The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-05-21
heroine; "seek not to alter my de
Termination

but you Will pc Kltleu! crAeS Oue.
3 'sThen I shall die with the consola-
ton of knowing that, SO far, this brave
little garrison is not weakened.
"No, no-leave this adventure to |
us!" cries one Of the late disputants;
eve can run faster than you, and are
therefore more likely to be successful.
We cannot yield this peril to a lady,
and see her throw her life away-we
would not be acting like men, and
shame would ever rest upon US.
''The race is not always to the
swift, nor the battle to the strong,"
proudly replies the noble girl. ''What
is my life compared to yours, who
can skillfully use the rife against our
savage foe. and are required here for
the protection of these helpless be-
ings who stand around you! Look at
these little, innocent children, each of
whose lives is as valuable as mine,
and, remember, their whole depend
ence is upon you'll"
"Lizzie! Lizzie!" now interposes
one of her two brothers who were
present-''thi must not lie! You
must notgo! We cannot suffer it and
retain the name of men. You cannot
comprehend what you ask-you do
not consider the peril. Remember,
you are just from Philadelphia, where
you have lived in safety, in ease, in
comparative refinement and luxury;
and you cannot surely be aware Of the
risk, the danger, of trusting yourself
alone with a savage, merciless foe,
who spares neither sex nor agel Con-
slider! there are numbers of Indians
strolling about yonder village, to
whom your scalp would be prize of
victory; consider everything, and give
over this mad folly!"
"Brother," replied the fair girl,
"you have seen little ofme of late, and
you know little of my invincible will,
or you would not attempt to thwart
me in what I have resolved to per-
form. Come! come! we lose time.
Open yon gate before it is too late,
and let me go, for go I must; some.
thing whispers me that the good God
will sustain me-.
In vain they try, with reason, with
, remonstrance, with representations Of
the danger put in every conceivable
form, with affectionate appeals, with
downright pleading, to induce tho
brave girl to abandon her purpose;
and at last, with the utmost reluc-
lance, they yield assent to her heroic
proposition. Instantly that consent
is gained, she strips herself of every
unnecessary article Of clothing, and
! demands that the gate be opened to
her.
:, All crowd to the gate, speaking
l words of affection, encouragement and
hope. Now it slowly opens. The
fair girl now fixes her eyes steadily
. upon her brothers. house; the distance
l is sixty yards; she measures it in he1
: mind; she calculates the time thai
3 will be required to reach it; she draws
), a long breath; and now, she bounds
/. from the fortress; and sincere, earnes
n PRAYERS from the hearts of every be
# ing she goes forth to save ascend t.
d Heaven for her protection and safe re
s turn.
See how she flies over the interven
ing space! Will she succeed? How
long the distance seems for space
70 that is so short!
Therel she nears the house; sh
d ,aches it; she enters it. Why stay
II she so long? Why docs she not com
.. back while there is OH opportunity?
e There! there!-she comes! sh
comes! She holds some dark objec
n tightly in her grasp; she has the pow
=, der; the fort will lie saved! The In
dams see her; they raise their mus
/. kets; they fire, but they are at to
long range to hit her. Still she come
20 on-on; nearer-nea-er; she is stl
- unharmed! One moment more
=, - Nearer-nearer! And now-see! sh
~ bounds through the gate, and
10 caught in her brothers. arm, almo'
a. a. fainting. But she has the key OF pow
- -. der clasped to her breast; she is saf'
! the gate shuts behind her. And no
-, the welkin rings-cheer on cheer
IT. cheer on cheer-for now the tort on
w all it contains will be savedl
,;c No longer any fear in that lone
~ fortress!-all is now hope, and amin
N. ton, and JOY. Soon again the 1ndi lie
~ renew hostilities; but the brave VT
lla garrison is prepared Tor them; aud
IN fast as they ventura forth against
~, 90 stout walls, so fast they fall back
be the arms Of death. The women 6
= ~ patches and run bullets; and the m
mi load and fire.
- = The sun COOS down: but not a 81
.ra Gle life Is lost within the fort, q
700 only one man slightly wounded.
ine And oil night long the Indians pro
IN about, and keep up an irregular
var upon the fort, but do no harm.
And at break Of day, after seige
the twenty.four houre- during viii