The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-09-02
HOW A GIRL OFFENDED A FORT.
A STORY FOR GIRLS.

Women are told IT they would vote
they must fight. To all such we COM
mend the following story of the bravery
and sagscity of girl of fourteen, who
defended fort for week, her garrison
consisting of two cowardly soldiers, one
Of whom she prevented from blowing up
the fort; two boys of ten and twelve, an
old man of eighty, and man who had
never fred gun. For week she held
the lroquois at bay; cheering the fright
ened women and children and still more
frightened soldiers, going without food
or sleep; always on the alert, and at last
delivering her charge in safety TO de-
tachment of forty soldiers sent to her aid.
The history we copy, with the usual in
justice of history towards women, does
not give her full name-only Madeline,
although the lieutenapt's name, who
came to her sid, is mentioned.
This feat of Madeline is one Of the
most courageous on record. It was not
a sudden squirt of enthusiasm, but long
contested battle with willy foes without
the fort and cowardly friends within.
From Brant at d Red Jake, ny Edward Eggleson
and Lille Eggeson oeelye.
There was q settlement called Yer
chires, some twenty miles below Mon
treal Settlers must always havea place
of refuge Here was fort connected by
covered passage with block house.
One October morning in 1872 the inhab-
itants we're In the field at work. There
were but two soldiers at the fort The
commander and his wife were absent
Their daughter, Madeline, girl of four
teen, stood on the landing with e hired
man, when she heard firing.
Run, Mademoiselle. runr' cried the
man; there come the Iroquois.
Looking around the girl saw the In
dams near at hand. She ran for the fort
and the Indians, seeing they could not
catch her, fired at her. Their bull
let's whistled round her and ''made
the time seem very long" I"
as she afterward said. As soon as Made.
line reached the fort she cried out: 'sTo
armsl to arms!" hoping that she would
were so frightened that they had hidden
reached the gate of the fort she found
two women there crying for their hus
bands. who were in the field and had
just been killed. Madeline forced them
in and shut the gate. She instantly took
anime her defenses. She found that
some OF the palisades had fallen down,
leaving holes through which the enemy
could easily enter. She ordered them
Immediately set up and even helped
among them herself. When the little
commander repaired to the block house,
whers she found her garrison of two, one
was hiding In the corner, the other with
1iob4<.l x,,a ko1, hsa hor1
"What are you going to do with that
match?" said Madeline.
Light the powder and blow US all
up, answered the soldier.
You are miserable coward, said the
girl. Get out Of this place.
People always like to obey in time of
peril the one person of resolution and
coolness The soldier did as Madeline
bid She then hnng aside her bonnet,
put on hat and took gun. Madeline's
whole force consisted of the above men
toned soldiers, her two brothers of ten
and twelve years of age and an old man
of eighty, with some women and chill
dren.
s.Let us fight to the death, said Made.
line to her brothers. I'VE are fighting
for our country and our religion. Be
member our father has taught You that
gentlemen are born to shed their blood
for the service of God and the king"
Madeline now placed her brothers and
the soldiers at the loopholes, where they
fired at The Indians, who were cautious
about attacking the fort, especially as
they did not know how large the gar
rison was. Besides, they were
yet occupied in chasing and killing
the men whom they had surprised at
their work. Madeline commanded
that cannon should be fred to impress
the Indians the more, and will. the. hope
to thus summon some of the soldiers
who we're out hunting. Meantime the
women and children nad kept up con-
tinual screaming. The girl now ordered
them to kesp still for fear the Indians
should be encouraged by their fright to
make an attack. A caAoe was soon seen
in the river approaching the landing. It
contained settler and his family. who
were trying TO make their escape to the
fort. Madeline tried to get the soldiers
TO go to their assistance, but their new
fonni courage could not be brought up
/. this point. The girl conceived the
ftsthat If she went to the landing to
meet the settler and his family the In
dians would believe it to be q ruse to
draw them near the fort that sally
might be made upon them. She sta.