The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-09-20
The Heroine
BY LARRY ALLAN
q. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
WNU Service.


living cross-sectlons of the human
countryside, all intent on getting as
close to the shrouded, monument az
the crowd of earlier arrivals In the
public square would permit
ALI Hartwell. all Hart county, all
that section of Georgia, were there
on that day to take part In the cele-
bratlon incident to the unwilling of
a beautiful monument to Nancy Hart,
Georgia's Joan of Arc. the brave
American woman who had killed her
share of Redcoats In the Revolution
and had inspired her men folks to go
and do likewise.
The little town OF Hartwell and
Hart county had been named after
her. there was Hart street; and
POW monument erected to her ever
lasting memory with funds voted by
congress was to be unveiled with all
the pomp and ceremony BETTING such
an occasion.
The governor made long and
well-gestured speech extollIng Nancy
Hart and her brave deeds. The lady
representing the Daughters of the
American Revolution read the paper
OH Revolutionary Heroiness she had
so carefully prepared. Several patri-
otto. songs were sung. Mrs. Juanita
Floyd. Observation-Disclosures OF
Nancy Hart, sat among the guests OF
honor on the platform facing the
shrouded monument, nervously await
Ing the moment when she would jerk
the rope to loosen the canvas covering
and let the monument stand out In all
ita beauty.
The governors speech extolled
Nancy Harris heroism In rssoundInG
words and grandiose phrases In typ
ical patriotic display Of verbal pyro-
technics. but sitting next to me was
I tobacco-chewIng Cracker who told
me In words Of one syllable the story
of Mistress Nancy's heroic gesture.
Nancy was born In North Carolina
some twenty years or more before tho
outbreak OF the Revolution, and even
tually married 4 husky young noun
taIneer named Benjamin Hart. Some
time before the Boston Tea Party
they felt that that section OF North
Carolina was getting over-populated
and migrated to the wilder mountain
regions Of Georgia.
When the Colonies rose In revolt
Georgia called on her sons Among
the first to respond was Benjamin
Hart.
One rainy. muddy day when the |
small handful OF patriots left behind
to protect homes and families were
out on 4 scouting expedition. and
Nancy and her small daughter were
industriously preparing tho days food
| for the men. Ave kedcoats suddenly
rode up and surrounded the home.
quick search BY them revealed
that there were no male rebels on the
premises, but instead OF going on their
way the Redcoats. smelling the fra
GRANGE Of Nancy's cooking, demanded
that she serve them. Now Nancy was
just poor lone woman In tho wilder
ness, but al OF those pioneer women
were spunky. She hated RedcoAts
and, being an extremely fnlcky house
keeper, she was n mad n 1 hornet
at the Redcoats for tracking up her
kitchen with their muddy boots.
And so Nancy laid the table and
busted herself about the fireplace
without 4 word OF protest. 1t was
while she was going to the bin for
more cornmeal the thought suddenly
came to her that the patriots might
return while the Rcdcoats were there.
Not realizing their danger. they were
quite likely to walk right into trouble.
With that thought nppermost In her
mind she gnzed around seeking somo
method OF escape. and 1t was then
that she noticed that tho Redcoats,
their vigilance lessened. had stacked
their gums In corner of the cabin.
without exciting their suspicion
Nancy walked toward = table near
that corner of the room and reached
down a. II for the Jug Of molasses
she kept there. Suddenly she whirled,
seized the nearest rife and fred
| point-blank at the unfortunate Red
coat who had just gotten up from tho
bed The four others jumped to their
feet, but oven ~ they did 70 Nancy
had seized a second gun and stood
| aiming 1t ut them.
Il killed onel~ she cried fercely.
@and ii you make = move I'll kill
you!"
Then she sent little Nancy scurry-
Ing out to give the alarm. 1t no hap
pened that the little group Of scouts
had heard the gunshot and had
turned toward the cabin.
The four King Georges men. each
fearful that he would be sent to his
death II he made 4 move, stood there
| helpless until Benjamin and the Con-
! tinentals arrived on tho scene.
And there's the story Just as II
really happened" the old Cracker ex-
| planned.
Just then the lady pulled the cord,
the canvas parted, and amid the ap-
plause of the gathered Georgians the
monument to Nancy Hart was re-