The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-08-16
Aaaerspu gatelli9eneer.
4 Brave Wonlln.
4 TRUE STORY.

Nearly q century ago, Wnen west "
ginia, thinly settled and cleared, WAS
a favorte fighting ground of the Indian
tribes, there lived near the kanawha
Falls q settler Of Dutch extraction, named |
ed Van Bibber, man of some note and |
distinction in those early times. His
homestead stood below the Falls and
opposite to it, on the other side of the
river was an overhanging rock of i'm.
mense size, jutting ont about hundred |
feet over the seething whirlpool caused |
by the Falls, and rising to nearly one |
hundred feet above the water. The rock |
was once the scene Of remarkable adj
venture, which exhibits what woman's |
love will give her courage to achieve for |
the defence and rescue Of those to whom |
she is united in the tcrdcre,t bonds Of |!
affection.
Van Bibber was one day returning |
from an expedition into the dense forest |
on the opposite side of the river to his
home, when he unfortunately crossed |
the path of party Of Indians returning
from some distant fray, and dressed in
the full glories Of the warpath-paint,
feathers aud wampun. moment more.
and they were in hot pursuit after him i;
and the settler, though possessed of grea,
ability, and being swift runner, found
river before the flying steps of the sava
ges had enabled them 70 double on him.
Aud cutting off all approach to the water,
he was driven TO the summit of the over
hanging rock where, by the aid Of his
rifle, he kept the enemy for few mo.
ments at bay.
He stood up bravely in full view of
the savages both above and below, who
yelled with triumph at the prospect of
lis speedy capture. Across the river
before him lay his home and rs he
looked, he saw his wife emerge from the
house, startled by the noise, with her
babe nestled in her arms. She stood as
if petrifed with terror and amazement,
helpless, as he thought, to render assist
ance. Suddenly, b' re upon the light
breeze, to his ear came the clear tones of
her voice Leap into the water and
meet mel" And laying her babe on the
grass, she flew to the little landing, seiz
alone. Well for her that her arms were
strong, and that 80 many of their hour.
had been passed on the sunny river.
which flowed with hundreds of eddes in
its rapid current past the wall of their
home.
There is no indccision or weakness in
the steady, firm stroke of the oars whirh
bears her rapidly on her dangerous course.
Her husband must be rescued, and there
is no human arm but hers To save him.
Ncrved by love to double excrtion, the
brave woman steadily nears the middle
Of the river.
drop lower, wife,"
Lower yet; :" and with the last words,
Van Bibber sprnng frnm the crag. aud
descended like an arrow into the water
With every pulse beating wildly. the
devoted wife rested on her oars to see
him rise to the surface, while her frail
canoe danced like u cork on top OF the
that awful suspense. Had the fall injur
ed him? Had he struck tho bouIdcrs
which lay, rs she well knew, in multi
tudes under the water, carried down
from the Falls above Would he never
rise? Her eyes tried in vain to pene
trate the depths Of the water, aud, in an
agony, she swept the canoe still further
down the stream. a moment more, and
his head rose suddenly near her, and all
her mind was directed to helping him
climb into the shelter of the canoe,
amid the shower of arrows aud shot
which the bailled Indians poured upon
their escaping foe.
No word wss exchanged between
them. Though her husband was rescu.
ed, they had not yet reached the oppo.
site shore and the brave woman saw
that, after the perilous leap and the
sudden immersion into the cold water,
Van Bbber was more dead than alive.
Everything depended on her strength
being maintained till she could attain
the bank and with heart wich almost
stood still for fear, The devoted wife bent
once more to the oars, with her whole
powers of mind and body. God be
thanked! She was successful. And
after their desperate adventure, the
exhausted husband and wife landed on
the apot whence she had started on her
perilous voyage, where the babe still lay,
Growing and laughing, in the last rays Of
the afternoon sun.
Twn Or three ns:s!:bo.s, whc had been
gathered by the report of the rfles pull
ed the canoe to the sands, anL helped to
lift Van Bibber to his feet. He could
not walk. 80 they laid him ON the green.
,sward by his babe; and, falling down
by his side in her utter exhaustion and
thankfulness, the over. excited nerves of
uncontrolled fit of weeping.
"Just what any other woman would
have done" says some young reader, with
little air of surprise and disdan.
Exactly so, my dear. But then, you
see another woman might have cried a,
the wrong time-before instead Of aft. r
the event narrated in my story; and
then Van Bibber would never have been
rescued from his deadly peril, and the
babe might never have lived to be
grandfather, and have related the story
as have told it tn you.
And If you ever 60 there, they will
show You the jutting crag. which il call
ed Van Bihber's Rock to this day -E.r.
aminer.