Connecticut western news., 1893-12-28
DEATH OF A HEROINE.
Miss Roraback,s Death and Burial.

Miss Roraback's Death and Burial.
 Miss Ida V. Roraback, the Sheffield heroine. died at o'clock last Thursday morning at the residence of MT George o. Peck, on Silver street in Sheffield, Mass.
 THE NEWS of Dec. 21st published a substantially correct report of the dis astrous fire which occurred in Sheffield on the morning of Dec 16th, when MT John 0. Roraback perished in the flames which consumed his dwelling, and his daughter, Ida, wasfatally burned in her heroic and self-sacrifcing efforts to rescue her father. The only correc- tions which we wish to make in said re- port are these, viz.: FIRsT-Miss Rora- back escaped from the burning dwell ing by jumping from second story window, instead of jumping from the piazza roof; nevertheless she first at- tempted to raise the window leading to the piazza roof and to thrust her father out of the window upon the roof, but after tearing down with her bare hands the blazing window curtain, and of course still further burning her hands, arms and face in the struggle with the flames, she was unable to raise the win dow sash. Then she dragged her sui located and unconscious father into another room but she was unable to lift his body through the window, so fast was she becoming exhausted, and it is almost @ miracle that she had strength enough left to crawl through the window herself and jump to the ground. SEcoND-The person who was mentioned as the hired woman who was cooking breakfast, and who was the first to discover the fire, proved to be Mrs Frank Bartholomew. MT Rora- back was an uncle of Mrs Bartholomew husband. During the proceeding week when MT and Mrs Roraback were both ill with the grip, Mrs Bartholomew had kindly consented to go there and care for them until someone else could be obtained. We did not know these facts when the NEws went to press, and it is simply matter of justice to all con- cerned that we state them at this time.
 After Miss Roraback reached MT Peck's house everything possible was done for her relief. but neither the skill and tender care of physicians and a trained nurse nor the tireless minis trations of loving hearts and willing hands could save the heroine from the penalty of her interpretation and e1- republication of allegiance to duty in her noble but fruitless efforts to save the life of her aged father from the de vouring flames which consumed the home around which so many pleasant memories had clustered. Despite her terrible injuries her strong constitution kept Death at bay nearly five days, and then her life closed; but her work is unfinished; Ter example can never be forgotten and the memory of such life will be an inspiration to others to carry forward to the best of their ability the different lines of work in which she was engaged and in which she display ed such loyalty and consecration.
 Miss Roraback's worth in her home, in the community, in the school, in the church, and in the Sunday school can not be over estimated. The NEWS of- fers sincere tribute to her memory, but words fail to paint fitting picture of her noble and beautiful character; and yet words may faintly convey to strangers some idea of the esteem in which Miss Roraback was held by those residing in the village where for the past fifteen years or more she had worked in school and church and had been identified with every worthy cause. With this object in view we copy the following editorial from the Berkshire Courier of Dec. 21st which was written before Miss Roraback's s death, and before all hope of her recov- cry had been abandoned. The editor ial was entitled ''The Price of Devo- tion." It Is as follows:
 The frightful disaster which befell the humble home in Sheffield, last Sat- urday morning, and cast 8 shadow over this community, of which our neigh boring township is, to all intents and purposes, a part, Is not without it's mo- bic and sublime lessons.
 Startled from her slumbers by the awful cry of fire, woman springs from her couch and seals her life-work by one of the most heroic and self-sacrific- ing acts of devotion that the people of Southern Berkshire have ever been privileged to witness.
 It IS fitting culmination to devoted and consecrated life. Whatever may be the outcome, this sacrificing act of Ida Roraback will ever be lofty and sublime example to the generations that may come to know the story of her heroic struggle to save the aged sire, who went down to death in the burning house which had for so many years been the home of his children and the shelter of his declining years.
 It was frightful disaster, but as the smoke and fire shall disappear, bright light will hover OCT the spot, and bow of many colors will mark the place where heroism and devotion mounted to its highest place, and where conse- cration built her lasting though inyisi- ble habitation.
 We also copy the following editorial from the Berkshire News of Dec. 23d, the wording of which shows that it was written after Miss Roraback's death:
 Miss Roraback, who lost her life in a heroic attempt to save that of her aged father, was just the kind of a woman to have met with such destiny, and be- cause of her strong, noble and and courageous nature was woman that should have been spared such a fate, to continue her career of usefulness in g