The Republican journal., 1914-08-06
Betty Ann Prince, a Maid OF
Colonial Times.


snmmer and gray in winter-but always
Thought of as 'the green wilderness. =
To be sure. there were many evergreens
in the forest. but even they did not look
30 green after as before the frost.
About the Princes plantation-which
grew tobacco mostly-were the homes
Of other colonial planters. and all dealt
in neiphborly friendship and sympathy.
They all had common enemy-the saw
ACE Indian. Many wars had been ragged
hetN cen the red men and the early colo
nists, and even though peace treaties
had been made there remained in the
red mems hearts hatred for their white
brothers, and in the hearts of the civiliz-
ed men was fear of the savage whose
word in peace could never be fully relied
upon.
There were two children in the. Prince
household, Betty Ann and her younger
brother, Henry Wilke. Betty was IL
and Henry 10 years of age. They attend
ed school in little log cabin on the edge
of their fathers plantation, where all the
children of the neighborhood assembled
each morning during the school season,
which was mostly in warm weather.
During their recreation hours the chill
dren would play at fighting. Indians.
some of them representing the savage
red man. They as often carried away
the children who played at being the col
onists as did the colonists take them cap
tives or STAY them. 1t was a rude, saw
age way of playing, but they were living
in a rude, savage world, with little OF
civilization about them.
One morning when Betty Ann started
out for school she was alone. Henry
was i'll and confined to his bed. But
Betty had pleaded with her mother to al
low her to 20 to school as usual, though
alone.
"I'll call Jackson to follow behind you
all the way" said Mrs. Prince, stepping
to the back door Of the one great living
room and calling to negro servant, VINO
was chopping wood in the yard. Jack,
son came and followed behind Betty all
the way to the schoolhouse. On arriving
there Betty found only two pupils, who
told her they were waiting tor her and
Henry to explain to them that the teach
er had fallen from his horse on the pre-
yious evening and had been badly hurt.
and that there would be no school until
he had recovered from his injuries.
'And now there is just one more
scholar to come, and that is Sarah
Brady" said Betty AIMS informant,
Gertrude Smith. She and William Smith,
her brother, had been requested by the
teacher (who lived at their home) to re-
main at the schoolhouse till the last pu-
pil had arrived, and to tell each the news
of his injuries and the postponement OF
school till the following week.
81 do wish she'd come, put IN VIII
liam, restless little fellow, who was
anxious to get home where he might run
and play to his hearts content.
"Why, if you don't wish to remain
here till Susan comes, | will do 1t Tor
you" said Betty Ann. "Susan goes
right past my house, and We'll go away
together. Did you say that all the others
have been here and gone away again!
she asked of Gertrude.
Eyes, the Goodman children, the Hol.
combs, the Davises and the Clarks,
q said Gertrude "And you were so late.
But Susan is worse than you.
''She has farther to come, " explained
Betty Ann. But you and William 60
on your way homewards, and l shall
wait for Susan"
"Well, if you will be so good, agreed
Gertrude, also glad of having the chance
to go home at once.
After the Smith children had got out
of sight by turn in the thickly-wooded
roadway. Betty Ann began to feel bit
nervous. 1t was the first time in her
life she knew that she was the only lv-
ing human creature within long dis
lance of the schoolhouse. Gertrude and
William were putting extra acres be-
tween the schoolhouse and themselves
very rapidly, and after a few minutes
Betty Ann ceased to hear their shouts
and laughter.
Betty Ann was a brave little girl,
though, and sat down on the doorstep to
wait the approach of Susan. Had she
been quite sure that Susan would come
BY the big road which ran by her own
home, Betty Ann would have gone on
homewards, meeting Susan on the way
But it often happened that Susan S
father went to mill early OF mornings,
and the mlll-road ran about half mile
west of the schoolhouse, but in a thicket
which cut off all view of it. On such
occasi ms Susan would ride in her faith
er's wagon, and would get out at the
point nearest the schoolhouse and run
across fields to it.
After some minutes had passed Detty
got bit more nervous. 1t was all so
still in and about the cabin. She was
half inclined to hasten homeward, leav-
ing Susan to find out for her tardy self
that school had not "been taken up
that morning. But her promise to the
Smith children made her abandon the
idea.
A noise in the underbrush near to the
schoolhouse caused Betty to jump to her
feet in alarm. Then low vocal sound!
Betty Ann stood fixed as stone, terror in
her heart. Had some Indian stolen upon
her there? She listened intently. An
other vocal sound. as of some one in
pain. Betty began thinking very hard.
Suppose it was some one from the neigh
borhood? 1t could hardly be an Indian,
for an Indian would not make loud
noise for fear of being overheard by the
enemy Betty Ann decided to go and
see who was suffering in the thicket. So
she walked boldly round the corner of
the log shanty and peered into the I'M
derbrush which grew so thickly under
heavy spreading trees. AS her eyes fas-
tened upon a dark form lying on the
ground, she gave a startled cry and
would have run away with all speed had
not the form put out hand in suppli-
eating gesture to her. Then voice,
speaking very bad English, asked for as
sistance.
: 1t was great Indian lying on the
ground, an immense fellow, who. If
standing, must have measured over six
feet in height. His face was strong and
fierce. He was dressed in skins and