Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-01-26
Grace Greenyyood.s Lecture.

AAAASs SoA0 k0loAhCJ IiPpihSOe's hAoAo
widely known as "Grace Greenwood"
She was introduced to the audience by
Mr.. Sidney w. Rowell, Chairman of the
Lecture Committee of the Young Mems
Christian Association, who announced
that the subject of the lecture would be
"Heroism in Common Life"
To say that the subject was treated in
learned, brilliant and scholarly manner
would convey faint impression of the
theme, delivery and manner of treatment,
and while it is one of the best, most fin
ished, interesting and Instructive lectures
of course, yet it is one of the most difficult
to report or convey any adtqnat' idea OF
by mere abstract.
She commenced by saying that in l72O
a ship arrived at Marseilles from India
freigh ted with pestileuce and disease, and
as the result thereof the plague broke out
in that city, and like deadly Dragon de-
voured and destroyed ali that came III its
way. From May t. November, sixty
thousand individuals persisted, which was
more than one half of the people of that
doomed city. While all Others fed there
there was one person, and be Of patrician
birth, devoted his time and attention to
the care of the sick and afflicted, and
with his ample means built hospitals,
bought and furnished medicines, and in
fact devoted his time, his talents, his
wealth and all he had to the sufferers.
To this heroism, what was the charge of
the Light Brigade ?
Another instance of this same noble
heroism was Florence Nightingale.
In the summer of 1856 the city of Nor
folk, Virginia, was blghted. 1t was
visited with an awful scourge-the yellow
fever. At first it was confined to the
purlieus of filth and vice, then to streets
of more responsibility, till finally the
whole city was in it's foul embrace. AS
the contagion spread the citizens COM
menced to fee and place themselves be-
yond the reach of the dread disease. But
to the general hegira there were honorable
exceptions, among whom were heroic
men and women, and a majority of the
clergy both Protestant and Catholic.
The physicians also remained and died
at the post of duty, and others came to
fill their places, both from the North and
South, heroes one and all. Not less
heroic was the black man and slave, one
"Bob," who could not claim any surname,
proved himself hero among heroes by
his devotion to the sick, dying and dead.
The people of Norfolk rewarded him, not
by giving him his freedom, but by gjoing
him a paper allOtojng him to come North
and solicit n1oneg aoiM arhich to purchase
himself
There were also others at Norfolk who
displayed the highest attributes of hero
ism, and these were the "Magdalens."
The lecturer gave beautiful, touching
and deserved tribute to the services, sacri-
fees and self-denying labors of this des-
pissed class, many of whom died in the
noble and heroic performance of duty.
"Inasmuoh rs ye did it unto" etc
As another instance of heroism she
mentioned the conduct of Capt Hern-
don at the time of the loss of the Central
Amorioa But far above and beyond this
was an incident that happened on one of
our Western lakes on the occasion of the
burning of a steamer. A mother had
saved herself and two children by cling
ing to settee which had been thrown
from the steamer. After floating for
hours, a man, nearly exhausted ap-
preached, and was about to save himself
by taking hold of the settee. The mother
spoke and implored him to desist and
save her children, be replied not, and
after a minute of doubt and reflection
threw up his hands and went to an I'M
known grave. Can heroism surpass this
The example of heroism given by Shelley
Of the man that gave plank to his enemy
to save him from drowning if not sur
passed, hasSbeen equalled in the case of
an Australian ship, which was wrecked,
and there were only boats enough to save
the crew; the crew took passage, and
there being room for one more they called
On the mate, but at the request of the
lady passengers, he refused to leave them,
and they all went down together. A
similar instance was ship bound for
India with regiment of soldiers, when
the time came for them to decide between
life and death, they chose to die like SOL
iiers, and in full ranks, firing a salute,
allowing the crew and passengers to es-
cape, they met death as soldiers should.
A similar example of heroism was dis.
played by the officers and crew of the
Oneida.
The difference between heroism and
hat which is sometimes mistaken for it |
vas illustrated by an anecdote or dialogue
between two soldiers,-one saying to the
'ther, lyon are afraid" to which he re-
,lied, "Yes, am afraid, but if you were
Is much so, you would flee at once"
She then proceeded to illustrate several
of heroism, among which were
hose of Sir Philip Sidney, giving lis glass
# cold water to dying soldier the
brakeman on a wrecked railroad train,
Who said Il am done for, attend to the
theirs who can live," etc. ; the black boy
n Mississippi steamer who, though
calded SO the flesh fell off, helped launch
boat. The classical story of Damon and
'ythias was more than equaled by Bret
Iarte's story of "Virgipia's Pardner"
here were greater heroes on every rail-
pad and steamboat, among the oonduc-
ors, engineers, fremen, brakemen, etc.,
han there were in the Roman Senate.
The lecturer then proceeded to refer to
he great number of heroes and heroines
nd the heroism displayed in common
fe everywhere, by fremen and among