The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1880-11-26

1 ~ Ntpebs \ ioHtilFty " AfHkli9 lohht
ing girl. of seventeen, stepping to the
front, aaid quietly, "I'll go down and
try to save the poor fellows !" and the
cieatnres calling themselves men were
not ashamed to stand by and see Catha.
rine Vasseur let down on her valiant
but fearful mission.
Then ensued tow long minutes Of
anxious suspense before the signal TO
haul up was felt, and two still breath.
ing bnt nnconscious men were, With the
gallant girl, brought to the SURFACE.
Nigh exhausted as the effort had left
her, the heroic maiden only stayed 10
gain breath before descending again, re-
gal dless Of the t'isk she ran.
This second venture nearly proved
fatal. Upon reaching the bottom Of
the sewer, and fastening rope around
one prostrato form, Catharine felt aa
though she were being strangled By an
invisible hand. Unfortunately, the
rope round her own waist had become
untgstened and when, after grouinc
along the dripping. elaminy wall, her
hand touched il, she had not strength
sufficient 10 pull il down.
Dazed as she was, she still had her
wits aboat her, and loosiug her long
hair, twisted the luxuriant treaaes with
the rope. The rope was hauled up,
and the Mortified crowd beheld tho in
animate form Of the brave young girl
swinging by her bair, aud, TO all appear.
anee, dead. Fresh Pir and prompt adj
ministration Of stimulants brought her
TO consciousness and the happiness Of
knowing that, If she had failed In sav.
ing AL, her brave endeavors had restored
three Of the bread winners 10 their fam.
lies.
In this case the heroine was a Penn
sylvania lady, living at place called
Holmesdale, who, walking home from
friends house ono evening in 1879, uR-
fortunately got belated and missed her
way. Suddenly she felt herself sinking
in the ground, and knew too we'll where
she WAS she had wandered into Link
Swamp. Mrs. Avery's first resource
was to cry aloud for help; but there
was no response. She was far away
from any dwelling, and there were no
night-walkers abroad TO hear aud extri-
cate her while her own efforts only
resulted in her sinking deeper and deep
er into the bog, till, finding the inexor-
orable mire up TO her knees, she ceased
struggling 10 get out Of il, and deliber-
ately considered the situation.
IL was anything but pleasant one.
look at il how she would she was out
of sight and out Of hearin: of any hu.
man being had no fo.,d AID 40 means
Of getting any il WIS pitch dark. aud,
for aught she knew, Wild animals might
aAsail her in III" night; ~lilr SLOWLY,
but surely. she srsinrd tu be h,nking
farther ia thc trrachrrous mud. ~i,h 10
alternative hnt to lefish quickly hy
suiiocation or slowly hy starvation.
Still she kept nl, hes eoufage s.iil soa.ir
the best Of a very bad thing.
Unable TO make Hny way out os o..
Sw amp. she eontriveI To avoid ,i,-seen,l
ing deeper Keeping her hlooI from
stagnating by slight but continual
movement, qnenching her thirst by
drinking the dirty water in " ~hiclt she
stood, and staying. il not satisfy ing her
hunger by eatisg birch bark ON some
bushes luckily within her reach. Mrs.
Avery managed TO keep herself alive
for eight days. Then wandering
hunter caught sight Of her, and, with
some difficulty, she was rescued from
the swamp and carried TO the nearest
house, some three miles distant, where
food, drink and doctsr brought her
round, never, probably, to bc' exactly
her own self again, and assuIedly never
to forget the hundred and ninety odd
hours spent in Link Swamp.