Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-09-17

UNwRITTEN HERoEs.-Amid all the hor
rors OF the recent railroad disaster near
Lemont-and we can scarcely recall any
catastrophe of a similar nature where the
details have been more terrlbie-it Is re-
treshing to read OF the noble humanity and
heroic effort to relieve suffering which were
characteristic of some OF the passengers on
the ill.tated train. 1t does not mitigate
the sutferings of the poor victims 1t Can
not restore the dead 20 life, or alleviate
the sorrow in so many households /; 1t does
not palliate the criminal foolhardlness and
recS lessness of the conductor of the freight
train, and yet one cannot read OF the no.
bic work OF these men and women, and of
the remarkable fact that, although the dis
aster occurred in neighborhood inhabited
by rough people, there Was not an unseem-
ly act committed, without feeling sense
of thankfulness, and having more abld-
ing faith in the nobility OF humanity. 1t
is no dscredlt to the great ma jorlty of
those who were witnesses Of this disaster
that they were SO paralyzed with horror
as to be utterly demorallzed, and that their
very first impulse Was to fly from the
dreadful scene, to turn their eyes from the
heart rending sight, and close their ears
to the walls and groans OF agony. Near
ly all the passengers had retired or were
retiring for the night. This sudden and
terrible change, this unexpected summons
to meet death at an instants notice In the
most terrible form, was sufficient to appall
the stoutest heart. The darkness OF the
night, the sudden crash, the rendlng of the
ponderous engines, the splitting and crush
ing OF cars piled together In promlscuous
RUN. the bursting OF the boiler and the es-
cape of the scalding steam into car filled
with human beings, some OF them unable
to extricate themselves, others hur ed man =
feet away, and still others to whom death
was moro mercliul and came Instantly,
make a picture of absolute terror which
must forever haunt the memories OF those
who have survived it.
Dark and fearful as this picture is, how
ever, 1t is relieved by the nobe conduct OF
a few who rose superior to 1t, and showed
themselves to be the masters OF the sltua
tion. To master such situation, and to
master ones self at such time, require
mental and physical qualifications OF the
highest order. Humanity and sympathy
are not the only elements necessary. They
only suggest that somethl ng must be done,
and, IN such a terrible emergency as this.
the person who does not feel these prompt
Jugs is little lower than the brute. Pro-
badly every person on the train who escap-
ed unhurt felt as If he must do something.
and yet it is evedent that but two out of
the large number were not wholly over
come and demoralized. Even the conduc.
tor himself, upon whom passen !ers place
reliance at such time, was OF no more
help than if be had been thousand miles
away. Two men, however. in addition to
their humanity and sympathy, had COOL
ness and presence of mind enough to rea-
lize the extent of the disaster, to see the
extent of the disaster, to see the necessity
OF doing something Immediately, and to
determine what must be done. There were
others who may also have been equal
thus far to the emergency; but there is
still another quality, of physical charac-
ter, which is absolutel y necessary to the
achievement OF any result in such cases,
and that is nerve. There are few, very
few, people who can look upon such terri
BILE slaug hter and such agonies of suffering
without quailing and being paraly yzed, how
ever humane and sympa and anxious
to do something they may be. These two
men, MIR. B. r. Hawley of Normal, and
the Texan, Magee, had all these qualities,
and when others stood terrified, or fed de-
moraized, or waited for some one to take
the lead. they bent all their energies to
the rescue, directed others, and worked
like heroes themselves until all the victims
in the smoking-car we're taken out from
their prison-house of torture and tenderly
cared tor until hel p arrived from Lemont
and Chicago. Such men as these never
want reward, for their reward consists in
the consciousness that they have done a
mans duty, in manly way, but to this
will be added the fervent gratitude of those
who survive, and the fearful blessings of
the frlen0S OF the 0eaQ.
There were other instances of heroism
on this sad occasion. The tender care,
the sympathetic heart, the loving hands
of woman aided these men and the others
who were ready to do when the Way was
shown them. Such occasions as these de-
monstrate that all women are not dolls or
falnt-hearts but, on the other hand, that
there are those who have nerve enough
for any situation-an almost superhuman
strength with which to work, and an intui.
tive knowledge how best to administer
those offices of consolation and mercy which
belong only to a women's tender hands
The interviews of our reporters have dis
covered the name of one of these ladies',
Mrs. Robert McCart of Bloomington, q
little lady who worked like an angel" Mr..
Burgess, the sleeping-car conductor, says /:
" This little lady found her mission-some-
how it is almost always the little women
who have the great hearts and strong
nerves-and she performed it like heroine
and the angels of mercy above must have
recogn zed one of their number in this an
gel OF mercy below" The deeds of these
men and women belong to the unwritten
history of heroes, and yet there must come
day when much that appears great must
be pronounced small, and on that day
these will be recognized and receive their
reward. The record of the deeds Of hero
ism on that night would be incomplete
without n refarencs tn thu ciear GRIT Of M r