Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1877-07-26
No. 36
A BRAVE WOMAN.

MIDDLETON, IN. Y.,) July IA thrilling
incident occurred on the stage route between
Ellenyille, Ulster county, and SummltVllle,
on the New York Il Midland Railway, on
Friday afternoon last, which the courage ana
nerve Of a woman saved the
lifes of herself and her two children. just
this side of Ellenville there is a long and
steep declvity in the road, known as Budd's
hill. The Summitville stage began the de-
scent of the hill, when the pole OF the stage
slipped through the neck yoke and let the
vehicle with considerable force against the
horses. They began plunging and running,
and the driver, a strong fellow named LORD,
instead of putting on the brake ana stopping
the horses, as he might have done, became
frightened, threw down the reins and Jumped
from his seat to the ground, and was thrown
violently several feet down an embankment.
Another man who sat on the seat with him
also jumped, and was thrown down the bank.
The other passengers in the stage were Mrs.
HollingsWOrth and her two small children.
AS soon as the horses were free from the re-
straint OF driver, they dashed turlously
down the hill, threatening momentary deatn
to the inmates of the coach. Mrs. Hollings-
worth saw that they must meet certain de-
struction at sharp curve there was IN tAe
hill some distance ahead, unless the horses
could be checked in some way. Her children
were clinging to her and screaming in terror,
but she hastily tore herself away from them
and clambered over the three seats that were
between her and the drivers. On reaching
that seat she saw with horror that the relns
were trailing and out of her reach. Her ex-
traordinary presence of mind ana courage
never forsook her, however, tor she cnmoeG
over the dashboard to the whitt1e-trees, anc
thence walked along the pole OF the stage
between the plunging horses, unit! she cooc
reach the reins as they lay on thel- oaehA
Securing them, she made her way TO ssle
drivers seat, and put forth all her Strength IN
attempting to get some control ove->t.sc team.
She succeeded far enough to preveat the cap
sizing of the coach at the curve. She pulled
| the horses close to the'upper side of the road,
and, as Mr.. Tallman, an eye witness OF the
scene. says, the coach went around the turn
| with two wheels off the ground, and ran In
! that position for some distance, but 1t rlghted
| at last, and the great danger was averted. "A
hundred yards or so beyond the curve the high
bank at the lawn side eased off in a gentler
slope. Here Mrs. Hollingsworth succeeded
in turning the horses, and ran them into
fence. They could not get another start, and
several men who had seen the runaway were
soon on the spot and secured them. They
found Mrs. Hollingsworth with the reins still
! wrapped about her hands but she was as pale
| as death, and unconscious. She had pulled
| so hard in the struggle that the reins had cut
great gashes in her hands, and were almost
| buried in the flesh. The blood flowed from
these cuts in streams. The children were
clasped in each others arms in one corner of
the stage, and so terrified that they were un-
able to speak for some time. They and their
courageous mother were taken to house
near by, where they all soon recovered Mrs.
.Holfingsworth suffered no more serious con-
sequences from her terrible adventure than
the injury to her hand. She was able to pro
ceed on her journey in short time The
driver and his companion in cowardice were
both badly hurt. They were received with
shouts of derision and great indignation when
they were found, however, and received SYM
| pathy in no quarter. Lord is an experienced
driver, and his cowardly action on this occa-
| sion is inexplicable.