Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-02-14

I backs upon the city of the Mormon saints.
Their hardships on the way were beyond
description; and before reaching the
States, the two sisters and mother per-
ished. But Louisa was spared and trav-
eled on. She reached Iowa, but with the
fear of Mormon persecution, she stopped
not there. And-on and on. she came,
passing through Cleveland, and finally
reaching Middlesex, Mercer Co., Pa
There she halted, not I'M house, but IN
an old barn Here she was unfortunate
in her company; Sc fell in with couple
of horse thieves. These took advantage
of her poverty and violated her person.
They got her out of the community, stole
Mr.. Ediburn's horse, put her thereon,
and started her. 1t was the day after
that she passed through Mt. jackson.
She states that after leaving the horse
and fleeing to the woods, she took refuge
by the side of log. 1t showed in the
afternoon; the night was cold, but having
rode nearly all the night before she was
weary and slept soandly. Next morning
when she awoke her feet were frozen.
stiff and hard. She attempted to walk,
but her f0t ras she expressed it, went
"clump, clump, clump on the ground
ike blocks of wood. /" she found it inn
possible to walk, and so lay down. again
/ BY the friendly log. Another day and
night passed. By that time she deter
mined on a remove In field near by
/ she saw the stacks. Thence she resolved
70 co. But her feet still refused to do
their duty. On her hands and knees the
| Journey must be made. Thus it was
done, at the expense of wearing the skin
off her knees, and much pain. On the
way she obtained a little water. This
was her last swallow Of water until she
was carried to Mr.. Davidson's
| 1t was the 18th of Dec. that she passed
through Mt jackson as previously noted.
| On the 4th of JAM, 1866 she was found
by the stacks. Two days she had been
by the log, and for twenty-one days she
had been by the stacks, hungry, thirst
ing, suffering, moaning, repenting, pray
ing and longing for death For twenty
one days, she says. not drop OF water
passed her lips. For twenty three days
she ate not morsel of food. She speaks,
however, of at one time during her pro-
tracted fast, finding q little mint in the
hay, which she ehewed and swallowed.
l. Let me give one more leaf from her
history, which a number of as witnessed.
On Friday last, JAN 18th, the Doctors
after consultation, determined that both
4 her feet would have to be taken off,
Modification had ensued. She must die
if they remained on. She was asked by
one of the doctors s'whether she would
rather have both her feet taken off at
once, or one, then and the other after a
few days" Her reply way, 'wellif they
must be taken of, let them both come
off now, and if live live, and if / die
l die, and go to Jesus" rf.r
Five physicians were present, and
whilst they were on one hand preparing
| instruments for the operation, and on the
other bench on which. to lay her, she
without the least tremor, and in a firm
tone of voice, sung throughout that ad-
mirsble hymn of Cowper's:
There is fountain filed with blood
! Drawn from Immanuel's veins; ss-... a-e
And sinners plunged beneath that food
Lose all their guilty stains" --il
/ When they lifted her from her cot to
the bench, the right foot fell off at the
ancle; a black, rotten and putrid mass
/ The operation was scarcely through till
/ the effects of the ether had passed off
( and her voice was again heard in the Joy
GUS notes of song. She sung then,
We'll stand the storm, it wont be long.
| Wen anchor bye and bye"
/ Now Louisa is poor footless girl; but
Eshe has established a reputation for pa
tient endurance in suffering and for nerve
that will be lasting in many minds. For
few days after the operation she was
quite sunken. 1t seemed after all she
must die. But we saw her yesterday
again and she had revived. But live or
die, she is certainly striking and con-
Vincing proof of the saying that ''truth is
stranger than fiction -