The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-03-02
GRACE DARLING.

In an aisle of the Transportation
Building at the Columbian EXPOSE
ton was Grace Darling's boat
"Who was Grace Darling?' We find
in The Chautauquan this answer to
the question.
On the verge of the sea, on the
Northumberland coast of England,
is little city of white-waIled, thatch-
Led rooted cottages, clustering at the
foot of grim ancient castle.
In the old Bamburgh churchyard
near by is an transformations tomb
stone with a canopy covering, under
which, carved in the stone, is a sweet
girlish face, slender figure in grace
ful pose, with tiny hands folded over
her breast and her arm encircling an
oar, the emblem of her greatness.
On the most exposed of the Frame
Islands on the Northumberland coast
is Longstone Lighthouse. Standing
within the castle keep one can see,
even in darkest night, the revolving
light that sheds its CLEAN to warn
mariners of the sunken rocks and
perilous passage surrounding the
group of islands known as the Outer
and Inner Farne.
Here in this lighthouse tower fifty
five years ago, was living Grace Oar
ling, a name associated with heroism
not only great, but sweet in the gen
tie humility which made her reply to
all who praised her, Il only did my
duty"
On the night of September 7, 1888,
a steamer trading from Hull to Dun
dee, drifted and struck OH the dead
ly outer rock at three o'clock in the
morning. The hull almost instantly
parted and, with one exception, all
the cabin passengers, twenty-five in
number, We're drowned The captain
was washed overheard with his wife
in his arms.
At five o'clock in the morning Grace
saw from the lighthouse the vessel ly-
ing broken on the rocks nearly mile
and half distant The small girl,
always rather delicate in health, was
alone with her father and mother at
the time of the wreck. With daring
courage she urged an attempt to res
cue the ship-wrecked survivors-if
any there were. Her parents remons
trated, but yielding to her wishes as
sisted her. She and her father stepped
into their tiny cookie shell of a boat,
which could not have lived in the OPP
en- sea for any length of time; it was
pushed off by the bravely unselfish
mother, and, in the face of the blind
ing storm, knowing that unless some
of the ship wrecked crew were able to
help them they could not return, I'M
der shelter of a range of rocks they
crept, rowing with the gale, by Won
derful strength and skill they brought
their boat to where the sufferers-nine
in number-crouched.
Darling himself picked the survi-
vors off the wreck while Grace, with
dauntless courage, managed to keep
the boat from being dashed to pieces,
and they returned to the lighthouse
in safety. The storm ragged on for
three days in such wild fury that the
survivors could not be conveyed to the
mainland.
The Longstone Lighthouse was soil
tary and unknown no more. This no
BILE deed reused a warm and enthuSi-
standardization throughout the world.
A gold medal was awarded to William
Darling, the father, while the heroic
little Grace was given the highest
honorary distinction of the Royal
Humane Society-the gold medallion.
These were forwarded to the Darlings
through the Duke of Northumberland
who constituted himself the herOine's
especially guardian and friend. Re
solutions, awards and other medals
were bestowed by other National HUI
name Societies, money and gifts were
heaped. at Grace's feet by the wealthy
and great who visited the wave-beat
Ell, rock-bound tower. Even Queen
Victoria sent a mark of gracious APP
probation.
In some respects this fame was
troublesome. Applications for locks
of hair came until Grace was in dan
ger of badness; the proprietor of a
circus tried to engage her and ground
lessly advertised her appearances; and
even old William complained that sit
ting for his portrait seven times in
twelve days was too tiresome.
Grace was quite unspoiled by the
attention showered upon her. She
only occasionally left her island and
invariably returned from the busy,
crowded world outside with a strong
er preference for her lonely life
Within four years after the loss of the
Forfarshire her life was ended, and TO
her dying day the sight of the sea fly
ing over the wrecked vessel was con
stantly before her imagination.
In little church on st. Cuthbert's
Isle containing her monumental slab,
Wordsworth inscribed this tribute to
Grace Horsely Darling.
'Pious and pure, modest and yet
so brave: though young, so wise,
though weak, so resolute."