The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-24
TRUE HERoINEs.

The DAYS of heroism have not passed.
There are more heroes and herolneS
among us today than at any time in the
past and it only needs the occasion to
call them forth and give them renown.
They are near to us, we meet them
daily on the streets, and in our homes
men and women ready to jeopardize
their lives to save their fellows
The most notable event at the close
of the recent commencement exercises
of the Baptist Female University in
Raleigh was the presentation of gold
medals to two young ladies', who. by
noble sacrifice and willing service, de-
serve to rank with the immortals
These young ladies are Miss Miriam
WEIGH and Miss Bessie Love, of
Waynesville, noble young women who
are true heroines. Upon the gold med
ais is inscribed For Heroic Service,
February 1901" In his remarks, Pres
ident Vann recited the deeds of these
young women who were singled out
for honor. He said:
mot many years ago the Governor
of Tonking Province, in the presence
of French army corps, called before
his Sister Marie Theresa, and address
ed to her words like these, Sister Marie
Theresa, you were wounded on the bat
tlefield of Balaklava, while caring for
our stricken soldiers. You were after
wards wounded at Magenta, in the
front battle line. You followed our ar
mics into Syria, China and Mexico, ran
dering all womanly service and sacri-
flee. At the battle of Reichshofen you
were borne from the field and laid down
to die in heap of wounded soldiers.
After your revocery, when shell fell
among a group of wounded, who were
under your care, you seized the death
missile with it's blazing fuse, bore it
twenty yards away, dashed it to the
ground, and were yourself mangled by
the explosion. You have continued 10
the present hour in your heroic service.
Sister Maria Theresa, kneel and receive
the cross for tried valor. No soldier
in the army could wear it more worth
lily Soldiers, present arms" And as
the gallant Frenchmen executed the
OGOoE, the IFl-COlOTS Oh france N*cj
dipped in reverent salute.
Miriam WEIGH and Bessie Love, four
months ago, when the shadow of great
horror fell upon our school, and ona Of
your fellow students was stricken with
smallpox, when no nurse could be pro-
cured, and the stricken girl with her
roommate was imprisoned, in all ike
lihood for a month, without suggestion
from any one you volunteered to give
up study and pleasure and freedom that
you might immune yourselves and nurse
the stricken ones. Your teachers ana
fellow students felt that a deed like
that was worthy of something more
than passing words of thanks And So
they have sought in some manner, how
ever inadequate, to express their high
appropriations of your sacrifice They
have therefore had made for each of
you medal of gold / think it fitting
that one of the sufferers blest by your
gentle ministry, should present these
tokens and L shall ask Miss Leila High
smith to perform this pleasant service.
(Here Miss Highsmith stepped forward
and pinned the medals on the young
ladies'. In comforting these medals we
have bestowed on you the badges of
knightly womanhood They are memoir
ials of our grateful regard. May they
also be a lifelong inspiration to high
Womanly service