The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-11-25
Some Brave Women.

In October, 1877, the brigantine
Moorburg left Foochou in China, for
Melbourne, carving four seamen, the
Captain, mate, and last but by no means
least, the Captain wife, who was lit
tie, delicate woman, and her baby.
They had not gone far on their voyage
ere the crew fell sick, and one after
another died. The mate did not sue
cumb entirely, but became reduced to
skeleton, and was incapable of doing
much; while the Captain himself was
almost in as miserable plight, his legs
having swollen tremendously, and his
body being a mass of sores. His wife
alone held up under the terrible heat.
although she had nursed the sick till
they needed nursing no longer, and
looked well to her baby's needs, had
done duty at the wheel in regular
watches, and taken her share of sea-
mems work beside. To make matters
worse, the ship sprung a leak, which
the Captain luckily was able to stop;
and eventually the Moorburg got into
Brisbane Harbor, half-full of water,
with two sick men on board as the crew
all told, and a woman at the helm; the
gallant woman bringing not only the
ship but her baby safe into port.
Some time in 1871, 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
shepherd boy that he had seen wolf
prowling about. Never having seen
one in her life. she put down her bas-
ket, and directed by the lad, climbed to
high place, and looking eagerly
around, deserted the animal in the act
OF devouring a lamb. Thinking to
scare the brute from his prey, the boy
shouted at it and pelted it with stones:
this SO Infatuated the wolf, that it left its
meal unfinished, and made for its dis 4
turber, jumping up at the little fellows
race, tearing the flesh, and then pulling
him to the ground. What did the hor.
ror-stricken onlooker do-run awayp
Not she. Picking up large stone she
rushed on the beast and seized hold Of
MN. In vain he bit and tore her flesh.
the undaunted woman contrived to keen
his throat closely embodied by her left
arm, while she battered his head with
the stone and at length killed him.
Meanwhile, the villagers had been
alarmed, and came hurrying to heraid,
armed with guns, sticks and stones:
meeting Theresa on her way home COW
cred with blood from terrible wounds
N her face, arms and hands. They car
fled her to the hospital at Mia, where.
pitnul to tell, she expired exactly a
month afterward, consoled in her DIVING
hours with believing that she had nnf
sacrificed her life in vain. A false be-
LEI, alas! for the shepherd-boy died Of
1ydrophobia day or two after his
amented deliverer. -.
Courageous in another wav was a
woman of the Commune. who dur;nr
nat terrible rising had worked day and /
llgnt IN the hospital, assisting certain
surgeon, whose services were freely
to men with whose cause he
lad no sympathy. When the insurrec-
ION was quelled, the doctor was arrested
'nd marched off to be tried by drum
,ead court martial. As he approached
ne doom OF the tribunal, he met his
ate female assistant COMING ont he~
ween two soldiers. "Why. Adeler,
le exclaimed, how came YOU herep,,
looking hard at him, with unrecogniz-
ng eyes. she replied: 81 don't know
'ou, sir;;'' a denial he set down to =
ear OF acknowledging the acquaintance
I doomed man. Not a little tn h;a
urprlse, he got off and was set at lib
rty. to learn that Adele had been shot.
No was on her way to death when she
az IePudlated all knowledge of him
nd forbore appealing for his aid, rather
nance desperate one. ~
a poor servant girl Of Noyon, in