News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-04-30
REBEL RIEL'S ROMANCE.
A "REMINISCENCES OF HIS FIRST
REBELLION,
How a Brave Woman Bearded the Lior
In His Den.

"A Of HIS
REBELLION,
How a Brave Woman Bearded the Lion
In His Den.
A lady at present residing in Hamil-
ton, Canada, tells a very interesting
story of heretofore unpublished incl
dent in connection with Louis Riels first
rebellion. She is very intimate friend
of the lady who poses as the heroine in
the narrative. and to a reporter of the
Hamilton Spectator she graphically
narrated the tale, which in substance is
as follows:
At the time of RieYs first rebellion
there lived near Fort Garry handsome
young Englishwoman named Victoria
Nov, still alive and at present a
resident of growing town on the shore
of Lake Superior on the line of the
Canadian Pacific Railway. Among the
loyalists seized by Rel and imprisoned
in the fort pending his decision as to
what disposition should be made of
them, was the brave young son of a lady
friend of Miss McV-. One morning
the poor mother came to the latter lady s
house in terrible state of agitation, and
told Miss Nov it was reported that
Rel had either shot or decided to shoot
all the prisoners in his hands.
In vain the younger woman tried to
soothe her friend and to comfort her
with assurances to the contrary. The
mothers fear grew greater, her agitation
wilder, and Miss Nov concluded
that unless definite news of some kind
was soon received her friends reason
would leave her altogether. In an in
slant the brave girls mind was made up,
and with hasty kiss of comfort and a
parting word of cheer to the well-nigh
frantic mother, Miss McV-- hurried
to the residence of gentleman friend in
the neigahoElaod to whom she confded
her intention OF going to see Riel. At
first the gentleman laughed at her; but
seeing she was determined he became
grave and urged her to abandon such a
| dangerous and useless mission as that
she had taken on herself-to seek out
the leader of the rebels, learn from him
the fate of the prisoners, and, if they
still lived, to plead for their lives.
Eventually, finding that the young lady
could not be moved from her purpose,
the gentleman ordered his horse to be
harnessed. and in few minutes he and
Mss Nov were on the way. Ere
long they reached the settlement, and
after many inquiries learned that Riel
was then at the post Office. Thither
drove Miss McV-- and her escort, and
there the rebel leader was approached
by the gentleman with the bold request
that he would grant an interview to a
young lady who desired to see him on
special business. Half amused, half
puzzled, Rel assented, and at the APP
pointed hour that afternoon Miss McV--
stood face to face with the rebel leader
in his quarters at the fort.
I swell, Ma'amselle, what is it ?"
81 want to see young -, one of the
prisoners confined by you"
"What for?"
$50 that can tell his mother he is
not dead. May see him ?"
EYES," CURLY responded Riel, looking
keenly and admiring ely at the girlish figure
standing proud and undaunted before
him. In few moments Miss McV--
was ushered into the room, or rather to
the door of the room-for it was toe
crowded for even one more to enter
where the loyalists were imprisoned.
The room was much too small to prop
erly accommodate the number confined
in it, and the unfortunate occupants had
to remain standing, packed together like
sardines in a box. AS the door was
opened by the guard, Miss Nov al,
most reeled in the gust of heated, fetid
air that swept into the passage; but in
an instant she recovered, and stood in
the midst of the half-stifed men who
crowded about her. A few hurried words
with her friends son, a whisper of cheer
to his fellow prisoners, and the brave
girl was back again in the presence oil
the rebel captain.
"Well, you saw him?"
"Yes. May bring him some clean
clothes? He asked for them. There
can BANJO harm in that"
''Yoa may bring them Anything
Yes. They are crying for water"
"They shall have some"
Next day Miss McV-- returned tc
the fort and was duly admitted. After
revisiting the prisoners she was as before
brought back to Riel's private apartment.
where she tearfully besought him to re-
lease the men whose only crime was 10y
atty to their queen and country. Seeing
her appeal had no effect, she changed
her tactics and urged him for his own
sake to let them go, pointing out to him
that his success could be but temporary,
and that on the arrival of troops from
| Ontario the rebellion would be crushed
and its fomenters certainly hanged.
Still Riel remained unmoved, and again
Misc NAV anfroatn1 h 70
his prisoners lives, alternating her
prayers with half coherent threats of
vengeance. At last Riel spoke, and the
overjoyed girl listened with beating heart
to his promise to release the prisoners on
condition of there being no rejoicing
over it by the loyalists of the settlement.
Miss McV-- assured him that she
would see to this, and orders were given
accordingly.
Rel. who had been at lunch when
Miss Nov arrived, then offered her
glass of wine and politely asked her to
partake of some light refreshment with
him. "No!' answered the undaunted
girl, her eyes flashing as she spoke;
''you are IN arms against your Queen. l
will never break bread with rebel"
and turning to the door she left Riel
dumb with amazement at her aGdacity.
Shortly nfterward all the prisoners ex-
cept one, Scott, were set at liberty, and
in little while the ears of the man who
freed shem We're greeted with the sounds
of the rel0icings he had forbidden. The
in9iscreet conduct of the loyaIists, who
had been warned against it by Miss
McV--, bore its inevitable fruit, and
Rel promptly ordered the execution of
the one remaining prisoner-Thomas
Scott.
How Wilkes Booth Passed the Pickets.
'Did you ever know how Booth
passed the pickets on the bridge of the
eastern branch of the Potomac that fatal
night ?" said an army officer to a re-