Delaware State journal and statesman., 1869-06-01
Ida Lewis.

At the close OF a stormy March day Of this
year two soldiers were crossing from New,
port to Fort Adams IN a sail boat managed
by an inexperienced lad. When they. were
partly across blast suddenly struck the
craft; the boy was conlounded, the boat cap
sized, and for half an hour, clinging to me
keel, the hapless men and boy struggled
with the waves Then the hold OF the boy
relaxed, and he sank; but boat had put OIL
from the Lime Rock Light House, about
half a mile away, and before the men were
exhausted 1t had reached them, and they
were saved. The persons who saved them
were Ida Lewis and her brother Hosea,
children Of the keeper of the light.
Ten years ago In the same harb0r lour
young fellows. were upset in boat, and the
same girl hastened in her skiH TO rescue
them. A little later three drunken soldiers
stove hole in their boat not far from the
light. Two swan ashore, the third was
saved by Ida Lewis when nearly exhausted.
two years ago some men were driving a
sheep upon the wharf in Newport. The
animal plunged into the water, and three
men running along The shore in pursuit at
length found skitf aud put out into the
harbor. A heavy sou'wester was blowing,
and the skif was swamped. Once more Ida
Lewis pushed of for them, and bringing
them sale to shore, returned and landed the
sheep. In the next winter scape grace
stole sail boat from the wharf and made
off, But the gale drove it upon the little
Lime Rock, mile from the light; and the
thief clung TO the mast from midnight until
morning, when Ida Lewis saw him, and
rowing to his relief, found him, as she said,
'shaking and God blessing me, and praying
to be set on shore"
This is girl in her twenty-eighth year,
slender, blue eyed, with light brown hair,
frank and hearty, and likely 10 be more IA
nous next summer than any Newport belle.
| But the heroic story of which these are
the incidents suggests some very improving
reflections upon the sphere OF woman. No
one can read the report in the newspapers,
no one certainly read the brief telegraphic
notice upon the following morning, without
a thrill OF admiration and sympathy. But
are we to understand that such emotion was
natural and properP Are we TO believe that
it is feminine" for young women TO row
boats in stornP Is il ''womanly" 10 tug
and strain through tempest, and then pull
half drowned men into sklf?
Now, speaking soberly, no man will bt
such an-let us say donkey, as TO insist tha
il was unfeminine in Ida Lewis TO pull of
In her boat TO save men from drowning. l
was no more unfeminlne than to sing babI
to sleep. And II this be so, then it was per
fectly Womanly TO learn tne use Oh Oars-t
, acquire the means of doing so great a servic
| to her fellow creatures, service whicl
touches the heart and the imagination, and
: as in the instance OF Grace Darling, will be
( come u poetic tradition.
9 When we have come us far as this ther
a is certainly no need of asking whether sue
: actions fall within the sphere of woman, c
= whether they are competent 10 row boat
= Ida Lewis has shown that she can row
some purpose, can row indeed to such pul
pose that every generous heart applaud
: This seems to settle the whole vexatioi
# question about women. Indeed there
l. really no more question about women tbs
" about men. And unless the whole deba
It upon the subject of the rights of men, whit
= has shaken society now Tor so many yeai
i. and often to such tremendous results, is iC
Ie ly, that upon the rights of women can har
n ly be smiled away.-EAsY CHAIR, IN Hd
"a | q9aria Naodztne.