Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-02-02
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Real Heroine.
IOriginaI.I

have occurred-that is, woman who
has shown herself heroic has lived to an
old age in the enjoyment of her honors.
During the American Revolution
small palisade fort erected on the site
of the present city of Wheeling was
the center of a small settlement. The
dwelling of Colonel Ebenezer Lane stood
about 200 feet from the palisade and in
it were kept. many of the supplies of
the fort. One morning-it was Sept. l,
1IIT-a man rode up to the place. threw
himself from his horse and excitedly
announced that one Simon Girty, with Il
large number of savages. was advanc-
ing to its capture. This man Girty was
descended from the lowest order of
people. his father having been an out
law and his mother n disgrace to her
sex. Simon had inherited the worst
proclivities of both. Captured by the
Indians when II boy. he had become
one of them, and their savage prac-
tees were as natural to him as if he
had been born an Indian. Such was
the man who was advancing at the
head of several hundred red men to
murder the men, women and children
within the palisade. The place was
made ready for defense, and Colonel
Lanes house, occupying a favorable
position for resistance, was made a
part of the Enclosure to be defended.
There were but a dozen men to protect
the women and children who were hud-
died together in the paliSade, expecting
the worst possible fate.
The party came up, and Girty de-
manded the surrender of the fort.
which was of course refused. Then
commenced a fire from besieged and
besiegers which was kept up till night,
when it ceased. At midnight the negro
cook Sam. seeing a flicker of light
through d crevice in the palsade,
looked for the cause and saw an Indian
outside attempting to fire the palisade.
Sam shot the man dead and averted
the danger.
The next morning the attack was re-
newed with hollow log bound with
chains for cannon, but the log burst
at the first discharge and killed several
of the besiegers. Enraged at the fail
ure, Girty attempted to carry the fort
by storm. but the rifles within were
true. and he lost many men without
accomplishing his object.
1t was now discovered that the sup
ply OF powder in the fort was about
exhausted. There was Il keg in the
Lane house. but to procure it some one
must go nearly 200 feet and return
with it exposed to the fire of the In
dams. The commander called for 4
volunteer to make the attempt, an at
tempt that would almost surely result
in death. Every man in the fort volun-
teered.
Among the women was a delicate
girl. Elizabeth Lane-She was nick
named Patty-who had recently re-
turned from school in Philadelphia.
From the refining influences of a school
in what was then the first city in the
land she had been transported to Il
wilderness and now was confronted
with savage warfare There is but one
position in which we can imagine such
girl under such circumstances. and
that is pale and trembling, eagerly
scrutiniZing the expressions of those
defending her to learn if there is any
hope. Patty Lane was the very coun-
terpart of this. She stepped forward
as a volunteer, a volunteer to run 4
gauntlet of bullets that would bring al
most certain death. Not only did she
volunteer. but pleaded to be allowed to
go. arguing that the men were all
needed for the defense of the lives of
the women and children; that not q
mans life should be risked in this way,
| but the life of a woman, who was not
| fit for harder service. If she were
killed, she would not be missed.
1t was not only the offer that was
surprising. but the Spartan arguments
by which it was supported. The men
all knew that they were true. Reluc-
family the commander gave his con-
sent. Patty, kneeling for n moment in
prayer, arose and, sallying forth. with
the fieetness of Il fawn cleared the
space between the fort and the house
before the sa~ages noticed her or HAD
recovered from their surprise. Not a
shot was fired at her. Placing the pow
der in a tablecloth and tying it about
her waist, she started on her return
| trip.
This return was a very different mat
ter from the going. The savages haG
been warned and were on the alert.
Besides, the bundle she carried was
sure evidence that she was transport
Ing SOLue dFlCle cunlTdOdhu VI "dr-
Patty ran as rapidly as she could im-
peded by her burden. Scarcely had
she started when bullet sang by her,
| then another and another. 1t was
like shooting bird ON the wing. The
few seconds during which she was ex-
posed to fire were terribly long to those
who were watching her from the fort.
There was every chance that she would
not make the goal. Half. three-quar-
tiers, seven-eighths of the distance was
covered, yet she ran. Was she struck
and ready to fail the moment she ar
rived, or was she still unscathed:
There was no time to answer, for with
the fieetness of n bird she covered the
In Illnl her.