The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-12-22
A NOBLE WOMAN.
SUFFERING TO SAVE HER HUsBAHD-HoW
EALSTROH REACHED THR CRIB N TIE
LAKE AMIDST STORM AND DANGER
BY BIS WIFE HEROIC eOEDUCT.

SUFFERING TO SAVE HER HUgBAND-HOW
KALsTRoH REACHED THE CRIB N TIE
LAKE AMIDST STORM AND DANGER
BY BIS WIFE s HEROIC soNDUCT.
1 wonder how MANY OF the hundreds who
look out on the lake every day and see the
crib tower rising up against blue OF gray
sky, as the case may be, know Of a scene
that took place there nearly three years
ago?
At the time OF which I speak the crib
keeper was a Finn named Kalstrom, q gi-
gantic man and heavy In proportion to bis
size. he was known about the whsrves as
big Charlie" ," and his claim TO distinction
was that he had, as he said, commanded Q
bark of q dOusand duns, in which he had
sailed the North Seas, and in which, Viking
like. he had carried of his wife, bright
faced Irish girl from DrOgheda one OF the
east ports Of Ireland.
She Was q small woman, with gray syss
and long black lashes. She had strongly
marked eyebrows and a mass OF waving
black hair that crept in lit le cprls around
her temples and the nape OF her neck. She
had the piquant nose OF her race and q gen
erOus mouth filed with strong white teeth.
It was In March, and the day was one OF
those soft. treacheUOus ones that lure unwa-
~ flowers to their destruction, and SOW
pneumonia and bronchitis broadcast The
sun shone warmly, and the great lake SEEM
ed to dream of sprinctime,
The crib 1arder wss like Mother Hubbsrd's
cupboard, and Kals from took his small boat
and rowed ashore. In the few hours be
spent among tn shops and IN taklnga glass
of beer with his friends. the wind changed.
nd r-hn hn
stores, he found the lake churned up to the
fury peculiar to inland seas.
He was worried, but bad such couhdenos
in his little Irish girl as he called her, that
he spent the night quietly. The next day
day found the storm as wild as ever and he
spent the hours Of daylight striding up and
down the shore, for by this time he knew
the few provisions had given out, and that
his wife was actually suffering for food
Twice he launched bis boat, and twice it
swamped,
At dark the light cleaned out from the
crib top, but to Kalstrom's eye Il had \ bale
ful glare, and morning found him dstermin-
ed. ''I'll 60 ev hev to swim vor it, ~ be
swore with some round Scandinavian ostha.
Fortunately the wind WIS more quiet. and
after hard work he came under the lee OF
crib walls. His wife had spied him, and she
cast him 8 rope from the top story Of the
crib for the waves rolled so high that all
the storm doors and shutters were battsnsd
down and the white caps spit at the lantern
as they drove before the wind
BE caught the rope and passed I'D his
bundle Of supplies. She dropped It a second
time and, Just as he got It under his arms
a great wave swsmped the boat, leaving
him clingIng to the wall, blinded and bruised,
and depending on the little woman up aloft
for his life
She began hauling on the rope, and bad
drawn him as high as the still frame-he
thrusting fingers and toes into whatever
creVices offered. AS he reached his right
hand up, the wind came round the the cor
ner with yell and tore him loose, dropping
him into the lake but the faithful Irish girl
paid out the line as fast as she could, and he
found himself with chance for life sim IN
bis reach.
Up he came, hand over hand, and IS he
entered the, window he saw her fall. and In
the dim light he noticed a strange dlseoIora-
tion Of her face, and the fact that her dress
was torn to rags IN front.
Well, to make long story short, when be
OF her left hand entirely gone, and the ten
don ripped ont up to the elbow. Il had
been caught between the rope and the stone
casing when he fell, and his great weight,
plying against the wedding ring, had done
the mischief. But, as she said, 1T wereu't
a time for faintIn', miss" And she had
hauled him up with the right hand and
those strong white teeth.
The rugglng Of the hemp had cut her
mouth cruelty. and she had ground her
knees against the wall 90 desperately that
the thick stuff gown she wore was frayea
through and through
That night the wind shrieked and roared
TIL the lake went mad with the noise, ana
.he waves threw their spray among the pi-
Reons under the eve Of the lantsrn-roof, and
the injured woman mosned through the
house for the relief that aid not come. Kal.
strom siynaIled and signallsd for help and
four days after the accident boat got out,
and Mrs. KAlstrom was taken to the hospital,
where the wound was dressed, and where
she lay for many q wesry dsy.
When I saw her frst, I noticed with Frsat
satisfaction that a fall OF pretty lace covered
her manned hand, and that big Charlie
under his rough husk held q real reverence
and affection for her. To these feelings he
bore witness everywhere, and when bic
friends would play upon him and half In
jest and half in earnest, say: "Ah, Charlie,
you're a fine fellow, amt you - he would
answer with naive conoeit and conhdenes
Vase, an; for 1 bef Rom manded q
bark Of . dOussnd duns; but dere'a q better
Ian me at home. And eV anybody says
Kslstrom's vine yellow, you gan dell hin,
Vase, but KAlstrom's wife is . vinsr.'"
1Aioaoo Trt5uzs
Pnrr1.AR determination IN faror OF Dr.