The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-03
BIGGEST AND BRAVEST
WOMAN In TEXAS.


but an Indian threw his body against the
door before she could close It. Selling a
smoothing iron that happened to he Win
in reach she brought 1t down upon tine
red fiend's skull, crushing 1t TO Jehy.
He fell dead. The other warrior sprang
over his comrades body, aiming a blow az
Rachelt with his tomahawk that would
have proved fatal II he had not fallen
headlong on the floor. Mr.. Holman nao
partially recovered. and he had cauRnt
the Indian by the ankle as he attempted
10 lump into the room. Before the waco
could rise the brave girl sprang on ms
back and wrenched the tomahawk from
his hand To her surprise the cowaroiy
wretch began to beg piteously for his me-
speaking good English.
single blow ended the battle and Ra-
chel hurried to the assistance OF ner
father She expected to see more Indians
ON the trail, but there were none IN
sight. Rachel carried her father into
thicket, where they spent the night. the
Indians did not return, nor did they ever
learn the fate of the white man who was
irving SO hard to escape from the REQ
devils.
During the early years Of her life Ra-
chel frequently rode with the settlers OF
the frontier In pursuit OF marauolns
bands of Indians, and she participated IN
several desperate battles, fighting by the
side of such famous characters as JACK
Hayes, Big-foot wallace. ana ola rom.
CaIdwelI nv ali of whom she was highly
respected and regarded as cool anu cur
ageous under fire.
Rachel Holman deserves medal TOT
the share she took in rescuing Miss Lar'-
more from captivity amongst the Tipans'
The Young woman had lived in the same
settlement, and they were warmly at
tsched 10 cath other. When Miss Lari-
more was carried off by the Indians. Ra-
chel declared that she would rescue ner
friend or lose her life in making the er-
fort. Disguised as an Indian squaw she
boldly rode through Tipan village anu
located the tepee in which the capSiVe
girl lived with an old prophecies.
At night when the Rangers stormed the
camp the fearless girl led half dozen
Texans straight to the tepee of the OLD
witch. Miss Larimore had penetrated
the disguise of her friend on the previ-
Gus day and suspecting that friends were
near she was prepared to act with
promptness. Recognizing the voice OF
Rachel the captive ran out of the tepee
into the arms of a young man, to whom
she was engaged to marry. He threw
her into his saddle, and, springing UP
behind her, they galloped away unharm-
ed, though arrows and bullets fell about
them like hail.
Miss Holman has often displayed her
masterful strength in spirit OF humor,
to the infinite amusement of her friends.
Some years ago she suddenly came upon
two neighbors who were pounding each
other with their fists, and she command
ed them to desist. They both were pow
erful men, and 1t was evident that IL
the battle continued one or perhaps both
would be seriously, If not fatally. in
jured. Finding that the enraged COM
batants paid no attention to her, the
giantess dismounted, and. Selling the
men by their collars, she knocked their
heads together and threw them apart.
Foaming with rage they again rushed
together. The battlefield happened to be
on the bank of the BRACES. The peace
makers patience was strained and with
out sounding the depth of the stream or
making any inquiries as to the accom-
plishments Of the warriors In water she
again took hold Of them, while they were
locked in deadly embrace, and threw
them headforemost into the river They
disappeared so quick, and were gone so
long, that the strong woman began to
fear that she had drowned them both.
They finally popped up. squirting water
from their lungs and shaking their fists
at each other. Miss Holman promptly
pushed them both back into the deep
river when they attempted to scramble
ashore. and she kept them there until
they were humble supplicants chock-
full of muddy water and brotherly love.
She once threw open a door and looked
in upon a notorious desperate and killer
who was engaged in whipping his wife.
Rachel tore the whip from the brutes
hands, and. after throwing him out into
the streets, she whipped him through
town to the door of a magistrates Of
flee. where she lodged a complaint
against him. never saw a man who
was stronger than am0 nor did ever
see one / was afraid Of" she says.