The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-04-12
ELIZABETH ZANE.
Il Heroine of Early Days. and How
She Saved the Fort.
From tho Classic Walls of n Phtla-
delphia College to the Rude
Cabin of the Frontier.

We naturally revert IN memory
aud history 10 the brave deeds of daring
performed in the great Northwest terri
tory OF a hundred odd years ago by the
hardy pioneers of our civilization Ohio
is to celebrate in various parts OF the
State her hundredth anniversary and 1t
is but fitting that We call up these scenes
of early days and give the younger gen.
Grafton a taste of the courage possessed
and the dangers endured by our fore
fathers in the long ago when the steam
boat, the railroad, the telegraph, the tel
ephone, the electric light ana tne AK
ship we're not.
Apropos to this there appeared pretty
poem in the St. Nicholas written by that
CHEEKY poet John S. Adams, when is
reproduced here. The sentiment Is
founded on the following anecdote
which we get from Hows's history OF
Ohio.
Elizabeth Zane, who acted with 50
much heroism at the siege of Wheeling,
in 1882, lived many years since about
two miles above Bridgeport, on the
Ohio side of the river, near Marnnsv1ile.
She was twice married, first TO Mr..
Mclaughlin, and secondly to Mr. Clark.
The aneodote We derive fron . pup
lished source.
When Lynn, the ranger, gave the
alarm that an Indian army was ap-
preaching, the fort having been for some
time unoccupied by q garrison, and
Colonel Zane's house having been used
for a magazine, those who retired into
| the fortress had to take with them q
supply of ammunition for its defence.
The supply of powder, deemed ample at
the time, was now almost exhausted, oy
reason of the long continuance OF the
siege, and the repested endesvors OF the
ealr thA 0rf nv ofn O
rounds only renamed. In this emer-
gency, it became necessary to renew their
/ stock from an abundant store which was
/ deposited in Colonel Zane's house:
Accordingly, Is was proposed
that one of the neetest men
tain a supply of powder, and return
! with 1t to the fort. 1t was an enterprise
full of danger; but many of the heroic
| spirits shut uD in the fort were Wiling
10 encounter the hazard. Among those
| who volunteered to go on this enter
prise, was Elizabeth. the sister OF Col
( onel Z. Zane. She was young, active
and athletic, with courage to dare the
danger, and fortitude to sustain her
through 1t. Disdaining to weigh the
hazard Of her own life against that OF
others, when told that man would en-
counter less danger by reason OF NJ:
greater fieetness, she replied, "anc
lla
yerely felt; you have not one man tc
| snare: q woman will not be missed In
the defence of the fort" Her services
were then accepted. Divest1ng herssl
! of some of her garments, as tending tt
impede her progress, she stood prepared
for the hazardous adventure, and when
the gate was thrown open, bounded
forth with the buoyancy of hope. ant
In the confidence of success: wrap
in amazement, the Indians beheld he
| springing forwsrd, and only excla1mlns
"a souawptA suuawp no attempt wa
made 70 interrupt her progress. Arrived
at the door she proclaimed her eTrand
Colonel Stlas Zane fastened table clotl
around her waist, and emptyiug ln.o l
) a keg of powder again she ventures
= forth. The Indians were no longer pas
= sive. Ball after ball whizzed by, eevera
of which passed through her clothes
> She reached the gate, entered the Tort Il
safety, and thus was the garrison sgai
3 saved by female iptrspidity. This hero
/ inc had but recently returned Iror
1 Philadelphia, where she had receive
her education, and was wholly unuse
. to such scenes as were daily PassNli
on the frontiers. The distance she ha
5 to run was about forty yards"
Z This dauntless pioneer maiden's name
= Is inscribed In gold on the scroll OF famet
q She was the lassie who knew no fear !.
, When the tomahawk cleaned on the
S II deeds of daring should win renown.
Let us honor the damsel of Wheeling Town
s Who braved the denser with deep olsoain
b Bright-eyed, buxom Elizabeth Zane
= Twas more than a hundred years ago;
They were close beset by the dusky Zoe,
n Thev had spent of powder their scanty stor
% And who the gauntlet should run for NOR
y She sprang to the portal ana snouted 1T
a TTis better a girl than man should die:
~ Ny loss would be but the garrlsons gslni
" iUnbar the gatsF" Eaid Elizabeth lane.
r The powder was forty yards away,
II Around her the foemen in ambush lay;
- As she dartsd from shelter they gszed wi
70 Than wildly shouted, IA squawI q squawF
Is she neither swerved TO the left nor right,
swift as an antelope was her dight;
aSot hope ferlornI 'Tis Elizabeth Zano."
No time had she to waver or wait,
Back she must go ere IL De 100 iate, -
she snatched from the table its doth
A. And Rnotted it deftly about her waist.
Tbep nIled it with powder-never, Weehs
nod nOIyder SO lovely q magazine:
Tben ACQUIRING the bullets deadly rslp-
Like startled fawn hed Elizabeth zane
aSe gained the fort with her precious freisl
ST Etro1g hands unfastened tho oaken gatei
n Brave mems eyes 5ufused WIN tears,
q That had there been strangers Tor many yee
Il From fIIut-lock rifles again there sped
at = sESainst the skulking redskins storm
And the war whoop sounded that day in va
ty Thanks to the deed of Elizabeth zane.
ot Rav.-.
et nan on horso-back, with nothing to fe
e. Nor of old John Burns, with his Dell ero"i
I'd Hs,d an army to back him, so what Of tn
or Hers to the heroine plump and brown,
Who ran the gauntlet In Wheeling townl
ne Here is a record without stain
no beautiful, buxom Elizabeth Aane>