New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-01-04

ThrtitmR 0eeme-MotermaI DEVOTION
emplihed.
The Fribourg (Switzerland) correspondent
of the London Standard, after describing the
| recent con6sgration in that city, relates the
following act Of bravery and self devotion on
the part Of woman: "Hitherto had looked
upon the scene, awful as it was, as being sim.
ply case of destruction of property, as had
been told that the people who lived in the
houses had succeeded in escaping. Suddenly,
however, from one of the front windows on the
third story heard a crash of glass, and look
ing up saw woman's face-such a face as
never care to see again. 1t was dreadful i'm it's
agony. Screaming to the crowd below, she
seemed to feel that she was too high for them
to hear her. and the flames, as she stood at the
window, came licking up the wall, as though
they felt she was already given up to them
What she said, or attempted to say no one
ever knew but the crowd gazing up from be
low saw her, and hOarse roar came from
them which seemed to reach her and to give
her encouragement. Wildly waving her arms,
she disappeared for moment, and then reap
peared at the window with little child in her
arms In England, fre-escape would have
been reared against the wall of the house. and
fireman would have brought down the woman
and child-not, perhaps without some diff
Guilty, but still without any great danger pro.
flames, which were darling out OF the windows
of the lower stories but in Switzerland no such
things as fre-escapes exist. There are willing
hands and brave hearts, and that is all. What,
then, can be done? Are the people to see the
woman and child roasted to death under
their very eyes But they are far below. and
the fiery flames are creeping up the outer walls
and windows, and already the woman has to
draw back her burden as the FIRE comes nearer
and nearer. Frem below all access is cut off.
The staircases are simply masses of red-hot
stone, where no one can live for a moment.
What can be done! Just then a tremendous
cheer burst from the crowd below, the reason
for which could not understand, and could
only continue to look with horrible dread upon
the sight, for / knew that unless help came
.-;ss,i.~ - s--- --s--ss- - wouiu come too tate.
But help did come-though, to me, from a
somewhat unexpected quarter. The house
where the woman and child were standing was
the last of those which had taken fire, End the
adjoining one had an iron balcony, from which
Q fireman, seeing the dreadful danger, and
cheered by the crowd, attempted to throw a
rope to the woman. But il was very difficult
for her to catch it. Four times he threw it.
and each time we saw it fall past the window,
though it was pitiful to see how eagerly she
tried to get hold of it. But the fifth time she
was successful, and tying the rope tightly round
the child's body she swung it out of the window
and it was slowly but safely drawn into the
adjoining house. Directly she had done this
tho woman disappeared from the window, but
almost Immediately returned with another child,
and by the same means she succeeded in saving
her second charge. But in saving the lives OF
these two children the brave woman had got
terribly burned. The flames had been creep
ing up nearer and nearer to her, and as she
stood at the window tying the children tom que
Of the fire would often leap mp and encircle her,
but she never hinched. Wrapping the child
she held in her arms tightly in a WOODEN cloak.
so as to prevent the flames touching it, she
would stand quietly bearing The fire until it had
| once more gone down, and then she quickly
proceeded with her work. But now it seemed
| too late to save the woman herself, for the FIRE
had reached the store of wood at the top of the
house. and the roof was in flames. Her hands
| and arms, too, were terribly scorched, and we
feared she would never be able to hold the rope.
But as the cord was thrown to her. the people
raised q tremendous cheer, as though to en-
courage her, and catching it at the first attempt
she managed to fasten it round her body, and
throwing herself out of the window, she was
| gradually lowered into the street, and carefully
taken to the hospital, where she at present lies r
Q dangerous condition. There have been many
GASES of devoted heroism in times past, but know
OF none more noble than this of simple servant
girl, who not only risked her own life, bu,
stood such dreadful torture in order to save
the lives of the children under her charge and
l gladly give her name. 1t is Anna Albitz o.
Birkendorf. The Swiss people are a warm
hearted race, and the devoted conduct of the
girl seems to be fully appreciated by them
The whole press has spoken loudly in praise o.
the heroism she has shown, and already a sub
scription has been opened for her benefit, as il
In feared her injuries are so severe that she will
never again be able, even if she RECEIVERS frou
them, to gain her own living"