The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-23
THE HEROINE OF TIE CORONA.
charity Lambert, the Negress Who
Saved so Many Souls.
From the Net1 York Times.

From the NeU Yorl; Times.
NEW ORLEANS, La, Oct. BIN almost
every great disaster among the steamboats,
Of the Mississippi river some ideal Bludsoe
or realistic Given has appeared, to leave the
,rnnress Of his heroism and self sacrifice
un1u the terrible event
charity Lambert, the simple black ne
oress whose bravery saved so many lives in
sbe recent explosion of the Corona, is one
Of these heroic souls. Charity was born in
Naturalization she does not know. Mrs
can't Blanks, with whom she has served
for many years, thinks she must be on the
Shady side Of half century, though her
face is deceiving. When only 5 years
of age she was sent south, and
the changes of time made her resident of
Arkansas, where she spent goodly portion
Of her early life. Here she lived during the
yaars of the war between the states, and she
served faithfully as a domestic, finding her
,rov finally into the Blanks family. Nearly
twenty years ago she came to New Orleans,
and for eighteen consecutive years she has
been in the employ of Capt. j. w. Blanks,
always steadfast always dutiful.
Fourteen years ago Capt. Blanks offered
her berth on the river, and up to the time
Of the explosion of the Corona she has been
steadily running on the Mississippi and its
various tributaries in which Capt. Blanks
boats have piled. She has been in several
Dreyious accidents, but has always been
fortunate. and has always shown most re-
narkable presence of mind in times of
danger. Many years ago she was on the
Iottie Warner, which struck a snag
aud sprang serious leak. The boat did
not 90 down, but there was much alarm
aboard, and Nanny showed the stuff of
which she was made later on. She was
passenger on the Rapides, on which an ex-
nIoson of the boilers was narrowly
avoided. The fiues had become red-hot at
night through some fault of the employees
of the boat, and tie passengers were awak-
eped by sitting steam in the cabins. There
was the greatest CONSERVATION while
the boilers were being cooled
down, and, in momentary fear of an ex-
posion, the passengers were in the deepest
distress. Here again Charity stood true to
her name and used all her exertions in calm
ing the distressed. In later years she was
on the John Wilson when that boat was
snagged on Black river, and repeated her
previous performances when the danger
was worst. The same was true of her when
the Wilson took fire, and here again she
showed the same admirable disregard for self
and brought her GOODNESS to bear in pacify-
ing the panic-stricken passengers.
But the Growing glory of her life was her
herOism in this last disaster, in which forty
souls were hurled into eternity without
warning. Charity was taken aboard the
boat by Capt. Blanks as chambermaid. The
Inflated boat was ascending the river at the
usual rate of speed, and Charity was to-
ward the rear of the boat ironing when she
heard the whistle blow. The familiar toot-
ing of the Corona had scarcely died away
when the most terrific explosion
that ever shocked her ears took place.
and the gallant craft shlvered and shook
and seemed to be parting in two. Nanny
had scarcely time to look around when the
door burst open and the ladies ran in i'm
ploring her assistance. Her quick intuition
came to her aid, and she saw that some
thing must be done, and done quickly, TO
save the passengers Hurriedly, but
calmly she went to the place where the
life preservers were kept and parceled
them out to the terror-stricken ladies until
all we're supplied but herself, and, needless
Of her own safety, she led the way to the
roof.
All who had been provided with life
preservers by the noble, self-sacrificing old
negreSs hoated on the surface and were
saved, except Mrs. Hough, who was struck
by door and drowned beneath the weight
above her head. Old Nanny, after strug-
Cling in the water for several minutes, was
finally rescued by roustabout. Ever I'M
selfish, she begged her rescuer to save the
white ladies first and leave her to take care
of herself