Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1858-12-03
Death Of Madams Ida Pfeiffer.

We learn by the Vanderbilt, arrived yester-
day, that this lady, known all over .he world
as the great female traveller, recently died in
Vienna. She was perhaps the most wonderful
woman of the age, for she had travelled mare
than any of the celebrated men of the middle
ages, or, indeed, of the present, for she had
not only visited the continents Of Europe,
Africa aud Asia, but America and the Poly
nesia; she nad trayersed over 10000 miles
by water, and $4,000 by land In appearance
she was slight and rather under the middle
size; her complexion was somewhat darkcned
by exposure to weather aud the heat of the
climates in which she had travelled. She was
generally regarded as plain looking, but an
English gentleman who met her at Vienna, said
l cannot understand how an5 one, one who
has seen her while ccnversiDg, eau say So Her
smile is particularly sweet and captivatng.-
Her soul beams from Der eyes, and can COM
pare her smile to nothing less than the sunlight
darting from behind cloud. She is very I'M
assuming n her manners animated and easy
M her conversation. She spoke of her travels
Iii al unaffected style, and her thoughts few in
moment from one part of world to the oppo-
site, whenever she related u story and whished
TO draw contrast between different people,
She has been where no white man has ever dared
to ven nre-- amidst caun:bals in both henis-
pheres-and laid three of my fingers in
scar on the upper part of her left arm, inflicted
By cannibal of Pata gonia." Madame Pfeiffer
was born at Vienna in 1897. Iu early child
hood she displayed traits Of character which
fereshadowed the future 'ssttong minded wo-
man" An illustration of her fxity Of purpose
has some interest. When NaToleon was re-
siding II Shonbrunu, sitter his entry into Vi
emma, he was to hold a grand review of his
troops, at which all the inhabitants of Vienna
went, from desire to see the greatest genera,
of bis time. Ida, who was then eleven Years
old, had learned, from books and persons BY
whom she was surrounded, to look upon him MS
tyrant and an oppressor of her country, aud
she consequently entertained the most intense
hatred towards him. She had refused to 90
when asked by her mother but tie latter, not
wishing to be deprived of The pleasure, took
her daughter by force 10 the review. They eb-
tanned good station, from whence th6y could
see all that passed. At length the procession
began to move, and, as body of officers were
riding by Ida, in order that her eyes might not
be polluted with the sight of the man she so tho
roughly detested, turned her back towards them
The Emperor was not, however, amongst them
Her mother, annoyed at her obstinacy, took her
BY the shoulders and turned her back again,
but Ida, determined not TO look At him, reso-
lutely closed her eyes, and kept them shut till
the Emperor and all his retinue passed. Iu her
preface to her first work she tells us of the in
tense desire for travel she experienced during
her childhood, but which circumstances preyenf-
ed her from induging. In 1920. she married
DR.. Pfelffer, of Lemberg, BY this union she
had two sons, one of whom followed the musi-
cal profession, ard studied under the great Men-
delssohn, and the other became merchant
On the death of her husband, the desires of
her youth were renewed in all their vigor, aud
she thought that, having fulfilled her duty to
her family, in bringing them up and establish
ing them in life, she vas not acting contrary 10
her duty in following the bent of her incina-
tions. She knew that dangers, difficulties aud
even death might befall her; but should any of
these happen 10 her during her travels she
would thank God for the sweet hours she pass
ed in beholding the wonders Of His creation:
and She begs her readers not to inlpute to her
iu her travels desire for notoriety alone, nor
to jldge her by the common opinion that such
a llte Is not BETTING woman.
When she had, by several years of strict
economy, amassed sufficient sum, she set off
on her first pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the
Holy Land; 'for' said she, sI always felt tho
most intense longing 10 tread tho spo; render
ed SO holy by the footsteps Of our Redecincr
She returned safe, filled with delight at her sue
cess, and published her frst work, entitled
sThe Travels of Vienna lady TO the Holy
land, work of great interest, and bearing the
impress Of truthfulness in every line. Unsa-
ted in her thirst for travel, she rexi visited the
extreme north of Europe, Ireland, Norway,
Sweden and Denmark, the result Of her adven-