Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-11-24
Female HeroisIn.

In October, 1917, the brlgan.ine Moor
burg left Foochoo, in China, for Melbourne
carrying four seamen, captain, mate, anC
last, but by no meaps least, the captain
wife, who was little delicate woman
and her baby. They hal lot gone far Oh
their voyage ere all the crew tell sick, an6
one after another died The mate did moi
suceumb entirely, but became reduced tC
a skeleton, and was incapable of doing
much; while the captain himself was
almost in as miserable plight, his ieg:
having swollen tremendously, and his body
being a mass of sores. His wife alone held
up under the terrible heat. although sht
had nursed the sick till they needed nurs
ing no longer, had looked well to her baby:
needs, and done duty at the wheel II
regular watches, and taken her share ol
seaman's work beside. To make matters
worse, the ship sprung leak, which the
captain luckily was able to stop, and
eventually the MoOrburg got into Brisbane
harbor, half full of water, with two slck
men on board as her crew, all told, and u
| woman at the helm, the gallant woman
bringing not only the ship but her baby
safe into port.
Some time in 1871 a woman named
| Theresa Maria, dwelling in the village Of
Fratel, on the frontier of Portugal and
Spain, on the way across the fields with
her husbands dinner, was told by a shep-
herd boy that he had seen a wolf prowling
about. Never having seen one in her life,
| she put down her basket, and directed by
| the lad, climbed to high place, and,
looking eagerly arocnd, descrIed the ami
NAL in the act of devouring lamb. Think
ing to scare the brute from its prey, the
boy shouted at it, and pelted it with stones,
so infuriating the wolf that it left its meal
unfinished and made for its disturber,
jumping up a, the little fellow face, tear
ing the flesh. and then pulling him to the
ground. What did the horror stricken
onlooker do-run awayi Not she. Flick
ing mp large stone, she rushed on the
beast and seized hold of hlm. In vain he
bit and tore her flesh the undaunted wo-
man contrived to keep his throat closely
enfolded by her left arm, while she bat
tered his head with the stone, and at length
killed him. Meanwhile, the villagers had
been alarmed, and came hurrying TO her
aid, armed with guns, sticks, and stones
meeting Theresa on her way home covered
with blood from terrible wounds in her
face, arms, and hands. They carried her
to the hospital at Mia, where, pitiful 10
tell, she expired exactly a month after
ward. consoled in her dying hours with
believing that she had not sacrificed her
life in vain. A false belief, alasi for the
shepherd-boy died Of hydrophobia a day
or two after his lsmented deliverer
Courageous in another way was wo-
man of the Commune, who during that
terrible rising had worked day and night
In the hospital, assisting certain surgeon,
whose services were freely rendered to
men with whose cause he had nosympathy.
When the insgrrection was quelled, the
doctor was arrested and marched of to be
tired by drum-head cJurt-martial As he
approached the door of the tribunal, he
met his late female assistant coming out
between two soldiers. "Why, Adele :"
he exclaimed, ''how came you here p
Looking hard at HIM, with unrecoguizIng
eyes, she replied: a don't know you,
sir; denial he set down TO fear of ac-
knowledglng the acquaintance of a doomed
man. Not little to his surprise, he got
off and was set at liberty, TO learn that
Adele had been shot, and was on her way
to death when she had repudiated all
knowledge of him and forbore appealing
10 his aid, rather than compromise him,
and render his chance desperate one.
A poor servant girl of NoyOn, in France,
once proved herself a real heroine. i com
mon sewer Of great depth had been opened
for repair, the opening being covered ut
night with some planking; but those in
charge of the operations neglected to place
any lights near TO warn wayfarers of the
danger IN their path. -Four men returning
home from work stepped on the planks,
which being frail and rotten gave way
under their weight, and precipitated them
to the bottom. 1t was some time before
any one became aware of what had hap
pened; and when the people gathered
round, no man among the crowd WAS dar-
ing enough to respond to the frantic en-
treaties of the wives Of the entombed men
| by descending that foul and loathsome
depth. Presently, ragile-looking girl of
seventeen stepped to the front, and said
quietly ;-''I'll 60 down and try 10 save
the poor fellows" and creatures calling
themselves men were not ashamed 10 stand
by and see Catherine Vasseur let down on her
valiant but fearful mission. Then ensued
few long minutes of anxious suspense
before tine signal TO haul up was felt, and
two still breathing but unconscious men
were, with the gallant girl, brought to the
surface. Nigh exhausted as the effort had
left her, the heroic maiden only stayed to
gain breath before descending again, re-
gsrdless Of the risk she ran. This second
venture nearly proved fatal. Upon reach
ing the bottom of the sewer, and fasten-
ing a rope around one PROSTATE form.
Catherine felt as though she were being
strangled by an invisible hand. Cnfor-
tunaiely, the rope round her own waist
had become unfastened; and when, after
cropping along the dripping, clammy wall,
her hand touched it, she had not strength
sufficient to pull it down. Dazed as she
was, she still had her wits about her, and
looslng her long HAIR, twisted the luxuriant
tresses with the rope. The rope was
hauled up; and the Mortified crowd Deheld
the inanimate form of the brave young girl
swinging by her hair, and to ali appear
ance dead. Fresh air and prompt admin
istration of stimulants brought her to con-
sciousness, and the happiness Of knowing
that, if she had fsiled in saving all. her
brave endeavors had restored three of the
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