The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1902-01-17
JESSIE,S ESCAPE.
BIT TfnnIR.

ships and dsngers incident to JOUR
ney OF several hundred miles through
Iuubrofen forests across numberles'
streams to settle In . eouutry inhsb
lied by Wild beasts and wilder In
disns. After reaching their destins
ton which was . point on the Ten
uessee river lev miles from wher'
Fort Donaldson nov stands the com
|pany sepsrsted. each to hsw bonn.
out OF the virgin forest. MeDougslt
and his vile and twelve year ole
daughter. lease. went . few miles uF
the river where they built log cabin
Of one room, and for greater pretec.
ton, In case Of q possible Indian at.
tack. made no window In the house
Although there had been a few In
dlsns seen around In the neighbor-
hood. yet they had never appro Iched
very near the house aud Ia the course
Of a few weeks. the feeling Of uDeasi.
meas wore away aud gave place tc
ianeied security.
After they had been living at this
place some four or Eve months, an
occasion arose that made Il necessary
for MeDougald to 20 on . journey
that would keep him over night. On
leaving home he cautioned his wife
aud daughter to see that the door was
securely fastened and they In The
house BY night fall, a. there might
possibly be some prowlInE Indians
In the vicinity. for there had been ar
rndiss trader In the neighoorhoot 9
day or two before Who had left whisky
with the Indians IA exchange for thsir
skins.
Alter MeDougsid's departure feel
Ing OF loneliness settled like q psll
over the heart Of the mother. and al
though she tried to Danish her fore
bedlDgs BY. attending to her house
hold duties. she could not avoid CIV
Ing an uneasy sisnee at the dark for.
5inding forest that came almost %
the door.
About S o'clock In the evening Jes-
sic went to the spring some two hun.
dred yards FROM the house for wstei
a. was her usual custom. Her moth.
er heard her singing 80 she went
do~n the path and then noticed that
the song Suddenly stopped. In few
moments she heard q Wild scream
aud sprinsing to the door was just In
time to see her child held on horse
behind an .iBdisns dissppesriagin the
woods. To snatch down her hus.
band rife vas The. work OF q second
and the ,frsntic mother was soon ia
pursuit. Of her Child
The Iudian Who captured Jessie al
the spring had gotten more than BIZ
share OF the traders ere water and
was already half drunk. His hofss
had been going slldsy and nov an
der the double iosd refusedHto quick
en- his pace. After Jessie had reeov
cred somewhat frou1 her 6rst fright,
she began TO use her wits and plar
some mode Of escape. The Indian
had neglected to tie her hands end
was holding her clothing. As the,
penetrateds further, intos the woods
Jessie's heart sank within her % they
came upon q party Of eve or more To
dams, ell more or ,less eundes the 10
fiueuce Of the ERE wsters On reach
log the Others. the Indian who lhst
Jessie behind him. released his holt
on heriu order to take the bottle Of
fered him by one-of the braves.
The sun bad gone down aud II wal
so dark IN the woods one acould no
see ten yards away
Jessie had noticed as they passed
small clearing large tree with al
opening near the ground. She Eel
sure n she could once escape withou
being killed bya tomyhswk or knif
Ia the hands OF the drunken Indians
she could find the tree aud hide in
until morning When the Indian re
leased his grssp to take the FIRE waite
she slipped off the horse and wa
gone like fash before they reslize
what had happened and the brav
girl was lost In the gloom Of the ioI
ct The Indians scattered In ever
dir elton whooping. and yelling q
first, but Ia a few minutes quiete
down and apparently gave up tn
search
| Jessie slipped from tree to tree stoT
ping to listen every little while an
then making her way cautiously OF
ward as best she could 10 the dire
ton Of the clearing. AS the mig b
advanced the wild animals began
move and once or twice somethin
crossed her path or would stop an
stare at her a moment and then slim
away 10 the darkness.
Finally, after she had been waude
Ing around for an hour or more. 81
heard the heavy tread OF something
following her. and her heart gave or
heavy bound and almost stood still
She stopped. almost afraid to NOV
either way. and tnseling down In th
midst Of the unbroken forest, she asi
ed the Good Father to protect he
from the wild beasts and Indians an
take her safely home. She had bee
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