The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-07-19
[frOm the Wisconsin River Pllot.l
a Young HEROINE.
\ SyiseONsiH Girl saves The Lives
Of Her Little Sisters and
Brothers.

Thomas Velfe and wife, with family
of small children, settled in this county
something more than year ago, and, being
poor, they, after many hardships, erected
small dwelling and cleared few acres of
land, but they were in the wilderness ten
miles from neighbors. A few weeks ago
the father and mother left their family con-
sisting of a girl aged twelve years, one aged
nine years, and two other children, aged re-
spectively three years and thirteen months,
ON trip to the settlement to get a COW and
bring in some potatoes to plant. After the
parents had been gone few hours the
house took fire and the oldest girl immedi-
ately rushed to the roof with water, but
not being able to remove the shingles she
could do nothing to stay the flames, which
the roof, until bursting through they drove
her from her work. The heroic girl now
turned her attention to saving her
brothers and sisters. Coming to the door
next to her own age had got out of the
house bringing the baby with her, but the
little threc-years-old had crouched under a
shaving horse in the further corner of the
room. There being no chamber floor, the
fire was dropping from the burning roof
between the child and the door, and when
asked to come out it refused to do so, say
ing II am safe here; the fire don't drop
here" Our little heroine hesitated only a
moment but rushing through the falling
cmbers brought the little one to safe
place. both having their clothes somewhat
burnt. But now comes the hardest part of
the task before her. Scantily clothed and
with no food, she took the babe in her
arms, and with the other children started
upon the trail for the settlement. After
going few miles she encountered rapid
stream, swollen by the Spring rains, so
that in fording it the water came up to
her arm-pits. She first carried the babe
across, and then the little three-year old,
and lastly half led, half carried the older
sister through the water to the other bank.
Three times during the remainder of
the day she struggled across the swollen
streams in her way until night set in, the
deep forest surrounding her. Cold, wet
and hungry, she sought Il place to camp,
and by good fortune found an old camp,
left by the Indians, upon which about one
half of the roof still remained. Under
this she placed her little flock and then col
lected pine boughs and made a rude bed.
Placing the little one in the middle, the
heroic girl stripped off her dress and spread
ii over the children, then covered them
with boughs to keep them from the chilly
night air, and sat down beside them, to
watch through that long, cold night, COM
forting the little one when it cried, and
-pcaliug words of cheer to the older one
The long, drcary hours of night dragged
slowly by, and at the first peep of day She
resumed her toilsome march, and had near
~ reached the first settler when she met her
parents returning. An older and wiser
head might have found an easier way out
of the dilemma, but we feel certain that no
one could have acted drawer or have en-
duTed more than the little daughter of
Thomas Nelfc