Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-07-17
A Young HEROINE.
How q Wisconsia Girl Saved Her Little
Brothers and Sisters.
From the Wisconsin River Pilot /

From the Wisconsin River Pilot.
Thomas Velfe and wife, with
a family of small children, settled in
this country something more than a
year ago, and being poor, they after
many hardshlps erected a 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. consisting of a girl
aged twelve years, one aged nine
and two other children aged respec-
lively three years and thirteen
months, on trip to the settlement
to get COW and bring some pota-
toes To plant. After the parents had
been gone few hours the house took
fire and the Oldest girl Immediately
rushed to the roof with water, but
not being able to remove the shing-
les she could do nothing to stay the
flames, which gained rapidly, spread
ing 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
brother and sisters. 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
baby with her, but the little three
year old had crouched under shay
ing horse in the furtherest 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, saying: Il am
safe here the fire don't drop here"
Our little heroine hesitated only a
moment, snd rushing through the
falling embers brought the little one
to a 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 child
rem started upon the trail for the
settlement After going few miles
she encomtcd rapid stream, swol-
len by the spring rains, so that in
fording it the water came up to her
rm-pits. She first carried the baby
across, and then the little three-year
old, and lastly half led and half car
ried her older sister through the wa
ter to the other bank. Three times
during the remainder of the day she
struggled across the swollen streams
in her way till night sat in, the deep
forest surrounding her. Cold, wet,
and hungry, she sought place to
camp, and by good fortune found an
old camp, left by the Indians. upon
which about one half of the roof yet
remained. Under this she placed
her little flock and then collected
pine boughs and made a rude bed.
Placing the little one in the middle
the heroic girl stripped off her dress
and spread it over the children,the
covered them with boughs to keep
them from the chilly night air, and
sat down 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 slow
ly by, and at the first peep Of day
she resumed her toilsome march ,and
had nearly reached the first settler
when she met her parents returning.
An older and 4 wiser head might
have found an easier way ont OF the
dilemma, but we feel certain that no
one could have acted Drawer or have
endured more than the little daugh-
ter of Thomas feiie.