The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-04-09
Grace Darling.

the dawn of day to make things secure
about the lighthouse before the turn of the
tide. at quarter 10 five, when tho day.
light was still imperfect, Grace observed q
steamer ashore on craggy island half a
milo distnnt, and she called the attention
OF her father to it. The sea was breaking
80 violently over tho vessel, and the morn,
ing was SO dark that more thnn two hours
passed before they could be sure whether
or not there were living persons on The
vessel. But about seven they saw three
or four human figures upon tho rocks near
the steamer, and they began at once to
consider whether it was possible to save
them.
Both thought they could got to the
wreck, but not back again unlcs, assisted
by some of the rescued persons, as on their
return thcro would be a strong tide to con-
tend with. They concluded to take the
| rick, both being in perfect accord from the
Dcginnlng to the end Of the affair. Pre-
| ciscly what they did was related by the
| fathcr in his official letter to The Light
mousse Board, now published for the first
| time.
we agreed" he said that if we could
get 10 them, some OF them would be able
10 assist us back, without which we could
not return; and, having no Idea Of n
IossiDlilty OF Boat coming from North
Sunderland, we amcdiatcly Launched our
BOAT, and was Enabled 70 gain the rock,
wncre we found men and women, which
judged rather too many to take at once
III the state OF the Weather; therefore,
TOOK the Women aud four Men to the
Longstone; two Of them returned with
me, and succeeded in bringing the remain
DER IN all persons, safely TO the Long
stone about hino O'clock"
lhat is the exact statement of the case
ny honest William Darling, who had no
romance in his comp ostlon. Ills daughter
0facc assisted hun 10 row his boat about
one mile, although IL a straight line the
Instance was only half mile, and helped
liihi 20 rescue from very painful silua-
ZION one woman and four men Having
uonc ms. She went into the light house
ana devoted herself with her mothers aid.
10 lhc care and restoration OF the persons
saved. The storm was OF such violence
and duration that the shipwrccked persons
had TO remain with them Two days aud
nights, as it was not possible to communi
cato with the mainland.
'lhc suiierIngs y. tho poor woman"
Grace Darling wrote afterwards, '.scemcd
TO me To be rarely equallcd, having strup-
glcd nearly two hours to save her dear
children; they both died in her hands,"
Grace Darling performed highly credit
able act; but neither she nor her father
would have supposed they had done any.
tilihg SO very extraordinary if they lad not
70 tttI1J' s'tid' 'IIiil SnG saved uVcs. mo.
Tue Was IuIIng, leaving more ana more OF
INC rock Tree liom water, and in short
time other assistance came.
Inc nchleSL village to the Farne Island
,1s scarborough, TWO or three miles distance.
a gentleman living there, who probably
Knew The excellent character OF tho Dur.
llngs, sent an account OF the atfuir 10 the
Duke OF Northumberland Uhcn living al
his scat near by) who was then tho prcsi-
dent OF tic Royal Humane Society. The
duke call ed attention 10 tho exploit, and
the result was thut the gold medal OF the
humane Society was awarded TO both
1ather and daugh hter, accompanied by let.
ters OF exIravagaut and ill-cxprcsscd culo-
GUM.
All this getting into the newspapers the
English people DID not stop to scrutnizc Il
tale which appealed SO strongly to their
love OF courage and fidelity. Medals and
othcr presents came pouring into the light
house. The Shlpwrcck Society of New
castle and similar societies along that dan
geroIs coast awarded their medals to father
and daughter. The Duke of NOrthumber-
land Lad the good sense to send to William
DarllnS complete suit OF water proof
clothing, and the Duchess gave Mrs. Dar-
ling silver tea pot, TO be constantly used
by her, and afterwards to belong TO Grace
Ii. Darllng:' In the good old fashioned
way, the Duchess sent tho family four
pounds OF tea; to Mrs. Darling, Il water.
proof camlct cloak with hood to Grace q
CLOAK like her mothers a aslver-gilt watch,
a gold seal, prayer book anu u short
Commentary on the Bible.
The English people are 80 constituted
that they wish TO do whatever is done
by dukes and duchcsscs. or course, there
arose fashion to give presents to Grace
Darling. The Lighthouse Board sent her
nifty pounds; Sir Francis and Miss Bur
dctt Coults, thirty pounds. The ladies Of
Edinburg collected for her more than
eighty pounds; and money kept coming
IN until the sum amounted to seven hun.
drcd and fifty pounds.
Her celebrity became extremely incon-
vcnicnt to them all. Managers OF theatres
and clrcuscs tried TO engage her as AL at
traction, one Offering her ten pounds a
week if she would appear for fifteen min
utcs every evening III play founded upon
The saving OF life from snip wreck. Hun
drcds wrote for her autograph, and many
OF her autographs were sold Ut fairs for tho
benefit OF sailors; and so many people
asked her for lock of her hair that she
was Obliged 70 make stand against them,
Ffor fear OF being reduced to absolute bald
ness Her father wrote thus to one of the
newspapers.
"Picuso to acquaint the public in your
paper that within the last twelve days, |
and my daughter have sat TO no less than
seven portrait painters"
lie found this 80 inconvcnicnt, and 1t
wasted 80 much time, that he was obliged
IN this public way to refuse further sittings.
lie testilics that his daughters head was
not turned by all this attention, and tnat
she continued to perform the duties of her
sltuatlor with the same stcadincss and
cneertul'less us before. -Four years after
the wreck OF tho steamer, she caught a
very bad cold, which proved to be tho be
ginning OF rapid consumption, and, after
1