Noble Deeds of American Women: With Biographical Sketches of Some of the More Prominent
History
Noble Deeds of American Women: With Biographical Sketches of Some of the More Prominent
Women -- United States -- Biography
"Upon a little reflection, however, the Indian perceived that he had
made a foolish bargain. In a spirit of resentment he threatened to
assassinate Mrs. Howe; and declared that if he could not accomplish his
design, he would set fire to the fort. She was therefore carefully
secreted, and the fort watchfully guarded, until the violence of his
passion was over. When her alarm was ended, she found her situation as
happy in the family, as a state of servitude would permit. Her new
master and mistress were kind, liberal, and so indulgent as rarely to
refuse anything that she requested. In this manner they enabled her
frequently to befriend other English prisoners, who, from time to time,
were brought to St. Johns.
"Yet even in this humane family she met with new trials. Monsieur
Saccapee, and his son, an officer in the French army, became at the same
time passionately attached to her. This singular fact is a forcible
proof that her person, mind, and manners, were unusually agreeable. Nor
was her situation less perplexing than singular. The good will of the
whole family was indispensable to her comfort, if not to her safety; and
her purity she was determined to preserve at the hazard of her life. In
the house where both her lovers resided, conversed with her every day,
and, together with herself, were continually under the eye of her
mistress, the lovers a father and a son, herself a slave, and one of
them her master, it will be easily believed that she met with very
serious embarrassments in accomplishing her determination. In this
situation she made known her misfortunes to Colonel Peter Schuyler of
Albany, then a prisoner at St. Johns. As soon as he had learned her
situation he represented it to the Governor De Vaudreuil. The Governor
immediately ordered young Saccapee into the army; and enjoined on his
father a just and kind treatment of Mrs. Howe. His humanity did not stop
here. Being informed that one of her daughters was in danger of being
married to an Indian of St. Francis, he rescued her from this miserable
destiny, and placed her in a nunnery with her sister. Here they were
both educated as his adopted children.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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