The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-04-04
RESCUED FROM INDIANS.
BY GEORGE E. BLAKELEE.

consisting OF his wife ana TWO u|'"A0Oi''
OF the name of Thornburg. "A nome was
established a little north of the central part
of Ohio, and after year or two their hab-
itatiou showed the evidences of taste and
industry which always charactcrizes the
advance of civilization. Agnes Thomburg,
the elder of the two daughters, had reached
the age of about ei"hteen years, when the
exciting incident which | am about to re-
late, occurred. Agnes was beautiful in the
true sense of the term her well deveI-
oped form indicated health and V8or'
while her rosy checks, sparkling eyes, III
ven winged hair and well chiseled nose ana
month. made her absolutely bewltchIng !;
at least so thought Alfred Culver, who
lived not far away, and also young Indian
warrior. who now and then made peace Of
fa,inos at the log cabin of the girls father
One day, after the sun had passed. inc
-.i,1io,, some three hours, two Indians
crept stealthily out of the woods which
bordered the house lot. One OF the red
faced devils was the young warrior before
mentioned the other 4 tool in his hands
to assist in stealing and carrying away the
young pale-face, of whom he had become
enamored. The two girls being alone, and
Elnor the younger, but eight years of age,
the work before them was neither long nor
difficult Elnor was unmolested, and she
sped away with the agility of a young roe
to apprise her father, who was at work in
clearing" not more than quarter of
mile from the house.
Thomburg met the excited child who
was screaming Justify for help, and with
out stopping to arm himself further than
with the axe which he had in his hand he
plunged into the woods with the despera-
ton of a mad man, in the direction pointed
out by the child as the one which the In
dians had taken The trail was difficult to
follow, but the anxious father worked on
as rapidly as it was i'll che power of one
with his limited experience to do, and just
before sunset, caught sigh of the captors
and the captive. Thornburg started on
run, but had not advanced far when he
was discovered by the Indians, who also
quickened their pace but trouble soon
followed. Agnes discovered her father,
and absolutely refused to take another
step. No flourish of tomahawk, or brand
ishing of scalping knife could intimidate
her as before.
The Indians apparently discovered that
they were pursued by a single man, and he
without firearms, SO they deliberately
bound Agnes hand and foot and awaited
the onset. Thornburg advanced to with
i'll about ten feet of the party, and by COM
mand Of Agnes, came to dead halt. The
two Indians stood and gazed at him with
mingled curiosity and astonishment.-
Thornburg here for the first time realized
that he was not sufficiently armed to enter
into deadly contest with two fully equip
ped red men of the forest
Agnes begged of her father not to at
tempt to rescue her by force, as it would
only result i'll his death and multiply her
sufferings, and at her request he laid down
the axe and lifted up his empty hands to
signify his purpose not to make an attack.
Pleadings were made for restoration by
father and daughter as well as could be by
signs and the use of what few words they
understood i'll the Indian tongue &; but the
young warrior shook his head and flour
ished his tomahawk i'll n manner which
signifed that Agnes should go with him,
and the old man must die The girl be-
came almost frantic through fear for her
fathers safety, and made her captors un-
derstand that if they would spare the life
of her parent she would go with them
freely. To this they gave heed, and so
bound Tholnburg to tree, and forced the
pretty captive on again through the now
darkening forest. Agnes somehow felt
confident that her father would be found,
relieved and again overtake them, and
rescue her by the aid of others, and so she
travelled well into the night without utter
ing complaint.
Little Elnor did not return to the house
after telling her father of the capture of
Agnes, but ran through the blidle-path to
the home of Alfred Culver, to tell the story
there. Young Culver received the intel
ligence with distended mouth and staring
eyes, but soon regained his senses, and
strapping ON his rifle and putting big
knife in his hunting belt, struck out alone
in pursuit of the demons who were bearing
away his idol, vowing, while he cIutched
tightly the handle of his knife, that he
would never return without her. Dark
ness came upon him before coming in sight
of the Indians, 50 he climbed to the top of
tree TO spend the night, and wear away
slow hours in wretchedness and suspense.
As the first glimmer of dawn stole above
the eastern horizon, Alfred ate a little of
the bread and jerked venison which he had
wisely taken along, and as soon as he could
possibly make the trail pushed on with re-
newed vigor. just before sunrise he came
upon Thornburg, lashed to the tree and
after cutting the thongs, learned the story
of the fathers adventure. The cid gen
tleman from his twelve hours in position
but little better than the rack of the inqui-
sition, was utterly unable to follow the trail
with young Culver, and so determined to
work his way homeward as best he could.
Alfred gave strong assurance that he would