The Washington herald., 1913-10-27
BY FRANCES SNAPPER.

In HayerhiII. Mass, and in other Sec
tions Of that and neighboring States,
monuments and tablets have been erect
ed to carry along a story, strange and
thrilling In its remarkable mixture OF
heroism and fiecceness. the stranger be-
cause 1t concerns woman.
AS the story goes something over 800
years ago peace seemingly brooded over
the little home OF Thomas Dustin in the
sparsely peopIed settlement now grown
into Haverhill. His wife. Hannah Dus-
tin, was quietly resting in bed, with an
infant just a few days old at her side,
while an older woman, acting as nurse,
was bustling about the house. Suddenly
a commotion was heard outside. and
Indians were seen trying TO force an
entrance through the front door.
There were seven other children be-
side the baby, and Mrs. DuStin hur-
riedly directed them to call their father
and run to the garrison a mile away
with all the speed they could. The Oldest,
girl OF fifteen. picked up her little
two-year-old brother. and the terrified
children ran out of the back door.
Mr.. Dustin. hearing the alarm and
seeing the fleeing children. started them
toward the stockade. but as some OF the
Isavages had observed the flight and were
giving chase. he rode between them and
his little brood until the children disap-
peared into the friendly garrison. And
then he returned. But meanwhile the
Indians had entered the house. snatched
the sleeping baby away from his mother
and cruelty killed him before her eyes,
though she desperately tried to save him.
After plundering and setting fire to the
house they forced Mrs. Dustin and the
nurse to follow them. II was q cold,
raw day in March, with the snow still
covering the ground. and Mrs. Dustin
was only partially dressed. but the
captives were driven along for days un-
til at last they were left in the custody
of another small party of Indians. There
| they found another captive, seven
teen-year-old boy. who had been carried
away some time before. Mrs. Dustin
managed to communicate with the boy
and learned that he was as eager to
escape as she. He seemed to be on
| friendly terms with one of the Indians
and she told him to ask how to strike
with a hatchet SO as to make sure OF
killing an enemy. The Indian readily
taught him how. and went bit further
than that, for he told him how to take
scalp.
Strange Part of 1t.
And now comes the strange part Of
the story, strange for a woman.
On the following morning, an hour
before the break of day, Mrs. Dustin
arose cautiously, and finding that the
Indians were still sleeping, stole about
| in the light from the smoldering en-
bers until she found three tomahawks,
when she aroused her two sleeping COM
panions. One OF the savages had, claimed
her as his own, and she herself welded
the hatchet that left him dead, with
out a groan to disturb the rest. Her
act encouraged the nurse-Mrs. Neff. her
name-and the boy, and they went on
with the work of slaughter. When all
was over and ten savages lay dead be-
| fore them, the three captives gathered
what food they could find in the wig
vans and then went down to the water
where the canoes were fastened. They
had selected one of the largest and had
| started on their way down the Merri-
mac River, when Mrs. Dustin suddenly
announced her determination Ito have
their scalps." And she did, for instead
of padding awey in fear and dread, as
most women would, she, with the others,
hurried back to the place where the dead
Indians were sleeping their last long
sleep, and took every scalp. And in ad-
dition to the scalp lock Of the one who
had claimed her. she carried away his
tomahawk and knife.
Then they followed the river, and after
many days Mrs. Dustin found her hus-
band and children. who had given her
up as dead. After a long rest, Mrs.
Dustin, her husband. Mrs. Neff, and the
hoy journeyed to Boston with the scalps,
gun and tomahawks, where Mr.. Dustin
petitioned the General Assembly for some
sort of recompense. It was awarded in
the form of SIS to Mrs. Dustin and half
that amount to each Of the other captives
for their herosm." so the records read.
Inspired Her Fierceness.
And now that the years have gone by.
with all the savagery and early fears
and tragedies dispelled, Haverhill has its
many memorials to Mrs. Dustin. The
site where the old house stood is called
Mount Dustin. and Is marked with a
great thirty-ton boulder. Surrounding II
stand a lot of old apple trees-perhaps
among the number the very one against
which the infant life was dashed out
when the baby was torn from its
mothers arms, for that was the method
of killing IL. And perhaps that bitter
recollection inspired the mothers fierce
ness.
There is Hannah Dustin High School,
a Dustin Street and society, and in
City Hall Square stands an imposing