The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1886-10-29
YOUNG FOLKS COLUMN.
MRS. HENDCE SAVES NINE BOYS
FROM THE INDIANS.

"a Dangerous Dog '-tiOOd Story Of .
Mothers Bravery at the Burning Of
Royaiton, VT, During the Revoiu'
tionary War.
During the Revolutionary war tho Indians
were generally on the side Of the British and
made sad trouble for tho young colonies that
were fighting to DO states, Hardly any chill
dren IN the eastern states have ever seen an
Indian, except In a show or circus But AZ
that time they were plentiful enough In tho
war of independence the Indians did the most
destruction when they were led by white
men, ms they sometimes were.
Wide Awake tells good story of how o
woman saved nine little boys from being put
to death or taken captive by Indians A
party of savages led by white man sudden
~ appeared before the village of Royalton,
VT, Oct 10, 1850. They burned it to tho
ground. The farmers had gathered their
harvest, and their barns were full Of hay
and grain. They killed the cattle and stole
the horses. All was destroyed number
Of settlers were killed and others were car
ried into captivity to Canada.
Among the women who were left free was
Mrs Hcndec. But tie IaGians tore her little
boy, years OLD, from her hands and started
away with him. Blu. would a mother thus
escape and see her only son led away help
less little prisoner before her eyes! Never
The boy screamed to his mother to save
him, and she followed on after the Indians as
fast as she could II the child was to DO
killed. then she would not escape. But she
thought she could save him.
A river ran past there, and the Indians,
with their white leader took their way along
down by this, brave Mrs. Hendee after them.
She had her little girl dragging with her,
too, and was obliged to carry her much Of
the way.
She waded stream of water which was
upto her waist and the current was very
swift. But she did not stop moment On
she went, and on. At length she reached tho
Indian camp She was in momentary danger
Of death, but she saw in the midst white
man, with red coat on, and to him she
went boldly. She begged for her son, and
the SONS of her neighbors whom the Indians
had captured. The officer, Lieut. Horton,
told her the boys were to be taken to Canada,
to be reared and trained for British soldiers.
They meant to make them fight against their
own country if the war should last till they
were large enough But Mrs. Hendee said:
"You know as well as l do that these chill
dren cannot endure such march as you will
make through the wilderness And when
they cannot walk any more, what will you
do! The Indians will tomahawk and scalp
them to prevent them fro:: being hindrance
in your flight, for every man in tho settle
mems will pursue you to revenge us. II you
do not kill then, YOU will leave them to die
and to be torn to pieces by wild beasts. They
will be of no use to you, and unless you are a
wild beast yourself you will give me my
child, that these savages have taken away
from me. Do one good turn before you die"
1t is said that tears came to the officers
eyes, and he replied: "You shall have your
child"
But he had hard work to get her son and
the other boys from the savages. Once an
old Indian pulled the little boy away from
her after she had got him, and raised a toma-
hawk over her head. Both mother and son
thought they were gone then, and the boy
out loud.
At last though, she got her own little boy
and eight others, and started home. They
had to ford river It was so deep that
the smallest boys could not wade it, 1t
was stream 200 yards wide at the ford, but
this heroic woman went back and forth in the
swift, ice cold water several times, carrying
the small boys upon her back. The others
put their arms around each others necks,