Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-10-07

children and that such boys as were taken
would be trained for soldiers and wo"io
not be hurt.
You know she said, las we'll as DO
that these children cannot endure sucn
march as you will make through the Will
deruess. And when they cannot marcn
any more, what viii, you do? The Indians
will tomahawk and scalp them to prevent
them from being a hindrance 10 tneir
fight. for every man in the settlements
will pursue you to revenge us. II you 40
not kill them, You will leave them to Ole
and to be torn to pieces BY wild beasts
They will be of no use TO you ana unless
YOU are a wild beast yourself you Will
give me my child that these savages nave
taken away from me-" And she gave
fierce look at those who stood near him
1t was perhaps fortunate for her that those
Indians did not understand English as
manv did.
Horton said to her, Il can do nothing
for YOU. The Indians are an ungovern-
able race and will never give up what
they have taken"
THAT is not true" she said. You
would not have brought them here If you
had not known that they would obey you !;
YOU are their commander and a curse will
| fall on YOU for every drop of innocent
blood they shed, and one day, remember.
the secrets of mems hearts shall be made
known. and every one will know YOU as
YOU are. Do one good thing before you
die"
The bad man looked at the brave wo-
man and it is said his eyes filed with
tears. and after a moment he said, You
shall have your child.'
| Just at that moment the Indians came
up with little Michael who, as soon as be
saw his mother, tried to run to her, but
they held him fast and Horton motIonng
| her to wait, went to the party aud after
much difficulty persuaded them to give
| him up What arguments he used no one
| knows, as Mrs. Hendee either did not
hear or could not understand what he
said. But he brought her child to her,
and as soon as she had him safe by one
hand and her little girl by the other she
started to 90 back; but Horton called her
to come back and wait until all the scout
ing parties we're in, because other Indians
might take the boy again.
So she went back and waited until the
| Indians should leave for Canada. While
she sat there several of the neigh
bors' little boys about her own sons age
were brought in, as captives. She knew
what their mothers were suffering, and so
begged Hoiton to let them 90 also. He
at first refused, but she begged so hard
| for them that he finally said they might
90, and she sat down with the poor little
| fellows all about her clinging to her and
crying-those that were still able to cry.
Most of them had screamed themselves in
to half stupid condition. While they
were waiting for the Indians to 90. an old
savage looking Indian came up and pulled
little Michael away from her; she held
fast until the savage swung a tomahawk
over her head and her boy shrieked so
dreadfullv that the Indians about began
to yell and show other signs of rage. For
a moment she expected to be killed, or to
see all the children killed, and she let the
boy 90 and once more went to Horton.
After considerable trouble with the Indi-
ans he brought the boy back to her and
told her to 60 at once.
She went and took eight children with
her. or ra her they all hung about her and
held fast to her clothes. She went up the
river looking for a good place to ford,
and when she found it she waded over
twice; each time with one of the smallest
boys on her back. The others crossed by
putting their arms around each others
necks and so in a long line they all sue
ceeded in getting over safely. The river
where she crossed was about two hundred
yards wide, and it varies from that to four
or possibly five hundred yards
The ninth boy she found the next dav
where the house of Mr. Ravens had been
hurnnI 10 rolaa1aI
because of the agreement she had made
with Horton. and partly because he was
very lame.
After Mrs. Hendee crossed the river she
went about three miles with the children
and then,al being tired out. they sat down
on the ground for the night, and what
they suffered we can hardly imagine even
The snow had been falling most of the
day and the night was stormy. There
hey were without shelter of any kind, I'M
less perhaps a tree-hungry, wet to the
skin, cold and frightened. Yet brave
Mrs. Hendee comforted the children and
kept good heart herself. There they
were found in the morning by the men
who had rallied from the other settlements
and were pursuing the enemy. So this
brave woman saved from a dreadful
captivity and probably death nine boys.
She was just twenty-seven years old and
lived for many years after. part of the
time in Royalton and afterwards in
Sharon.
The Indians LETT in the early afternoon,
taking with them twenty-six prisoners,
twenty -iour of whom were delivered up
to the British as prisoners OF war In
about year all, except one who died in
prison, obtained their release. or escaped.
and reached home again. The Indians
burned twenty-one dwelling-h houses and
sixteen barns. They killed one hundred
and fifty head of neat cattle and all the
sheep and pigs they found. Many of the
cattle tied in stalls and pigs in pens were
burned alive. They took away about
thirty horses and everything from the
houses they could lay their hands upon.
and all the tools ecassary to enable the
farmers to cultivate their land.
That was the ending of the burning of
Royalton, and from that dreadful dav to
this it has been left in peace. katherine
B. Foot in Wide Quake
It's all very well to talk about buildinv nar