Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-08-15
A Plucky Woman's Feat.

Hill. AS the stage, containing
Mrs. Jane Hollingworth and two
small children, William Bran aud
James Low, the driver, had just
began the descent of the hill, the
pole slipped through the neck
yoke and the stage ran heavily
against the horses heels. They
at once started at furious rate
down the hill. The driver dropped
the reins and jumped from the
stage to the roadside. Bran, who
occupied the seat with Low, sprang
out at the same time. Mrs. Hol-
lingworth and her two children oc-
cupied the rear seat in the stage, and
there was no possible way for her
to escape from it, if she thought it
wise to do so. Seeing herself and
children left to their fate by the
men, she determined to make a
desperate effort to save their lives
if possible although, with the
team plunging madly down the
steep declivity, without restraint or
guidance of a driver, and the stage
swaying from side to side threat
ening momentarily to be capsized
down the high bank on the lawn
side, the chances for escape from
death seemed slim indeed. Mrs.
Hollingworth clambered over the
three high-backed seats be-
tween her and the drivers box,
first quoting her children, who
were screaming with terror, with
the assurance that she would save
them. Reaching the drivers seat
she was compelled to climb over the
dashboard to the tongue of the
coach between the two frantic
horses to gain possession of the
reins which had apparently been
flung over the horses back by the
cowardly and terror-stricken driv-
er. Mr.. III. Tallman, who was
driving up the hill, saw the
stage team dashing over toward
him just as Mrs. Hollingworth had
secured the lines and was climbing
back to the drivers seat. Tallman
says she was pale as death, but
clutched the lines firmly as the
stage dashed by his wagon. He
says he expected to sec the coach
hurled over the bank at the turn in
the road below, but the courageous
woman, by most miraculous
strength, succeeded in pulling the
horses along the base of the hill
on the upper side and rounded the
curve in salty. Tallman and others
who had witnessed the thrilling
scene, hurried after the flying
stage. They came in sight of it
and saw the horses pulled skillfully
against the hill by Mrs. Holling-
worth, until the fury of their
career was broken, and then were
adroitly turned off at level place
in the road and brought up against
the fence, where, after several in
efrectual plunges to free themselves
from the obstacle, they came to a
standstill. When the men came
up the brave woman was still hold
ing the lines, but unconscious.
Where the lines had been wrapped
about her hands they had almost
buried themselves beneath the
flesh, and blood streamed from the
ugly gashes they made. The
children were still crouching in
terror in one corner of the coach
locked in each others arms. There
was not scratch on the horses,
not q break in the harness, nor
the slightest injury done to the
coach. Mrs. Hollingworth was at
once taken to the nearest house
and given the best of care. She
soon recovered, and in an hour OF
so had the strength and nerve to
proceed on her journey in the same
coach and behind the same horses
with which she had so terrible ar
experience. She says she never
expected to see her children agar
when she left them to attempt the
control of the team. Her bravery
and proves made her a heroine
and the crowd that had been drawn
to the scene gave her three hearty
cheers when the stage finally drove
on with her and her children
Mrs. Hollingworth is about thirt.
years old, and of slight frame.
Low, the driver, and Bran, tn,
passenger, were both badly hur
by their cowardly jumps, but thei