married q man named
Campbell. Becoming a widow she married
again. Her last husbands name was Cham
bers. Betsy also married, and, with her hus-
band, removed TO one of the Western States.
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