Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-30
Fox & Son,
No. $50 North Main.
GRACE DARLING.
a Girl Whose Name Stands High
IN the Roll of Fame.
The Noble Act of Heroism Performed by
the Daughter of an English Light
House Keeper-Her Matchless Ina
trepidity and Endurance
III. Maria George, in Woman's Magazine.

Ill
The most renowned heroine who ever
rose from the common ranks was Jeanne
D'Arc, who from shepherd girl became
the savior of France and the protector Of
kingdom. But perhaps she did not one
act of heroism that equaled that performed
by Grace Darling, poor English girl, who
risked her life repeated times to rescue a
number of her fellow-creatures. Jeanne
was political heroine, and her name will
always stand high on the roll of fame, but
underneath it, with wreath of stars for
ever surrounding it, we would write the
name of the English coast girl, the heroine
of humanity.
On the night of September 6, 1888, the
Forfarshire steamer, proceeding from Hull
to Dundee, was wrecked on one of the
crags of the Farne Islands, England. OF
fifty-three persons on board, thirty-eight
persisted, including the captain and his wife.
1t was about three o'clock when the YES
sci struck. Its stern, quarter deck and
cabin were swept away in less than five
minutes. To the fore part, which remained
fast on the rocks, chung the few passengers
and sailors who had not been swept away
by the raging element. All through the
raging storm and cold of that autumn
morning these unhappy people remained,
crying for help, and expecting every in
slant to share the fate of their companions.
At the Longstone lighthouse, on one Of
the most exposed of the Farne Islands,
lived the aged keeper and his daughter,
Grace Darling. Grace was daring girl,
az this time about twenty-five years of age.
Bred to the hardships of the coast, she was
as strong and active as a man. She could
row a boat or ride horse equally well, and
loved the retired life as we'll as the stormy
petrels that thronged around her island
home. A sun burned, bronzed, hardy little
thing, shy as Shetland pony and as grace
full she hardly looked the ideal heroine, and
yet none Drawer ever lived.
She was awakened before dawn on the
morning of the seventh by the piteous cries
of the wrecked passengers. Hastily dress
ing, she called her father and they went out
upon the rocks. The wind still blew gale,
and the waves were running high. AS the
darkness lifted from the sea they could dis
Germ the survivors clinging to the remnant
of the vessel, and in imminent danger of be-
ing washed off by the returning tide.
Father, we must 60 to their rescue"
cried Grace, her generous sympathy
touched at the sense Of their peril.
"The strongest boat would be torn to
pieces in an instant"
She said no more for a time, but as the
daybreak broadened, and she could see the
hapless creatures beckoning for aid, she
could endure it no longer.
She went down and launch ed boat, and
against her fathers remonstrances seized
an oar and entered it, This was enough;
mon fat ha c+o ho 10,
With matchless intrepdity she guided
the frail craft through the raging seas, and
in spite of the almost certain destruction
which threatened them, they succeeded in
reaching the wreck. BY a dangerous and
desperate effort the father was landed on
the rocks, and to prevent the boat from be-
ing dashed to pieces it was rowed back
a short distance, and kept afioat by the
skillfulness and dexterity of the brave
young woman.
The boat was too small for all the wrecked
crew to be conveyed together to the light
house. Three times did the heroic girl
make the journey, landing three at time,
her father remaining on the wreck to help
thedistressed sufferers embark. Once one of
her oars was snapped in twain by crested
billow, but happily there was an extra one
on board, which Grace seized, and by means
of it saved the skif from being dashed in
pieces
By nine O'Clock in the morning. and after
the most incredible exertion and daring,
Grace landed the whole of the survivors,
consisting OF five of the crew and four of
the passengers, at the lighthouse She did
1t at the risk Of her life, and against the re
monstrancses OF her father, and in spite of
the terrible combating of the winds and the
waves. Artists Of no mean talent have
portrayed the scene, poets have celebrated
the heroic act, and their memory Will live
forever
For three days and three nights the res
cued sufferers remained at the light house.
where Grace administered to their wants
and anxiously strove to soothe their Attic
lions The weather continued so tempest
uous that the main land could not be reached
all the tenth, which was Sunday Then the
nine persons saved by the gallant heroism
of the Darlings were landed in safety. Six
more escaped by other means.
This noble act of heroism, which has but
few parallels, did not go without its re-
ward. Besides the grand satisfaction of
having been Instrumental in saving the
lives Of nine fellow creatures, the report of
her exploit won her plaudits throughout
the civilized world. Presents and demon
STATIONS We're showered upon her from ali
parts of the United Kingdom, and a public
subscription to the amount of seven hun
dred pounds was raised for her
Many gallant sutton would have en-
nooled the fair young heroine. But, true
10 her own wild, true instincts, she refused
All oners OF marriage, and spent the re-
malnoer OF her days on the sea- washed
rocks OF Longstone Island She died there
october a, 1872, four years after her gal
lah' deed from disease brought on by her
eypOSurn