Louisiana capitolian., 1880-06-19
as naturally as possible, so a. to excite
no suspici0ns among the Indians.

In order TO iun the faster II they had
need, the women took off their shoes or
moccasins and went barefooted. The
strongest Of them carried two pals, but
q large number took only one.
Before the gate was opened tho min
lister knelt and prayed, and they all
knelt, and prayed, strong, rough
men, and pale, fair women. When
they arose there were tears in the eyes
Of the bronzed frontiersmen, and the
faces of tho women were paler than ever,
but they looked very brave and solemn.
Then there were hand-shakings and
hurried farewells said, for none knew
whether they would ever meet again
Captain Reynolds kissed his wife and
daughter, and with broken voice said:
Look out for mother, Debby. She
is not 80 spry as You are. Take good
care Of her, and may God save you all
One by one, two by two they began
to slip through the gateway and start
for the spring. Two Of the strongers
pioneers stood by the gate to close it II
q rush was made The rest Of the men
were gathered along the stockade at the
portfolios, each with II loaded rife near
him, besides tho one he hold in his
hands, ready to fire. on the savages II
they offered to attack the women.
Some Of the latter could not help
glancing timldly toward the tall woods
and thick underbrush, but most of them
walked cnrelessly, as if they suspected
nothing, though their pale faces and
swiftly beating hearts told Of the fear
and suspense they were in.
Young Deborah Reynolds was the
bravrst Of them all, she whom the cap
tain had asked to guard her mother. As
they stepped out of the gate the heroic
girl placed herself before her older COM
paniou.
Don't do so, Debby,' said the mother,
walk behind me, then il the Indians
fire they will have tokill me before they
can hit you
No, told father ! would look ont
for yon and for his and the chldren's
sakes yon will let me- replied Deborah.
4 should not be missed half so much as
YOU
And so the brave young woman kept
between her mother and the savages,
both going and coming from the spring.
A glimpse Of red legs in the shrubbery
and the CLINT of a tomahawk when a
sunbeam shone upon it, did not serve to
make her more assured, but in few
minutes they were all back ia the stock
ade and not shot had been fired.
Some of the buckets were not very
full, it is true, but tho poor women did
tqeir best, and it was n heroic deed. In
all history we know of no more daring
deed than the women of Bryant Station
performed on the borders of the West
ern wilderness almost hundred years
ago.
The Indians kept hid until night,
when nearly "a thousand of them at
tackled the stockade, hoping to surprise
it. But they found the garrison ready
for them, and they were met so reso-
lutely and vigorously, that they had to
fall back, leaving many dead and
wounded.
The next day the surrender of the
fort was demanded, but spirited re-
fusal was returned, and as the sayages
had already experienced the determined
resistance of the whites, they molested
them no further, and stole away through
the great forest.
Before the second night strong body
of settlers from Lexington and adjacent
settlements arrived at the stockade, con-
Quoted by the two brave men who had
rode away the previous morning for
succor. Bryant Station was saved.
The little stockade fort is now large
fourishing town, in the midst of pop
ulous and highly civilized region. Many
years have passed since the last Indian
left the spot, but the visitor there will
be told the story of the heroism OF the
Bryant Station women, and on the out
skirts of the town he will be shown
ruined cellar, above which stood the
house where brave Deborah Reynolds
aud her brave husband lived for many
years, and where they died more than
forty years ago.-Boston Budyet.
A terrible story comes over tho sea
from Magdeburg, Germany. A little
girl plucked flower from grave in q