Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-01
ROMANCE OF HISTORY.
Eventful Life of One Many Pittsburg-
ers Claim as an Ancestor.
STOLEN BY INDIANS WHEN A GIRL.
Witnessed a Fatal Duel Between Her Lover
and Her Brother.
WIFE OF A MORGANTOwN PIONEER
WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPArcH.l


. DAYLIGHT rowing band of Indians with a
wild warwhoop, rushed upon Neally's Fort,
on the Opeouon Creek, Berkley county, and
murdered and scalped the inhabitants. On
their return they passed the house of Robert
Stockton, who, about an hour before their
arrival. unconscious of danger, had gone
with his wife two miles distant to perform
the last duty to a dying neighbor, leaving
their children at home. The Indians plum
dered the farm house and seized two of the
children, George, a lad of IA and Isabella, a
girl then 10 wears of age and carried them
10 the North. The children pleaded to return
to their parents, but the warriors had no
mercy.
George was a remarkable clever youth
and laid plan with his frightened sister to
escape, bat before it could be put into effect
the bov saw his sister carried off by band
of French traders who had purchased her
from the Indians. After a captivity of
three wears the boy made his escape and
returned to his home in Berkley county,
with his feelings deeply embittered against
tbs indians and their hated allies the
French.
The fair Isabella was treated during her
captivity with marked difference and o
sort of half worship by the savages, and she
was onlv one month with the French trad
ers when she was purchased by wealthy
Canadian, who took her to his home in
Montreal Isabella was not long in her
new quarters until her artless manners and
preposSessing qualities won for her place
IN the hearts of her adopted parents, and
the kind farmer and his wife gave her every
advantage in the way of education that the
country afforded.
At 16 wears of age she had developed into
q girl of extraordinary beauty. She was the
belle of the neighborhood, and had numer-
Gus admirers, but her neart was not touched
until there arrived from France nephew of
the trader, Jean Baptiste Plata, young
man highly educated and of the noblest and
most chivslric traits of character. The
Young people were thrown together great
deal, and a mutual attachment soon sprang
up between them Jean Bsptiste Plata,
after a years acquaintance with Isabella,
gained the consent of his uncle to ask her
hand in marriage.
A Love SCENE In the Moonlight
Eagerly the young man, after the inter
view with his uncle, sought 1sabella's side
20 tell QeT IQ6 sIOTN l1ld6 CfcIg
nan once in his life tells the woman of his
love and choice.
1t is the old story,
That wife and that lover
Tell over and over,
AS il they were surer whom told
Isabella had gone out for a walk but Jean
OWNED her footsteps and few moments
brought him to the meadow bars Despite
the tact that all ever the land night had
Il Al
moon and the milk-w bite stars drew the
shadow of young girl who stood still and
TnoHonlesL She neither turned her face
nor showed anv signs of his approach until
& rich low voice said:
'Whatl Dreaming, Isabella?" and he
stood before her. Even in the moonlight
e could see that her face was trife paler
and her eyes showed a suspicion of tears.
But she affected a careless manner, reply
ing: Eyes, I am star gazing. You have
known me long enough to have discovered
how fond am of sentiment" But in her
voice was sad strain, although she artfully
attempted humor, and she turned to 60
toward the house.
Told Her Lover the Story.
But Jean took her hands in his and said:
no. Isabella, you must not CO." and there
in the moonlight he poured forth his devo-
tion and love, and asked her nand in mar
riage. For the first time the shadows met
and the girl, who could not restrain herself
any longer, burst into tears.
''What, darling, have Ibeen too abrupt"
he said, tenderly.
"No, Jean, you have been all that is
noble and good and kind, and cannot dis
Cuise ny deep attachment for you. love
YOU, but those faces, those loved ones, =" and
then and there she disclosed to him what
she had never breathed to any human being,
something OF her early history.
when but 10 years old 1 was torn as q
captive from my parents by the Indians, and
alter remaining prisoner for a month was
sortunately sold to your uncle. In this
home l have been treated as a daughter,
and have had every thought to make me
happy, but the images OF nv dear father
gnd mother have been continually present
10 my mind IRON that day to this Dreams
by day and by night have kept their faces
and features vivid in my memory, and
feel, dear Jean, that / could not, with sat
sfaction to myself change my relations in
life until l have seen them.
4 Perilous Journey to Maryland.
while love you with all the devotion
Of a woman in her first newborn happiness,
cannot consent to become your wife until
revisit my home in Virginia, and if my
PARENTS are still alive ask their consent to
our union"
Your wishes are mine, darling, and am
not only willing to wait but will gladly
escort YOU to your parents and ask them to
ratifv our union. But, Isabel, should they
reject me, separate us-but suppose it's
cowardly in me to have such thoughts"
do not doubt them for a moment" she
replied "They are kind and loving, and
would not-no could not-separate US.
The lovers turned from the srile and to
the plaintive notes of the whippoorwill
walked toward the house. They made their
plans known TO Jeans uncle that night and
he readily gave his consent.
Promptly the young Frenchman procured
rhe nee ssary horses from his uncle and
they started upon their long and perilous
Journey. They arrived safe in the county
OF Berkeley, and the chivalrous lover deliv-
cred the beautiful girl into the arms of her
astonished and delighted parents.
The Parents Forgot Their Gratitude.
They could scarcely believe that the little
girl whom they had mourned as dead could
be the fair Isabella. For few days all was
iov and gladnesS But just as soon as it was
communicated to them that the young
Frenchman was engaged to and desired
their daughter in marriage, then all the
animosity Of the prosecuted settlers sprang
I'D in their bosUmS. A Frenchman at that
day was more hateful to a West Virginia
backwoOdsman than even Shawnee Indian,
tor they regarded him as the instigator and
iomentors OF all the cold-blooded murders
and barbarities which had drenched the
settlements in blood.
Jean Baptiste Plata's proposal of mar
riage was rejected; he was even ordered
from the house and told to never enter its
doors. All gratitude was forgotten, and
Tsabpll3'S tears and entreaties for her lover