The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-08-27
ALMOST A CENTENNIAL ROMANCE,
A YOUNG KENTUCKY HEROINE.

Inc Louisville ooHrRd6 tells this story OF
ninety nine years ago. Sunday, July IA,
1776, just when the rudeiy- constructed fort
at Boonsborough lay in drowsy stiffness on
the bank the Kentucky river, Daniel
Boone and his associate, Richard Galloway,
had been absent since early in the morning,
and the good wives, sharers in the toll Of
the early pioneer days, were enjoying the
rest that the Sabbath brought even to the
unbroken wilderness. In the grateful shade
of the tree in one corner of the enclosure
sat three young girls, just blooming into
womanhood. and giving an unwonted charm
to the rough evidences of civilization which
had but recently forced themselves upon
the primitive harmony of the surrounding
scenery. The eldest of these maidens was
Elizabeth Galloway. The other girls were
younger by two years and differed from her
in appearance. Fanny Galloway was farer
than her sister Betsy, but not more pleas
ing in appearance. The third girl, Jeni-
ma Boone, was also naturally fair, and,
like Fanny, owed whatever fairness she
may have lost to constant exposure to the
weather. Nor were these two younger
maidens without their flncies, too for the
wilderness natures it's occupants rapidly,
and, though but IA years counted the lives
of the two girls, each had lover who was
hardy and bold pioneer, and ready to en-
counter any danger for his lady love. As
evening drew near, the last lingering breath
of air seemed to lull itself to rest and the
July heat seemed to become more oppress-
ive-the quick ear of one of the girls caught
| the sound of the river as its subdued mur-
muir fioated up over the bank, and she pro-
posed that they should go a short distance
below the fort to where a canoe was lying,
and drift ont upon the bosom of the river,
to catch the rising GOODNESS of the evening
waters. Hardly were, they seated, and
prepared to push from the shore, when
they detected a slight rustic in the brush,
and in a moment more fl stalwart and
hideously painted Indians leaPed to the
side the canoe and pulled it close to the
shore. What girl of is could be equal to
such an emergency? 1t was here that the
sentimental girl who had just been dream
ing of her absent lover, and wandering
through the realms of maiden fancy with
converted herself into the daring and har-
dy woman of the frontier; it was here that
Betsy Galloway, without a moments hes-
tation, determined to defend the honor and
| the lives of herself and her young compan-
ions and wrote her name in the annals
of Kentucky. Standing erect in The canoe,
she seized the paddle, and at a single
lai1 hny, tExa hoo Of
of the foremost savage. The other Indians
pressed on, but, still undaunted, the brave
girl fought them with the ferocty of
mother protecting her young. Finally ex-
hausted, she sank to the bottom of the Ca
noe, and with her trembling sisterand friend
was dragged ashore, and hurried off to
meet whatever fate nigh be in store for
them. The CONSERVATION at the fort can
well be imagined. The fathers of the girls
soon returned, and, before the night closed
in, Daniel Boone, at the head of party on
| foot, and Richord Galloway, at the head of
party on eback, were off in pursuit.
| In BOone's party were Samuel Henderson,
! John Holder and Flanders Galloway. What
/ gave these youths such determined looks
/
! it only a kuightly spirit that prompted
/ them to the rescue of forlorn and captured
| damsels? All! as Samuel Henderson strobe
! along he was thinking of the olive checked
/ heroine, Betsy Galloway and John Holder
/ clenched his hands and ground his teeth
/ when he thought of poor, little, frightened
/ Fanny and Flanders Galloway almost for
! got his kith and kin for thinking of his
! captured Jemima Boone. When the In
! dians started with the girls they made the
/ younger ones take off their shoes and put
/ on moccasius, but Betsy refused to take off
| her shoes, and as she walked along she
! ground her heel into the soil to leave trail.
/ Noticing this the Indians made the whole
! party walk apart and deviate from the
! course so as to wade through the water
/ and destroy the trail. Then the undauuted
Betsy broke offFstwigs and dropped them
! along the road never doubling for mo-
/ ment that her father and her lover would
! soon be in hot pursuit of them and when
! the savages threatened her with uplifted
! tomahack if she persisted in this, she secret
/ ly tore off portions of her dress and dropped
them on the road. Boone's party soon
/ found the trail and followed it rapidly.
fearing that the girls might grow weary ana
be pat to death. All Sunday night and all
Monday the pursuit was kept up. on Tues
day morning slender column of smoke
was seen in the distance, aud the expert
enced eye of the hunter at once detected
! the camp of the Indians. A serious diff
! Guilty now presented itself. How were the
captives to be rescued without giving the
captors time to kill them? There was but
little time for reflection. as the Indians
must quickly discover their presence. The
white men were sure shots, and so they
picked their men, fired upon them, and