Page:Surprising savage girl (1).pdf/2

 THE SAVAGE GIRL. ———

O evening in the month of September, 1731, a girl nine or ten years old, being pressed, as it would seem, by thirst, entered about twilight into Songi, a village four or five leagues south of Chalons in Champagne, a province in France. She had nothing on her feet, her body was covered with a rags of skins, her hair with goured leaf, and her face and hands were as black as a negro's. She was armed with a short baton, thicker at one end than the other, very like a club. Those who first observed her, took to their heels, crying out, There is the devil! And, indeed, her dress and colour might well suggest this idea to the country people, and happiest were they who could soonest secure their doors and windows: But one of them, thinking that the devil was afraid of dogs, set loose upon her a bull dog with an iron collar. The little savage seeing him advance in a fury kept her ground without flinching, and grasping her little club with both hands stretched herself to one side, in order to give greater scope to her blow? perceiving the dog within her reach, she