The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-03-21

keeper Of the lighthouse on the Lonastone
one Ut the Farne Islanda, of the coast o
Northumbsr and. They are scarcely islands
indeed, being little more than barren ant
desoiate rOcks, in most pArts very pre-
ciPItous, and inhabited but little beside
seatowL The sea rushes between the
islands with great violence and the spo
Il 90 dangerous to ships passing near, tnat
q lighthouse has long been maintained
there.
Almost shut out from the world In such
q spot, Grace Darling saw very httl.
society yet the parents managed to give
her fair education for a girl in her sta
ton. She was described M being remark.
able for retiring and somewhat reserved
duPosltlon, gentle in aspect and mild and
benevolent in character Of q fair cum
ple1ion and comely countenAnce, with
nothing masculine in her appearance.
1t was on the 9Th OF September, 1898,
when Grace was about twenty-five years vi
age, that the event took place which has
given her celebrity. The ForfArshire, a
steamer Of about 800 tons, John HumoIe,
master, was on her way from Hull to Dun
dee. She had valuable cargo, and sxIy-
three persons ON bOard-the master and
his wife, crew Of twenty men, and forty
one passengers. A slight loak, patched up
before her departure, broke out sfresh
when of Marlborough Head and rendered
1t difficult To maintain the fires for the
engine. She passed between the Farne
Islands and the mainland about SIX on
the evening Of the 9th, and then began to
encounter n high sea and q strong north
wind
The leak increasing, the engine-6res
gradually went out 4; and although the
sails were then uaed tA-y -,-i1 - =
vent the vessel from being driven south
ward. Wind, rain, fog. and heavy sea,
all beset the hapless vessel at once.
About four O'Clock on the morning Of
the 9th, she struck, bows foremost, on a
precipitous part Of one OF the rocky islands.
Some Of the crew and one of the Passen-
gers left the ship in one Of the boats two
other passengers perished in the attempt
to throw themselves into the boat.
The females on board clustered around
the master, shrieking, and imp orIng aid
which he could not afford them.
A heavy wave, striking the vessel on the
quarter, raised her from the rock, and then
caused her to fall violently on it again I;
she encountered sharp ledge, which cut
her in twain about midships the forepart
remained ON the rock, while the hinder
part was carried of by q rapid current
through q channel called the Plfa- gut. In
this fearful plight the remainder of the
passengers and crew awaited the arrival
Ut daylight, no one knowing how soon the
waves might destroy them altogether.
At daybreak, William Darling deserted
them from LongstOne, about q mile dls-
tant; and sosn became known At BAn-
borough that a ship had been wrecked.
So fearfullv did the waves beat against
the rock that the boatmen at scarborough
refused to push otf and Daring, sccus-
toned to scenes of danger ~ he was,
shrank from the peril Of putting OF to the
wreck In boat. Not 80 with his gentle
but heroic daughter. She could sec, by
the aid of glass, the sufferers cllnglng to
the wreck and, agonized at the sight,
she entrerted hIm To let her go with him
Ia q boat TO endesvor to Rescue them. At
last he yielded the mother helped to
launch ths boat into the water, and the
father and daughter each took All oar.
And 20 they rowed this fearful mile, 1t
each instant In danger Of being swamped
by the waves. They reached the wreck
and found nine survivors. One of them,
weaver's wife, was found in the fore
cabin, exposed 10 the intrusion of the sea,
and two children lay stItfened corpses ia
ner arms. The whole nine went with
Darling And his daughter into the boat,
and safely reaehed the lighthouse, where,
owing to the severity of the weather, they
were forceo to remain two days, kindly
attended to by thu three inmates.
When the news Of this exploit reached
the coast, all Northumberland was filled
with admiration aud speedily the whole
kingdom was similarly affected. Grzce
Darllngs name became every where known,
and she herself received attentions from
all quarters. Tourists came from ali parts
to see the LOngst0ne lighthouse, and,
still more, to nee Grace herself The Duke
and Duchess u Northumberland invited
her and her father to AInwick castle, and
gave her . gold watch the silver medal
Of the Shipwreck Institution was awarded
to her And.testImOnials came FROM VARIOUS
public bOdies- A purse Ut E7OO was pre-
sented to her by Pubhc subscription.
Portraits Of her were sagerly sought for
and purchased and speculating manager
Of . London theatre even offered q large
sum to her IL she would merely ct in .
boat ON the stage for . few minutes, dur
ing the performance Of piece written for
the occasion. But hcr modest and retiring
disposition revolted from the Last named
notoriety she rejected the offer; and
throughout the whole u this novel and
tempting career, she never once departed
from her gentle womanly demsanor.
Lovers, of course, She had plenty, but she
accepted none Of them she continued 70
reside with her father and mother at che
light house. And there she died Of cor
sumption, ON the 90th day of October,
lS42, at the early Age Of twsnty-seven,
about four years after the event which had
given her tame. Long before her death
She had the means Of seeing h Iw literAturs
was invoked in her honor for memoirs,
tales, and poems relating 20 her were issued
from the press-such - ''0rscs Darling
the Heroine of the Farne Islands
"0rass Darling. the HAid Of ths Ialss