The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-21
NOT A FANCY HEROINE.
SHE rs BRAVE AND UoHoRED, BUT
As HUMBLE As EYER.

Younr uou,se FredericLr. who Jumped Into tire
River to save - EoS-Oniy u uardworhtng
dir, who IL Tired Of Drcss,pnkins-Tho
Medal she Has and the ono she Will Get.
A fresh. girlisb voice was trilling a street song
in tho shanty when q SUN reporter scrambled
down tho long. dark fight Of stone steps at the
foot of East Fifty-hrst street tho other night
The voice belonged to Louise Fredericks and the
stairway led down TO the tiny building dig
niHcd by hor with tho name OF homo. Nearly
everybody has heard of Louise Frcdericks.
She is the plucky little bit of humanity,
half woman. half child, that jumped into
the East River on Aug. 3 last and drew out
Henry Relnstcin, a nine-yoar-old lad, who wac
sinking for tho third timc. There has boon talk
about lucky numbers, even as far back as the
days of Jonah, but the charm docs not extend to
drowning. II Louise Frcdericks had not APP
pcarcd in the nick Of time there would have
been ono boy less in Rcinstcin's neighborhood.
Come in" she said with dignity, leading the
way up four or five rickety steps into a small
square room. 1t was the kitchen. A cooking
stove was in one corner. II was also the living
room. Louisc's mother and her brothers and
little sister were there. It was a bedroom, too.
and Mr.. Fredcricks lay on a bod fast asleep.
you want to talk TO me about myself" Lou
ise said. after seating her visitor. well, I
can't. What is there to sayf'
Tell me how many people there arc In your
family suggested the reporter.
Eight" sho answered, taking them all In
with a sweeping gesture. MY father works In
a livery stable, and he is very tired. My mother
you know nodding lovingly toward a sweet
faced little woman knitting away in one corner.
"Then there Is my oldest brother; he is 20, and
my 1O.ycar-old brother and the baby and two
others besides me. There's plenty. you see."
How old am II Eighteen. I know I don't
look 1t, lady, but I'm very strong. How do I
pass my timci Why, I earn my living. I'm a
drcssmaker and work in a private establish
ment from 8 o'clock in the morning until Q al
night, but ! have to leave home a little after
to get there on time. and OF course II a piece Of
work Is TO be done by 6 and 1t isn't, we have to
stay until it is finished.
"I'm SO disguised with dressmaking. I'm
tired tired, 30 tired Of 1t. It's because I've been
at it so long. l guess"
She stopped suddenly, as II lost in thought,
and the visitor looked around the room once
more and wondered why Louise wouldn't rather
spend her days anywhere rather than there.
What would you like to do, IL you are 30
tired OF sewingf' The question made the girl
jump and brought her back from dreamland.
II don't know" she answered frankly. Il
Just know that I'm very tired. I never have
thought about what I'd like to do. I've been al
school lots. I went through the third grammar
school in this street and then. i went to a Sisters
school. st. Boniface, for four years.
How did I come to rescue Henry Reinsteini
There is a public bath right in front Of our door
almost, and children are thicker around here in
summer than %snowbirds in winter. One after
noon 1 was coming down the steps, with my
arms full Of things. You see 1 couldn't get any
work to do then. 1t was in the dull sea-
son, and I'd been out shopping. Just an
1 struck the bottom step I heard
q mighty yelling: Help! help! helpr
him!' / dropped my bundles, ran a few yards
to the river, and plunged 10 with all my clothes
Henry was unconscious by, the time I
f slu sSdrs R nth MYTH my niG aS i'1 4 9T% S hard p %orf. l SsSs
My shoes felt SO big and my clothes felt like
i nSS s sp soo l s ss { ss the tb SHy; the b Sss Would sdh eoms d
and changed my things. I never would have
how they ever heard it."
face grew radiant. She has, big. brown eyes.
well opened, and soft, heavy brown hair whicho
shs year to her e0% hesd. o Eek e ehin Is square amq e and ae.
termined. and is saved from masculinity only
by a conspicuous dimple.. The child ends in that
She is not tall, but she is broad and full of chest.
and her waist tapers down in graceful lines, UNI
Why did I jump in and risk my life to save
/ ia don't know VA lady fSeS i can't tell fS YOU 40 i heard lis
shnms d cry for orb help and : saw ! him ne coming pP and
"You see I'm a swimmer. Ioften swim half
You see we've lived down here fourteen years.
and the river is one Of my best friends. Seven
ever since, When | can get work to do / work.