The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-09-11
A Young Heroine.

Thomas Neltc and wife, with family
of small children settled in this county
something more than Il year ago, and,
being poor they after many hardshlps
erected Il small dwelling and cleared a few
acres OF land but they were in the wilder
ness ten miles from neighbors. \ few
weeks ago the father and mother left their
family, consisting OF a girl aged twelve
wears one AGED nine wears. and two other
children aged respectively three years and
thirteen months, on a trip to the settle
ment to Get COW and bring in some po
tatoes to plant After the parents had
been gone II few hours the house took fire
and the oldest girl Immediately rushed to
the roof with water, but not being able to
remove the shingles she could do nothing
TO STAY the flames. which gained rapidly,
spreading on the inside of the roof, until
bursting through they drove her from her
work The heroic girl now turned her
attention to saving her brothers and Sis
ters Coming to the door of the building,
she found that the child next to her own
age had got out OF the house, bringing the
badly with her, but the little three-year-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 SC, saying, 81 am safe here;
the fire don't drop here" Our little heroine
hesitated only a moment but rushing
through the falling embers brought the
little one to 4 safe place, both having their
clothes somewhat burnt. Bat now comes
the hardest part Of the task before her.
Scantilv clothed and with no food she
took the baby in her arms and with the
other children started upon the trail for
the settlement. After going a few miles
She encountered 4 rapid stream, swollen
by the spring rains, SO that in tordlng it
the water came up to her arm-pts. She
first carried the babe across, and then the
little three-year-old, and lastly half led
and halt carried her other sister through
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 surround
inc her Cold. wet and hungry, she
sought place To camp, and by good for
tune 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 collected pine boughs
and made rude bed Placing the little
one in the middle, the heroine striped off
her dress and spread it over the children,
then covered them with boughs to keep
them ftom the chilly night air, and sat
down beside them to watch through that
long, cold night, comforting the little one
when it cried, and speaking words of
cheer to the older one The long dreary
hours OF night dragged slowly by, and at
the first peep of day she resumed her toll |
some march, and had nearly reached the |
first settler when she met her parents re-
turning An older and a 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 endured !
more tnan the little daughter of Thomas |
Nelfc Wisconsin River Pilot
OLD CLOTHES. Say an editorial female:
=" One of the most enjoyable women we |
know, aside from having her person de- |
Gently covered is completely unsophisti-
Gated as regards dress or fine manners;
and She is quite Indifferent as regards the
same in her friends. In all the years we |
have known her, we never heard her pass
4 criticism upon any article of dress She
loves her friends for themselves, not for
their clothes The thought Of her insures
Il StllSt Oh rest. one WOulu ENJOY 4 VlSlL
with us in dress ten years out of date as
well as if we wore one Of the latest mode.
She never makes us uncomfortable by
saying. why do you wear blue 1t is
unbecoming;' or your dress is
altogether too long-your crinoline is hor-
ribly out of shape;' or, why don't you
wear a corset? 1t would give you some
sort Of shape and so on through your
whole wardrobe.n
We all know no well-bred person passes
un1avorable comments upon the clothing
OF guests. But it is something people
often perpetrate unconsciouslv, and the
comment makes a sensitive,
untrled girl, or woman either, miserable
for the entire day Many woman wears
dresses, the wearing of which constitutes
her a martyr, so far as her taste and fancy
are concerned. But by some unfavorable
she can do no better for
time being And then for some one to ex-
claim, 'Oh, dear! | thought you threw
hat dress away long ago"
1t is deplorable the slaves we are to dry
goods, and how apt we are to place brains
md goodness in the background-how !
much more apt to make q display of our
friends at church, or in max
ng calls, than those who are more plainly
:ladr' .