Neat story. Thanks for sharing. Sheri LeQuia 1227 Panorama Pt. Merced, CA 95340 lequia@elite.net -----Original Message----- From: Carolyn Flowers Tucker [mailto:carolynftucker@webtv.net] Sent: Friday, November 08, 2002 8:46 AM To: ARVANBUR-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [ARVANBUR] 1876-Arkansas Pioneer Women- Newspaper article Arkansas Pioneer Women- Newspaper article 1876 >From Fran Alverson on the AR Rootsweb list.... "For those of you who have ancestors who settled in Western Arkansas on the Indian Territory border, I thought the following story might be interesting as it occurred before statehood and gives us some insight into the lives of the pioneer women who lived "on the border" I hope you enjoy it": May 18, 1876 Van Buren Argus (News paper) Crawford County, Arkansas THE BORDER HEROINE Some years ago, before the State of Arkansas was so densely populated as now, and when the mails from Little Rock to the Western Borders were carried on horseback, there lived some miles above Horsehead a stout pioneer named Jacob BURNAP. His wife Polly and one child nine years old made up his family. His chief business was hunting, and his unerring rifle never failed to supply his board and something over. His nearest neighbor lived fifteen miles off, so he was little troubled with prying visitors. It was in the early spring that Jacob started down the river with a boat load of furs and skins. He left Polly in charge of the premises; and he left with her, too, a light rifle and a brace of pistols. She knew how to use the rifle, for never was she happier than when her husband patted her on the shoulder and said "Nobly done, Polly, my dear; I could not have made a better shot myself." And he had occasion to say this with truth too. Jacob BURNAP had been gone four days, when in the evening a horseman rode up to the hunter's door. He was a small, muscular man, some forty years of age, and seem inured to all hardships. As he sprang from his saddle, Polly made her appearance. "Ah, Polly, once more here, " the new comer said, as he pulled a well-fitted pair of saddle-bags from the back of his fatigued beast. "Yes, and I am glad to see you. Jacob has been gone four days, and time is getting heavy." "Jacob gone? Where?" "Down the river with a load of furs." "Oh, yes. Well, you shall have the company of Lant MORTON for one night, at least; so for the next twelve hours you'll be safe." "Oh, I feel safe enough," returned the woman- "only a little lonesome." Thus speaking, MORTON threw his saddle bags into the cabin and lead his horse around to the shed, where he made the animal fast, and fed him. After this he returned to the house and entered and was soon discussing the events of the time over an ample supper. His hostess told him all that had transpired in the neighborhood since his last visit; and the visitor gave her all the news of the eastern valley. Lant MORTON had been the mail carrier on that route for several years, and not once had he passed to and fro without spending a night at Jacob BURNAP's. In fact, he was about the only regular visitor at the hunter's cabin; and although the intervals between his visits were long, yet he seemed almost a fixture to the place. Polly BURNAP, just in the bloom of womanhood, knew his gentle, generous, noble character, so she felt perfectly free and at home in his presence. "It is not known on the route that your load is valuable?" asked Polly. "I think not- though it may be. Still I am well armed, and I fancy it would be a very tough job for any one to tackle old MORTON.: "A man was robbed on the creek some days ago." "And the robbers have fled," added MORTON, carelessly. MORTON went to bed at 9 o'clock, as he was tired from his long ride. Polly had work to do, having neglected it while talking to her guest; so after she had seen him safe at rest, she brought her basket to the little table, and began work upon some clothing for her child, who was soundly sleeping in a corner. The old German clock upon the wall had struck ten ere Polly rose from the table. She had just pushed the basket beneath the table when the front door opened, and two men entered. They were in their stockings, their shoes having been left on the outside. "Hush!" uttered the foremost intruder. "Speak but one word above a whisper, and you die in a moment." Polly recovered from her quick terror, and looked up. She saw two stout, ugly looking men, one of whom held a cocked pistol at her. With a quickness of perception natural to her, she knew the pistol would not be fired if she held her peace, as that would make more noise than she could make, and further, she recognized in the foremost a notorious villian that bore the name of Dick GALLUS. She had never seen him before, but the description her husband had given of the man led her to know him- and positively too, for one big scar on the left cheek was mark enough. "What do you want?" asked Polly, betraying the least fear. "We have come to see the mail carrier," one replied in a hoarse voice; "where is he? Don't speak too loud." "He is long since asleep. Would it not do as well to see him in the morning? We can find you and room and lodging." The fair hostess had said this for the purpose of gaining time. She knew very well that these men had come to rob the carrier, and was equally sure that they would murder him if they could, and would in all probability put her out of the way as well. They had evidently learned of the valuable load he carried, and meant to carry it in his stead. "Never mind his being asleep. Show us where he is at once," roughly answered GALLUS in answer to Polly's last remark. "But I can call him, good sirs," reasoned the woman calmly, though there was alarm in her soul. "Call him! Call! Growled the villain with a fierce oath. "You call him and you will be called to another world. Quick! Show us the way." The mild eye that could aim an unerring bullet at the forest beast did not even betray the thoughts of a woman's soul, nor did a look tell her meaning. She was very pale but did not tremble. "This way, sirs," she whispered. And as she spoke she turned toward a side door. She did not open it till both the men were close behind her. "Don't you hear him breathe?" "Yes," returned the villains. And they did hear a breathing, but it was of a child close at hand. As they thus answered her she threw the door open- it opened inward. The men saw a dark void, but they pressed forward. In an instant Polly Burnap leaped back. Gallus was in front. With all her power the noble woman threw herself against the rear man, and the next moment the robbers lay sprawling on the cellar bottom. This has been the door opening to the deep excavation, and the only means of egress was by a perpendicular ladder. Could this have been moved, Polly would have pulled it immediately, but it was spiked to its place, and she must let it remain. To close the door would be useless, for she had not ready means to fasten it. She did what she had resolved upon from the first- she sprang to the fireplace, and caught the trusty rifle, and cocking it, she moved toward the open door. She heard the curses of the villains as they reached the ladder, and she soon knew that one of them had found it. "Back!" she cried, as she saw a head above the threshold. The candle upon the table threw but a dim light upon the spot, but was sufficient. She saw the robber raise a pistol. She had a husband, a child, and had set herself to save the carrier. With these thoughts dashing through her mind she pulled the trigger. A sharp report went ringing through the house, and its echo was a deep groan from the cellar bottom. Ere the second robber could show himself MORTON came rushing into the room with a pistol in each hand. "What is it?" he cried. "There! There!" gasped Polly, pointing to the doorway, where a savage looking face had just presented itself. Lant MORTON had been too much used to danger to waste time in conjecture, and immediately shot the villain dead, who fell with a heavy sound upon the cellar floor. In the morning just as the carrier was dressed, there was a rap at the door, accompanied by a voice he knew full well. He hastened to open the door, and gave entrance to Jacob BURNAP. The hunter had met a party of traders at Lewisburg and disposed of all his skins to them, thus finishing his journey six days earlier than he had anticipated. Polly was soon upon her husband's bosom, and when he had told them his own story, MORTON gave him the adventure. Jacob was at first incredulous, but when he had seen the bodies he was satisfied. "Polly, my jewel", he said, placing his arm around her neck, I am proud of you. I love you more and more, for every day I find more to love. And then, turning to Morton, he added, "What do you think of such a wife?" "Ah!" returned the guest, with deep feeling, "if poor Lant MORTON had such a wife he wouldn't be a mail carrier." When MORTONleft he was directed to stop at the first settlement and state to the officers what had happened, and he promised to do so. He once more blessed the brave woman who had saved his life, and then set out. Late in the afternoon two officers arrived at the cabin and when they were shown the dead bodies, at once proceeded to remove them. And ere a week had passed the whole settlement blessed the border heroine for the work she had done. ============================== To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237