The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-04-13
MorHER o. hERpEs.
A Noble Woman Who Governed AZ Wen =
Loved Her children.

A Noble Woman Who Governed a. Wen ~
Loved Her Children.
When the news OF Captain Perry's
victory on Lake Erie reached his moth.
er's home in Newport, an old farmer
on the island said: 1T was Mrs. Perry
who licked the British" Living in the
same village with the Perrys. he had
observed the excellent discipline main.
tanned by their mother during the abb
senee of their father on the sea. There
were ave boys Of them, all governed
with firInness and good sense. tempered
with tender affection, by one of the best
of mothers. and all five became officers
Of the United States navy
Sarah Alexander was the maiden
name of their wise mother. She was an
Irish girl. twelve years of age. living
at Newry in County Down. when she
first saw young Christopher Perry. an
American prisoner Of war quartered
at Newry. He was a boy of fifteen
when the American revolution began.
and enlisted at once in the little Col
onial navy. Captured soon by a British
cruiser, he endured for three months
the horrors of prison-ship in New York
harbor, anchored near the spot where
the great Brooklyn bridge now casts
its broad shadow across the East river.
He escaped with '.little besides his
bones" but was soon afloat again. and
remained in the naval service as long
as the struggling nation had an armed
vessel on the high seas.
1t was in 1880 that he was captured
was carried into Newry. where. being
released on parole. he met the pretty
| Irish girl who was destined to be his
wife and the mother of our gallant
Perrys. Two years later drawn by
the light of her eyes, he shipped as
mate on board Philadelphia vessel
| bound for Ireland, where he had the
exquisite JOY of receiving her on board
his ship rs a passenger bound on Wis
it to one of her uncles living in Phila-
delphia.
This was piece of luck so extraor-
dinary that a novelist would hardly
dare to introduce its parallel into ro-
nance. The young sailor improved
the golden chance. and before the YES
sci reached the American shore the
lovers were engaged. They were mar
ried at Philadelphia in 1884. when Per-
/ ry was twenty-three and his bride was
| sixteen. From her have descended many
naval officers. besides the famous Cap
tain Oliver H. Perry. whose victory on
Lake Erie is one of the most gallant
and picturesque exploits of naval war
| fare.
She was lady of beautiful form and
face, as well as of vigorous health and
| great stamina Herlovely brown eyes.
her rich dark hair, her perfect teeth.
her firm and graceful carriage of body,
are not yet forgotten by the few living
| persons who had opportunities of sec
| ing he-. She trained her boys TO the
| practice of virtue. real virtue. courage
and fidelity. a just regard for the
| rights of others, respect for age and
services. She was warm patriot, and
felt most keenly the insults 10 the flag
| of her adopted country which led ia
| the war of 1912. Her special merit as
| mother was that she governed as well
| rs loved her boys. Most mothers are
fond and aflectionate enough, and she.
| too, was one of the loving mothers;
but she did not permit her fondness 70
relax her discipline. She exacted :
prompt and complete obedience to
reasoIable commands. She main
tanned in her home the same discipline,
Just and firm. kind and considerate
| which her noble sons were famous for
| in the vessels they commanded
| Youths Communion