The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-12-07

R,rnlng Star and Catholic Messenger.
sew ORLEANS. sUSDAH. DHcEMBEn :. ls1s.
Presence Of Mind.
There is one grand quality signally ne.
elected, almost never taught, nowhere
priced at its true value, seldom preached
upon, yet certain to avert many q disaster
and deliver from many a peril. Were
parents and teachers accustomed to show
their young ones how elf-command in some
of fire at midnight, would not only save
Themselves, but rescue a whole company
of friends or fellow pupils, were the various
means of escape shown, and the necessity
ofinstant decision enforced, many o valu-
able life Ito say nothing of property would
be saved. So intelligent community as
ours, ought not, in this advanced period of
thought, TO be 30 easily overwhelmed by
calamity, when one woman's prompt and
resolute aid would stop the stream at it's
fountain head. If it is replied, as it will
be, that some persons are born without this
gift; my answer is that Peter the Great
was born without the capacity to endure
the sea, Frederic Second with q perfect
terror at battle, Paiay with indisposition to
rise early, Judge Story with disgust at
law books, Washington with impetuous
passion-yet all conquered their natural
weakness, and 80 can we if we feel the me-
cessity.
From various quarters facts have come
to me Of every sort, illustr atipg in women
and children even, the power of overcom-
ing panic and turning apparent disaster
into an occasion of really sublime virtue.
Instances there are, as we all know, of
mothers rushing in frantic fear from q
burning dwelling, then remembering the
dear baby they left asleep in it's little crib,
and flying back through the open passage,
to perish vainly in whirl Of mad flames.
At the first alarm it wonld have been easy
cured its safety with her own, because the
air currents were then cut off: after her
own mad hand had given the fire free pas
sage through the house, her own sacrifice
came too late to be of any service.
Another mother I knew in this State,
fierce light in her room, forbiddipg her
husband from opening door or window till
she had made string of sheets, and let her
child down to the ground then she fol-
lowed, herself, without any serious injury
from the stifed flames, and not even q very
self-control, and SO she was always ready
to use the best means and all the means
God and Nature had put in her hands.
The custom used to be universal in Ire
land, of storing powder in the garrett of
every grand country house. The great
grandmother of the famous Maria Edge
worth, had sent q stupid servant girl to
procure something in the garrett when the
maid came back and was asked for her
candle, which she had carried without any
candle-stick, she answered cit was stick
ing in the cask of black dirt up there"
Not q moment was to be lost. Mrs.
EdeeYorth few upstairs, dashed the can
die upon the floor, and fell herself, over
come by nervous excitement. She had
saved the house and all within its walls.
That capital old story-book, Sanford
and Merton, tells a story founded on fact,
of q party Of girls pursued by wild bull
full on the mad beast, and faced him.
Mr.. Bull paused a moment in surprise.
Then he renewed his advance, and the
noble girl made the best retreat she could,
facing him still, and cheering her little
companions to hurry away. Her calmness
seems to have been respected by the great
his domain, giving all her party and her
self time to leap the fence without harm.
A far better story I remember of an
English family taking tea in the garden
back of their bungalow, one sultry eve, in
upper India. Suddenly grand Bengal
tlemen, even an army officer, seemed
paralyzed with fear. One woman alone
was master of the occasion. She sprung
open large sun umbrella right in the face
! of the beast, who resented 30 unusual re-
ception by leaping over the green hedge
and making for the thicket, where he had
been hiding: Would not this same genias
4 at improving means have made this lady
perfectly invaluable in shipwreck, in mid
night confsgration, in burglars 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 self
control7
When only thirteen, Sir Ashley Cooper
showed this rare gift. A little playmate
!. had been crushed by cart wheel. He was
bleeding to death. There was not half
time enough to get a surgeon. Ashley
brought out his silk handkerchief-tied it
about the wound-stopped the bleeding
efectually, 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 profes
sion, which made him such 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