, 1885-11-14

with Il pleasant, cOmely face and nice quiet
ways, and her father All d mother had con
triVed to give her some education. 1t was
on the 9th. of September, 1888, when she
was about twenty two years of age, that
the FOrfGFShtre, II steamer of 300 cons, car
Tying available cargo, while on the voyage
from Hull to Dundee, sprung an old leak
as she passed between the Farne islands
and the mainland during a high sea and II
strong north wind. The engine fires were
SWamped by the thrush Ofthe water; the sails
would not prevent the vessel from driving
southwark towards the rOckey islets, where
wreck was certain. Rain and fog, joined
to the high wind and the heavy sea, beSet
the helpless ship.
About four O'clock in the morning she
struck, bows foremost, OH one of the islands.
Some of the crew and II passenger escaped
in a boat. Two other passengers were lost
in the attempt. The women, Shrieking and
implOring, stood round the captain, who
could give them no aid. A great wave lift.
ed the vessel from the rock, and caused
the hull to fall with tremendous force on d
sharp ledge, which cut her in two about
midShips. The fore part remained III the
rock, the passengers and crew waiting
waiting for the dawn of day, none knowing
when they might be swept away by the
sea. At daybreak, William Darling saw
them from LOngStOne-abOut a mile dis
slant; and it was quickly known at BAN
borough that a ship had been wrecked. But
the bOatmen there feared to put off in such
a sea, and I've Darling, who was accustom.
ed to tho wild spot, and to the dangers
OF the rocky channel, shrank from the
periEs of such an attempt, But his gentle
ln,,rIF, NuD0n InI n1nn,Iy lI-nI
out over the wAtery waste, and by the
aid of her glass, could see the sufferers
clinging to the wreck-the women in an
agony of fear. She entreated her father to
lot her go with him to the rescue. Two
could succeed in keeping the boat toward
the wreck, and she was willing and anX-
iOus not to loose another moment. Darling
could not refuse, and the mother pushed
them off they each graSped III oar, and
prepared to row for q mile at every yard
of which they were in danger of being
swamped. They reached the wreck and
found nine survivOrs-One of them n poor
woman, whose two children were drowned
in her arms. All the living were rescued
and taken to the lighthouse, where they
were compelled to remain for two days,
kindly attended by the inmates. The fame
of Grace Darling very soon went abroad,
and the Lougstone Lighthouse had many
visitors after that. The Duke and Duchess
of Northumberland invited the heroic girl to
Alnwick Castle, and gave her a gold watch.
She received the silver medal of the Ship
wreck Institution, and a purse of 47OO was
presented to her by public subscription.
Portraits of Grace Darling were. to be seen
all over the country. Songs, books, and po-
ems were written about her, and the mana
ger Of a theatre offered her a large sum if
she would appear for % short time each
night-seated on a chair OH the stage. She
refused to do this, and all the fattery she
received did not seem to spoil her. Perhaps
she knew better than others now soon her
gentle life was to come to a close. She died
of consumption on the Goth. of October, 1912
at the early age of twenty-seven, and only
four years after her heroic deed; but the
name of Grace Darling has ever since been
remembered in the story of English brave
ry.