The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1873-12-18

capacity to endure the sea, Frederic Set
ond with perfect terror at hattie, Pale
with indispositiOn to rise early, Judg
Story with a disgust at law books, WASH
ington with impetuous passion-yet al
conquered their natural weakness, and 8
can we if we feel the necessity.
From various quarters facts have com
to me of every sort, illustrating in womel
and children, even, the power of ovel
coming panic and turning apparent dis
aster into an occasion of really sublim
virtue.
Instances there are, as we all know. O
mothers rushing in frantic fear from
burning dwelling, then remembering tn
dear baby they left asleep in its little crib
and flying back through the open passage
to perish vainly in a whirl of mad flames
At the first alarm it would have been cas-,
enough to have seized the child and sc
cured its safety with her own, because tn,
air currents were then cut off; after hel
own mad hand had given the fire free pas
sage through the house, her own sacrifice
came to late to be of any service.
| Another mother knew in this State
awakened from profound sleep by the
fierce light in her room, forbldding hel
husband from opening door or window
till she had made string of sheets and
let her child down to the ground; then
she followed, herself, without any serious
injury from the stifled flames, and moi
even very severe fright, for she had
taught herself selfcontrol, and so she was
always ready to use the best means, and
the means Coz. and Nature had put in her
hands.
The custom used to be universal in Ire.
land, of storing powder in the garnet of
every grand country house. The great.
grandmother of the famous Maria Edge.
worth had sent stupid servantgirl to
procure something in the garnet: when
the maid came back and was asked for
her candle, which she had carried with
out candlestick, she answered, lit was
sticking in the cask of black dirt up
there" Not moment was to be lost.
Mrs. Edgeworth flew upstairs, dashed the
candle upon the floor, and fell herself,
overcome by nervous excitement She
had saved the house and all within its
walls.
That capital old story-book, Sanford
and Merton, tells story founded on fact,
Of party of girls pursued by a wild bull
in an open field. The eldest lassie turned
full on the mad beast, and faced him. Mr..
Bull paused moment in surprise. Then
he renewed his advance, and the noble
girl made the best retreat she could, fac
ing him still, and cheering her little CON-
panions to hurry away. Her calmness
seems TO have been respected by the great
beast, for he only drove her steadily out
of his domain, giving all her party and
herself time to leap the fence without
harm.
A far better story remember of an En-
glish family taking tea in the garden back
of their bungalow, one sultry eve, in
upper India. Suddenly, grand Bengal
tiger made one of the company. The
gentlemen, even an army officer, seemed
paralyzed with fear. One woman alone
was master of the occasion. She sprung
open a large sun-umbrella right in the
face of the beast, who resented so unusual
a reception by leaping over the green
hedge and making for the thicket, where
he had been hiding. Would not this same
genius at improvising means have made
this lady perfectly invaluable in ship
wreck, in midnight contiagration, in bur-
glars attack, in epidemic disease, in the
field hospital Of an army, in the panic of a
crowded assembly, in railroad collision,
in thousands of lesser disasters always
aggravated by lack of selfcontrol?
When only thirteen, Sir Ashley Cooper
showed this rare gift. A little playmate
had been crushed by cartwheel. He
was bleeding to death. There was not
half time enough to get surgeon. Ashley
brought out his silk Observation-Disclosures it
about the wound-stopped the bleeding
till the surgeon could take
the child in charge, whom Ashley had
really saved. And this event was the
principal one to determine that choice of
his profession, which made him such a
signal blessing to mankind.
The name Of Eli Breem ought to have
some permanent record. A railroad
bridge had just been destroyed by fire.
An express train was approaching. Eli
was determined to hazard his life to save
others. He ran to meet the advancing en-
CINE, spread his little arms as widely as
possible, and succeeded in gaining the en-
gineer's attention-whO stopped the train
Just in time to prevent another disaster
like that at Norwalk.
The best wine I have kept to the last
Manning, a West India merchant, was sit
ing ON log on the shore of Jamaica,
while his companions were bathing. Sud-
denly he saw shark making full upon
them. Had he cried SHARK" one or both
would have been overcome by fear.
Fellows, look here" he cried, "you swim
Here is the best repeater in all
Jamaica for the one that comes in first.
Now do your best" So he kept cheering
and stimulating, now one, now the other.
When he saw Farnum relaxing his stroke,
be reproached him for giving up so easily,
when he was sure to win if he only pur-
sued. At last he rushed into the waves
himself, his red handkerchief streaming
rom the end of stick, to divert the man
cater. When Farnum was safe upon the
'and, and was told his peril, he fell flat as
! log, proving how helpless he would have |
,een out at sca.-Woods Household Mdga- |
iae.