Daily globe., 1883-07-22

lest them alI.'
SOME think that the world is growing
eliminate, that men are becoming weak
and ennervated-thatt there is no true hero
ism extant, as in other days "There were
giants in those days." is the mythical dog
ma of the present; and only puny bumani-
ty illustrates the present hour. Is this
trueF 1t certainly is not. Opportunity
calls forth courage, true heroism; and
instances are constantly occurring, in
what is often denominated the lives of the
lowly, in which heroism, unexcelled ap-
pears. Tho engineer upon a locomotive,
who stands at his pest amid disaster, hold
ing in his hands the lives of hundreds of
helpless passengers, and meets death to
save them, is hero of the true type. The
world has seen no greater-nor can great
or be we'll conceived of. Modern civiliza-
tion does not eliminate from its sphere
true heroism. Our real heroes are not
now often found in what are regarded as the
higher walks of civilization. When cri-
sis comes, the true hero is found among
the working classes, oftener than in any
other. And such hero is Andrew Lam
bert, second engineer of the steamship
"Aurania;' and let his name be embalmed
in the list of the worlds true heroes. The
steamer was nearing the port of New York,
and had already sighted land, when sud
denly the crank-shaft attached to the mid
die piston broke in two. The New York
Herald tells the story of the prompt, in
telligent, heroic Andrew Lambert, who took
his life in his hand, went amid binding
smoke and scalding steam to the point of
supremest danger, and became the savior
of the ship, and of the lives of hundreds of
human beings. The Herald tells the thrill
ing story thus:
''Dpwn three greasy pairs of ladders in the
depths of the ships hold there was enacted q
scene which rarely has an equal. The lower
portion of the broken crank shaft, mass of
steel weighing many tons, was, of course, fast
| ened to the main shaft of the ship, and, as this
| continued to revolve from the working of the
other plstons, an immense arm of steel went fly
| ing about like q huge fail. The effect was aw-
| ful. Iron and steel were knocked to splinters.
a supporting column of wrought iron foot in
| Thickness was broken In two, and one piece
weighing a ton was bitten out, SO to speak.
! wherever the fail struck destruction followed
| The air, already choked with scalding steam,
was filled with sparks of fire caused by the blows
| of steel on steel and iron. The place was infer
nal. Nothing but prompt action could save the
| sheathing of the vessel from being pounded
through. The engine must be stopped. And yet
| the little steel brake which controlled the whole
| tremendous mechanism was situated only about
| two feet from the arm of the thresher, and right
IN the n idst of the scalding steam and the bis
tering sparks. Andrew Lambert, the second
engineer, promoted from the sBothnia,' was on
| duty In the engine room. He is tall, brawny
Scotchman of some three four and thirty.
| When the crank shaft broke and the engine
room was turned into psndemonium Mr.. Lam
| bert was standing near one of the stoke rooms
some twenty or thirty feet from the brake.
| He knew the engine must be stopped. To see
the controlling brake was an impossibility; but,
| dropping down on his hands and knees he
crawled up to it and turned off the steam. The
shaft had made about twenty revolutions before
he was able to get the engine under control
He was badly scalded about the face and hands.
but otherwise uninjured. But he had risked his
life to save the ship"
The grateful passengers, saved by his
heroism, rendered their preservor purse
of $3.50, in token of their admiration of
his heroic conduct. But what is money as
q compensation for such heroism
Let no one fear that our pres
ent type of civilization blots
out true manliness, or that real heroes,
though undeveloped, do not exist. We
walk among them every hour. They are
among the lowly, the working class, it may
be, but they exist. and the opportunity,
the necessity only is wanting to bring the
real hero to the front, and thus our civili-
zation is vindicated, and human nature is
still honored by brave, courageous. eelf-
sacrificing achievements.