National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1869-07-16

forgot her misery III oblivion. But
this lasted only for moment. Liz
zie Zane was no weak timid girl,
whom danger rendered a burden to
her friends; on the contrary, hers
was Il soul cast in the heroic mould
of Joan of Are, and others of the
brave and dauntless of her SEX
Hastily springing to her feet she
cried
This tremor is childish. What
if Francis is dead, since peril sur
rounds my parents, and not only
them. but the whole settlement. The
Indians have waited till the moon
was down to commence their attack,
hoping to surprise; and the two she
had seen were probably two Outly-
ing scouts, who, fortunately for us,
have shown themselves too Soon..-
| will rouse my father at once. 1t
will be time to weep for the dead
when my duty to the living has been
has been fulfilled
With these words she hurried
from the chamber, though not till
she had taken another guarded look
from the easement. This tine not
a living soul was i'll sight. She
rightly Judged that the scouts had
gone 10 bring up their companions,
and consequently lost no time III
arousing the household.
At that period i'll the history of
( the west, every frontier man slept
as it Were, on his arms. But the
present summons was 50 unexpected
and the asSaultof thesavagcs might
be looked for soon, that prepaIa-
tionS could not be made with the us
ual care. Col. Zane. on being arous-
ed. dispatched servants to summon
his neighborS to the contiguous fort,
vhicl- stood about forty rods from
his own dwelling. About twenty
men answered the call, bringing
with them their families, but ncces-
Sarily abandoning their stock and
every thing else to the chances Of
war. lie d termined himSelfto hold
bis mansion, it being iaVoribly stu
ted as an OUTPOST and containing
large stores OF ammunition: accord
ingly retaining three men to assist
him, he ordered the remainder of
his people to repair to the fort. In
vain did his laughter cntrcat to re.
main with him; he bade her remem-
Der that while duty made him stay,
L l,,
her to remain, and drln@ed with
tears. she obeycd his commands.
Scarcely had the gates of the
fort been closed, less than half an
hour had elapsed since the first
alarm. when the army of SayIgcS
appeared emerging from the forest.
1t was no; long before they saw
that their approach had been dis
covered and, that the font was in
readiness to receive them; SO with
ven of rage and hate they rushed
to the assault.
Keep cool, my men, said the com
. maudaut of tie fort, an uncle OF oul
, heroine, and fire only when YOU
can clearly make out an Indian. II
, is easy to coutuund the duSkN dev
a lis with the shadows; and thr
they know; SO take care and waste
no ammunition. The wumeA Will
load for YOU, when the hrll-hound>
y come to close quarters, and qulth
:. firing is necessary; fortunately W.
have plenty OF muskctS, 50 tina
. fresh ones can he handed 20 Nou a
! YOU require them. viii set Nol
y, an example. and my ncice, Go'
bless her, will load for me, and shov
:, how an American woman can asslS
= in the hour of peril
His words were cut short by tn
= necessity for instant cNcrtloh. Ih
y Indians had by this time crossc
! the field in front oi the fort, an
~ were approaching, partly undC
:. cover of the trees, towards the TN
: entrance, hoping to i(rce their wa
: in. Instantly from the house ,
- Col. Xame, rs we'll rs from the for
heavy discharge of muSkc try va
! opened on the savage aSSallantS ~
W cry man in each edillce knew TIA
~ he was lighting not only lur his oW
y life. but Tor those dcarrr than life
= Their wives, daughters, and 9th,
- female relatives, conscious OF Il
nc same truth, hcrOically assisted the
u loading the muskctS as rapidly
T. they were discharged, and praylr
II silently for aid from heaven.
~ IIa! they recoil,' shouted IL
- comandant, 'thcrcdskins can't Stal
A. the fire of desperate men. The C'
~. is giving it tothem CALAMITY from Il
,g house. llark that is his hu.rah.
~ Let us give him back Il cheer. I'll
was Il true Virginia shout! God
i, praised ,hc devils run. Huala
!" victoryp
- With cXclamations like these. {
~, m old soldier SUSTAINED the spirits
'nSI his men, during the short, but ttr
'or bic conflict, until, as his last wor
ai bctokcned, the assailants were
M 'M,' full flight; aud then another sho
~ went up from the fort, which "
~, @ answered back as sturdily from {
II. hous. where, with his three asSistal
'"'ss Col. Zane kept his dwelling agaiI
~. "o the sayagcs. IL was worth pc
G -, unto death, to hear and participa
,ha III that huzza
.he But if the defendants of Whc'
nv. ing battered themselves that til
ar, had achieved "a permanent truml