Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-05-20
Chr family Circle.
Johanna SebuS.

full story-and it is the more sad and beau
tiful because it is true-of a young girl,
Johanna Sebus, who, in the year 1909, |
when the sea broke down the bikes and
overfowed her native village, proved
herself worthy of great poets song.
JOhanna-or Joanna, us we would call
her-was only seventeen years old; but no
one in the village had the noble spirit and
quiet courage Of this strong, rue-hearted
girl.
When the waters rose around the house,
and the waves rose up to the very door
steps, Johanna knew that there was no
longer safety, excepting on the high
grounds near the village. But how were
they to reach those Oh grounds? The
water was nearly knee-deep, and rising
every moment.
The roaring and surging of the waves
and the wind was heard in every direction,
and the dixie was giving way, piece by
piece, before the rushing flood. Every
moment the danger increased. There
was no time to hesitate.
Johanna S mother. an aged woman, could
not force her way through those raging
waves But Johanna was tell and strong.
She took her old mother in her arms and
stepped boldly into the water. The waves
dashed against her but she pressed on.
Her neighbors, a mother and three chill
dren, seeing her leave them, were seized
with Il sudden. terror. Not until this mo-
ment did they know how much depended
on the brave Johanna, the only person to
whom they could look for counsel OF help
in this hour of peril.
After a word or two of encouragement
to her mother, who trembled us she saw
the waters boiling beneath hel-so terribly
near to her-Johanna tIrned to her neigh
bors, and called to them to fly to the hill
close by, which was yet dry, and would
afford them safety for time; and assured
them that she would return to them as
soon rs she placed her mother on the high
ground. And my poor goat, she cried,
rs she heard her ftvorite bleating after
her; take him with you. Don't leave
him to die"
As soon as she reached a place of safety,
johanna set her mother upon the ground
and without a moments pause, turned
round to hurry back through the ever
deepening water Her old mother cried
out:
80, where are you going? The path Is
washed away, O, my daughter, will you
90 into that dreadful flood again?"
Mother, they must be saved" said
Johanna, us she plunged into the water,
by this time more than knee-deep.
The dixie was now on the point of giving
away entirely. \ hill of water seemed
roaring and foaming toward the village.
But Johanna pressed on over the path
which she knew So well, although it was
now covered with water. The waves dash
} ed against her, almost knocking her down.
and drenching her from head to foot. At
last she reached the little Hill where she
had left her neighbOrS. But almOs at
this moment the dixie gave way; Il mad
deluge rushed in, sweeping over every
thing before it, and around the little hill
soon boiled 4 turbulent sea, rising above
its highest point.
As the great waves roll over the ground
on which they stand, clinging in terror to
each other, Johanna's poor neighbor and
her children can not keep their foothold.
They are washed away, and disappear be
; meath the raging flood. As they sink, one
of the children seizes the goat by one horn
and drags him down. Thus. all but Jo-
. hanna are lost.
johanna stands alone, still firm and
strong; but the waters are rising and ris-
ing around her.
/. Who is there now to save this noble
! girl? She has so many friends and many
=, !, lovers, but no one of them comes to hen
now. Nothing comes to her but the salt
angry waves. Nowhere can she see even
4 boat. She casts one look up to heaven
and then the waters surge tiercely against
her. and she is gone.
, Now nothing is to be seen where tho
village stood but a wild waste of waters
with here and there steeple or Il tree ris-
ing above the flood. But us the survivors
gaze upon the widespread desolation, the
=, thought of the brave and beautiful girl
+ who gave her life for others, throws ::
deeper gloom upon the mournful scene
And even when the waters subside anC
the land reappears, no one who knew 10
hanna can be glad. They weep for ..hel
and can not forget her.
This is Il sad story of mobile girl. Only
those who have read it rs Goethe so ten
2 derby and dramatically tells it in his poem
Johanna Sebus," can appreciate its true
pathos and force.-J0hn LeUeeS, IN ST
: Nicholas for Nay.