Smyrna times., 1869-05-12

OH OhC SNlc, EOTJ AulnS TWO miles OH on the
opposite point and Lime Rock midway between,
about 800 yards from the Shore This rock
commands the widest view Of the harbOr, and
upon 1t the keeper lived alone three years and
half Then a substantial, square, twO-story
brick house was built, and in June, 1857, his
family Joined him. Four months later stroke |
OF paralysis disabled him from all work,
and ever since, his eldest daughter Ida has |
been the mainstay of the family 1t was she |
who cared for her father, and lightencd her |
mothers toll, and watched over her younger
sister Harriet, and rowed her brothers Rudolph |
and Hosea to school, and eked out the light |
keeper slender pittance with her needle and
other feminine labors, and flew to the rescue
OF imperiled life with an instructive courage
that would not let her worst enemy sink with
out her rlsking her life to save him.
In personal appearance this Newport heroine
scarcely attalns the average height Of women,
Is remarkably SLENDER and would be thought
much nearer 20 than 81. Light brown hair,
blue eyes, keen but kind, and cheeks pink
flushed, though not round enough for beauty,
attract one to a woman whose quick smile and
frank and friendly manner more than excuse
the inevitable educational deficiencies which
such life must always entail No one can
talk with her without believing her as unself
! ish as she is fearless, and the fame her heroism
has created seems simply to amuse her, with
out exciting the least vanity. SO little had she
thought of her own deeds that when first asked,
she had to spend much time in consideration
before she could say exactly now many lives
she had saved
Her father is still sOciable and pleasant old
gentleman able to walk little, but spending
most Of the walking hours in his chair. Mrs
Lewis is free spoken and honorable matron,
devoted to her family, to her four story-papers,
Of which Bonner Ledger is one and to the
care OF the lamp whose flame has glistened across
the harbor from sunset to sunrise these many
years with as sure and unfailing ray as CLEANS
from any light OH the American coast Rud
olph is young sailor of %, now absent on a
voyage, and " Hosey'' (Hosea) is 20 and a
teamster in Newport. Hattie is only II, and
possesses a wealth OF personal attractions that
many fair Fifth avenue girl might envy
Both the sisters indulge in rings and ear-drops,
and other vanites dear to the feminine heart,
and when they have recourse to the treasures
Of their wardrobe, accumulated chiefly by Ida S
industry, they might easily be mistaken for
damsels of high degree.
The house In which they live is whitewashed
till it gistns like snow, and everything is
kept scrupulously clean. The rock itself is
jagged pile, less than an acre in extent, divid-
ed by channel, which is bare at low tide, and
so utterly barren that not blade of grass will
grow upon it. A mischievous black poodle,
two rabbits, three plump cats (who made an
end to all the rats and mice long ago. couple
of turkeys, and dozen common fowls give
quite Robinson CrusOe air to the place. The
tide rises here about seven feet, and the highest
point of rock is seventeen feet above that line.
On the landward side is long, high pier, cap
ped with fifteen massive blocks of stone, and
. here, swinging from the derricks or rocking on
the tide, may be seen the small, square-Sterned,
, wcll-wOrn government boat black without and
white and green within, in which Miss Levi,
has learned to row so well that even the Draw
e ny bOatman of the harbOr cOncede her superior
= skill, and with which most Of her rescues have
> been achieved.
A portrait of the American Grace Darling
and picture of one of her exploits, were pub
y lished two years ago in an illustrated paper
i and many compliments and requests for photo
y graphs ensued. More than one romantic
4 gentlman tried to persuade her to change he
- name for his, and found friend indie, d, bu
= no wife. Two brothers, seatarng men, from
e Lime Rock, Conn, have pressed their suit a
u Lime Rock with more success, and it is quit
> probable that both the sisters may be married
y before another spring
u 1t is worth nothing, perhaps that Miss Lew
= is is rightfuly entitled to the extraordinary an
e Unprecedented name of " Idawalley Zoradia,
y which she inherits from the quaint fancy of he
'e maternal grandfather an estimable but eccentri
i y Rock Island physician. This name however
- she has wisely discarded, and writes herse
II simply Ida.
le In France or England, such heroine woul
~ ~ have long since received many honorable an
u substantial testimonials, but scarcely any gift
e were made to Miss Lewis until the two soldiers
VI rescued on the 29th of March, insisted on hC
accepting gold watch and chain of Swiss maj
RS ufacture, valued at 800. j.. Prang, the BO
er ton chrome publisher, sent her last week
ee kind letter, and half dozen choice picture
or John Carter Brown, ESQ.,, of Providence, an
at each sent her a cheek for $25 and a Bosto
in gentleman transmitted to her last Friday Il
ed sum of 500. An active Newport citizen,
" long salt water experience, is rapidly raising
b. that city and Providence subscription of 81;
lis for the building of cedar life-bOat, to be fl
nd ished In the finest style, by one of the be
1t, Newport builders, and painted white with
nd gilt stripe 1t is almost certain that this W
rs be completed and presented to Miss Lew
n within few weeks Another energetic citzt
I'm meditates raising fund for her benefit, tn
he season, from the summer visitors at Newpor
ar and one or two private enterprises of mome
ng for her benefit are also in progress.
- sIo In the opinion of the best judges, no truer
~ -. more fearless heroine than Ida Lewis ev
=" " found a place in the annals of any humane SOC
bo ETY. on either side of the Atlantic, and mol
49, more unselhSh ever received hOnOrs from tho
"a whose position or wealth enables them to crov
ce meritorious acts with suitable rewards.-N'
~, York Tribune.
aea TURNING TIE TABLES the second tir
he recently the ladies of the "Sorosis" Club
tbe New York gave dinner, or, as it was styled
,;ef tea on Saturday, at Denonico g. to some fifty
on sixty gentleman more or less connected wi
nm the press. For four hours speeches were
me- livercd continuously by about a score of t
ne, laules; nohe VI the oeArueu guests oeln9 p'
last mitteu tne pleasure OF speechifylng some
on the speeches were quite piquant, while oth'
were Of the thoughtful and earnest order.
suit --~-~---
Ida Snrreant Robinson the soldier who say