The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-01-12
A TERRIBLE SCENE.
Bravery and selfDevotfOn. of Woman.

bravery ana SelI -DeFOLlOn OF D " oman.
The Fribourg, Switzerland, cor
respondent of the London STANDARD,
after describing the confagrationi in
that city, relates the following act
Of bravery and seIf-devotion on the
part of woman "Hitherto I had
looked upon the scene. awful as it
was, as being simply a case Of de-
struction of properly as had been
told that the people who lived in
the houses had succeeded in escap-
ing. Suddenly, however, from one
of the front windows on the third
story l herad crash of glass, and
looking up saw woman's face
such a face as never care to
see again. It was dreadful in its
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
below saw her, and hoarse roar
came from them which seemed to
reach her and give her encourage
ment. Widely waving her arms,
she disappeared for moment, and
then re-aPpeared at the window
with little child in her. arms. In
England a free-escape would have
been reared against the wall of the
house and q fireman would have
brought down the woman and child
mot, perhaps, without some Diff
Guilty, but still without any great
danger, provided he could have
kept out of the way of the flames,
which were darting out of the win
dows of lower stories; but In Swift
erland no such things as fire-escapes
exist. There are willing hands and
brave hearts, and that is all. What,
then, can be done? Are the people
10 see the woman and child roasted
to death under their eyes? But
they are far below, and the frey
flames are creeping up the onter
walls and windows, and already
the woman has to draw back her
burden as the fire comes nearer and
nearer. fl5F
'.From below all access is cut of.
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 I could only con-
tinue 10 look with horrible dread
upon the sight, for I knew that I'M
less help came within a few min
! utes il would come too late. But
help did come-though to me from
q somewhat unexpected quarter.
The house where the woman and
child were standing was the last OF
the se which had taken fire, and the
adjoining one had an iron balcony,
| from which the fireman, seeing the
dreadful danger, and cheered by
the crowd, attempted to throw q
rope to the woman. But it was
very difficult for her to catch It
Four times he threw it,and each time
/ he saw it fall past the window,
though ii was pitifuf to see how ca.
| gerly she tried to get hold Of It
But the fifth time she was success.
full, and tying the rope tightly
around the chilfs body she swung
it out of the window, and it was
slowly but safely drawn into the
adjoining house. Directly affer she
had done this the woman disappear.
ed from the window, but almost
i Immediately returned with another
| chiid, and thea by the same means