The Express.
London, England, 1856-10-13 00:00:00

A HERO IN HUMBLE LIFE.

(By Ilugb ll'llocald.)

Our friend, Mr. 3l'Donald, furnished as with the
following biatory of a min" two or three days ago, but
we wets unable to crash it in. The object of Mr.
M'Donald's sketch is worthy of the warmest assistance
philanthropy can render.
Heroism is not contioed to the army and navy. It is to
be met with in every rank and condition of life. The phy-
sician who risks his existence in tending the victims of a
deadly epidemic is as brave, and possibly more so, than the
soldier who shares a charge, or who leads a forlorn hope.
Erma in the ordinaty walks of society—in tho beaten paths
of trade and commerce—we meet occasionally with mini-
. .

(citations of courage and of eneurance uncle; trial which
ere worthy of the bigheet honour, end are really entitled to
the appellation of heroism. But to our tile. About 25 or
30 years ago, when the writer of this was a boy, there lived
in the mitten part of the city a young man named James
Lambert. He was a cotton spinner by trade ; but what
rendered him remarkable then, and what calls for
oar special tso•ice at present, was his excellence
es • swimmer and diver. Among the thousands
who frequented the Sprierboerds, the " Dominie's
Hole," or the Peat Bog, "whet summer days
were fine," there was none who could rival Jamie
Lambert. In the water he was as much at home es a duck.
Over the surface he glided with a f•otley which was really
ettonishisg, while be could fathom the deepest pool, or mom
the ' larder water, from side to side with ease. Again
and again we have seen bim go down and remain so long
under the surface that we really held our breath in fear
lest he should never emerge. Far away, however, the in-
domitable Lambert was sure to mike his appearance. With
us boys he was naturally a great favourite. In south we
love the daring sad the heroic; end on Lambert, the peerless
swimmer, we looked with mingled awe and admiration.
Nor was it only for his superiority in swimming and
diving that James Lambert claimed oar respect ; moray a
life be saved from the Clyde. Whenever the cry got up
that some one wee drowning, there was Lambert ready to
plunge into the rescue. Many a sore struggle bas he bad
with death in the channel of our native river, whet the
grip of the dying wee upon him, yet eeleom did he fail in
his efforts. Often end often have we seen him go down to
grope in the deep brown water for the corpses
of thine who had perished, end many • cold and
pallid body has he beouget to the surface. One
day a poor old wernen, while washing on the Green,
had occasion to go to the Clyde for water, end while dipping
her stoop lost her balence, end was precipitated into the
. For a short time she floated, but at length she went
down. At this moment Lambert appeared on the spot.
He was shown about toe place where the old woman had
sunk, and, without a moment's hesitation, plunged in,
clothes end all, and at once auceeedi d in brieging her
saber,. The poor eld creature was quite insensible, but
after a short time she was restored to consciousness. Oa
coming again, as it were, icto eziatence, she exclaimed,
" Where', the man that saved my life ? Let me see the
man that took me not." Lambert, who was standing at
hand, said, " Here I am, auld wife, end I as glad to see
you coming round." The roor old creature was profilse in
her exclamations of gratitude, and called down soy amount
of ble.siage open her preserver. At length she cried, "Oh,
man, I'm a pule Auld body ; I've I:teething in the world,
amidst, but my 'ramble' boyne, bat I'll cell it before ye'fl
glow unrewarded." Lambert, who was then a working cot-
ton spinner, de clieed, of come, to de; live the cld women of
bet es boyne,"aed, slipping a small sum into her hand, told
her to purchase a little comfort far her exhausted body.
Wo give this simply as en instance of our hero's actioas.
To enumerate all his doings in that way, however, would
occupy too much of our specs and of the reader's
patience. Seifice it to say, thst spring, summer, and
autumn, James Lambert was ever ready to lend his
servlCti to those who were perishing; and we know that
on more then one occasion he even west under the ice,
with a rope tied rotted his body, to dreg out a drowning
fellow creature. The great event of his life, however,
occurred on the evening of the 14th December, 1931. On
that evening, about half rest sever, the ferry host which
then conveyed the mill-workers c f Messrs. Somerville and
Co. from the null to the north side of the river, opposite
the Humane S.cle ty H ruse, was overcrowded. No few
than 20 per ons, most :y females, were crammed into the
boat, when another party stepped on the guawh•le. The
consequence was that the boat was overturned, and its un-
fortunate mutants were plunged screaming into the cold
and turbid water. Lambert fortunately happened to be in
the boat at the time. At once be dregged two or three of
the females ashore. Awaits he plunged in end rescued ma.
other couple of the poor girls, sad landed them in safety;
and still again and again he pine ged into the icy water
on his mission cf mercy, until at lergth be was fairly
eahausted, and fell almost fainting on the bank. Oily three
of the 01s, namely, Jean and Martha Hart (two sisters) and
Anne Whitelaw, were drowned. Twenty-five individuals
were sutmerged on that dreary winter night, and pricci-
pally owing to the efforts of Lambert rnly three were loet.
Said we not truly that hr was a hero—ay, roe it the noblest
stamp ? And stan iy well is Le entitled to the respect and
gratitude of his tellue•ciuoene.
Some twenty-five vets have elapsed since that night, and
the memory cf ill he re hoe—unless, perhaps, in same few
minds—passed away. James Lambert is, however, still
alive. Hie residence is in Main-street, Bridgeton. In the
course of the intervening period he has unfortunately been
deprived of his sight, and what a mielortuDe that is to • poor
working man say one may conceive. lie ir, of course,
nable to do anything ter his own supper•, or for that of his
wife and children. He is, indeed, in a great measures
dependent on their effort* for a scanty livelihood. Under
these circumstance., we evilly think that James Lambert has
a decided claim upon the geeerosity of his fellow-townsmen.
He is now waxing old, and we think it will ►e a disgrace to
the city if mach a man is parenitted to go down the bill
amidst the evils of extreme poverty and want. There is no
lade of charity in felsegow, no detidlency in the appreciation
of genuine heroism, and we feel persuaded that hie cue
only requires to he km own to bring forth • hane some re-
cognition of his past service,.
In conclusion, we may mention a little aDecdo'e of Mr.
Lambert, which tends to show that the ancient spirit is not
dead in the swimmer of other day,. During one day last
summer, as is his wont, he was taking • walk toussd the
Green, under the guidance of a little daughter. eVnen he
was passing t►e "Dominie's Hole," a cry was raised that a
boy wasorowutng. Lambert heard the cry, and, blind as
he was, he became excited, commenced throwing off his
clothes, and, to the consternation of his guide, was preparing
to kap into the water with the iatention of eelpieg the
drovrniug boy. " Tel pie where he ill !" be exclaimed ;
" tell me where he iv, and I'll do my lust !" The screams
of the little girl attracted the attention of the passers-by, and
by main force they restrained him trout the rash purpose
which he contemplated. The boy wee drowned ; but if it
had pleased Providence to spare the sight of James Lam-
bert it would assuredly have been otherwise. Let us give
honour, titer, to whim Limiter is due, and extend a helping
hand to the poor man in his darkness, who, if be had Doan
blessed w th sight, would have cheerfully assisted any one
of us, if the water hat been gathering over us. M • have
recently been giving hocoar to those who have dared a
bloody death on the lieu] of war; let us cot forget those who
hey. shown equal h .7,cm a less conepicuoue, but not
Ins honoturable field.—Glasereer Bubetirs.