The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-07
TEE aERo1sM OF WOMAN.
The Story Of Emily GeigeS Recalls Other
Acts Of Braycry-An Interesting Letter
from Mr.. David Jones.

The Story Of Emily Geige- Recalls Other
Acts Of Bravcry-An Interesting Letter
from Mr. David Jones.
To the Editor of The Herald and
News: In your paper Of January 10th
you refer to an article in the Columbia
State concerning Emily Geiger,
young lady of Newberry District, whose
heroic feat of carrying a despatch from
General Greene TO General Sumter
during the most dark and dangerous
period of the revolution is hardly
.equalled by any I have seen recorded
in history.
3 Since reading that marvellous nara
tive in the Annals of Newberry, I have
bothread and rehearsed it in my itinera-
tons to different families calling the
attention of young ladies to its super
,ative skill, patriotism and heroism,
facesiously telling them that quadruped
Minks went for their prey or game
only at night, but that the biped Bill
Mink followed his game both day and
night without catching it. Wonder
has been expressed concerning what
Lord Ra8don must have said after
finding how completely Miss Geiger
hal outwitted him.
History through the different ages
informs us that when emergencies
hsve risen requiring great individual
effort or service, that individual has
not been wanting. When the great
army Of Holifernese encompassed Jeru-
salem Judith comes 8 deliyerer; when
the decree of Haman obtained from
confding king went forth for the de-
strpetion Of all the Jews residing in. the,
PeIsian dominions, the beautiful Ha-
dassa or Esther comes to their rescue;
when Columbus. almost in despair for
lis failure in obtaining help from the
kings Of Europe to enable him to sail
on an unknown ocean in his proposed
veyage of discovery, applies TO queen
Isabella, she becomes bis pstroness,
pledging.her jewels to obtain tne ne
cessary funds. So ardent were his per-
suasfons, that the poet represents him,
saying:
sAs mem8ere forced from Eden's shade,
= EThroughlerrorsth that awonnan madei
sPersnitme,a at woman's cost.
TO ind the country we have lost;
Then future ages oft shall tell.
4 And sing tie praise Of Isabel"
Coming 20 our country, history tells
that the Indian maiden, Pocahontas.
not only saved the life Of Captain
Smith, but3moret than once saved the
lives Of the Virginia coionists by warn
ing them Of intended massacres; Of
Lydia Darrow, the Philadelphia Qua
keress, who hazarded much jn getting
the knowledge sofs q projected night
assgck 6y the British upon Washing
so0 and his army; and giving him the
timely Information. We can hardly
estimate the valueof this Information,
or the consequences averted by it.
MS. DarroW, whose house was in part
soceSpied by General Howe and his off,
GERS, received orders one nigst to put
all her family TO bed at*an early hour.
obeyed the orders about her chill
aren; but being suspicious of intended
mischief, she placed her ear tothe key
hose and heard read,the order concern
ing the intended attack. Returning
tossed she feigned sleep until thrice
called by the British General, when
she arose, opened the outer door and
extinguished the candles. She had
great scored that she dared confide te
none, not even her husband. Getting
her pass, she put grain into sack ano
went to mill; being beyond sentinels
she left the sack at the mill, then has
tened towards Whitemarsh;s to inform
Washington of his danger. Meeting
one of his officers, she gave the neces
safS nforinaeion, and got his promis'
not. to betrsy her,. xs.. .>:s...:.. .
None suspected the denure Quaker
ess of having snatched anticipated vic
tory from her country's foes. Afte
the return of the British loud knock
'zsseg at her door by the Adjutant Gene
raj caused her some alarm. He sum
pooned her to his apartment, iocket
the door with mysterious air, ar'
moticned her to seat. We may wei
suppose that she felt somewhat lik
Miss Geiger cid when locked up by th
orders of Lord Rawdon; her goo
genius. however, did not forsake bel
After ashort silence the officer SAID
Were any of your family up, Lydis
on the night 1 received company il
this shouse?' sNo."s ssbe said, '''the
allfetfsd at eight 'clock.' %*'You,
Know, ,swere asleep, Lydia, were ASLEEP
forI Knocked three times at your doc
before you heard me, yet it is certai
that we were betrayed. I am alto
gether st loss to conceive who. coul
have given the Information OF our IL
tended attack to General Washington
On arriving near his camp we foan
his cannon mounted, his troops unde
arms, and so prepared at, every polr
TO receive US, that we have been con
pelIed to march back without injurin
our enemy, like pack of fools" Ma
wenot we'll believe that Lydia chuckle
to herself on hearing these declar'
sions, about like Miss Geiger did whe
Lord Rawdon offered to send an esco!
with ber to her friends house. /
both these eases of grand deceptio
praeticed upon British officers no fals'
hoods appear to have been told, but q