Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-11-26
wOMAN'S WORLD.
Austria Has a Joan of Arc,

n the town Of Buchensteln in the
southern part OF the Austrian Tyro,l
there has been erectd striking
stone figure. 1t shows a tall, buxom
peasant girl, standing IN a attitude Of
defiance, with a three-tned pitchfork,
which she Is WELDING as a weapon.
Behind her is one OF the wooden crosses
that are used in all European grave
yards The statue commentaries the
heroic deeds OF Il Tyrolese girl who
lives In Austrian and Swiss story as
the Joan OF Arc OF Austria, although
her history IS not known generally 20
the rest Of the world, 1t Is well worth
knowing, however, for 1t is not only
a story OF herolsm, but one Of wonder
ful modesty
This Austrian Joan of Arc was
named Katherine LAM. Unlike the
French heroine, the history OF the AUS
TRAN girl Is based on recorded facts,
for her achievements date back only a
little more than century.
Katherine LAM was a servant In a
village known as Springs when the
French army appeared there on April
2, 1897, While the Tyrolese were max
ing their stand I'm front Of the village
the inhabitants all fled to the moun-
talns, no that at last there was none
left except Katherine, who was then Is
years old and a very handsome, strong
girl,
She ransacked the deserted houses
and loaded herself down with the
stores Of the provisions that she found
in them. with these she made trip
after trip 60 the firing line and re-
freshed the Tyroesc fighters.
As the fight grew hotter, Katherine
LAM pressed forward more and more,
until at last she was IN the very front
of the conflict. Finally, at the critical
time Of the battle she seized a pitch
fork and leaped ON 70 top of the low
stone wall around the graveyard, where
she helped the Tyrol men to fight hand
10 hand with the French.
AZ last the latter were beaten OF
But In the meantime more French coll
umns had made a roundabout march
and had climbed the mountain. Thence
they entered the churchyard from the
rear. and they were pressing forward
secretly TO fall on the Tyrolese from
behind, when suddenly Katherine, with
her pItchfork, appeared before them In
the gathering gloom and charged the
foremost soldiers with a cry OF warm
ing
The sudden appearance OF the strange
figure from behind Il grayestone, taken
in connection with the solemn sur
roundngs, threw the French soldiers
into disorder, which was increased by
the force and swiftness with which the
girl welded the pitchfork, The end
was that they fell IN to such confusion
that, before they could recover their
formation, the Tyrolese advanced and
beat them back,drlying them up the
mountain In scattered flight
And now comes the most interesting
part OF the history of the heroine OF
sprlnges. After the war she went TO
Cole st. Lucia, which was a favorlte
resort OF tourists then as II is now.
The tourists then had TO find shelter
I'm the house of the curate Of the place,
because there was no hotel All the
NlhlAOAN AhlNNN q kiNAN N'N' " ~ So
who had so distinguished herself, ana
wondered who she might have been.
Katherine had tried to conceal the fact
OF her participation IN the battle from
everybody. and the curate was the only
one in ST. Lucia who knew OF II,
He advised her to continue to keep
II secret, for" said he you will only
beittle your work In the sight Of God
II you accept earthly honor and praise
for II"
Katherine took his advice, and she
never betrayed herself until she was an
old, old woman Then, not long before
she died. she yielded at last TO the urg-
Ing OF the few who knew OF her deeds
and told the facts.
She was housekeeper for a curate In
Buchensteln when she died. After she
vas gone all the official facts relating
to her were gathered by Judge Kas-
par Repp and sent 10 Innsbruck. where
they are In the archives now, accom-
panied by authenticated documents
One OF these documents Is written by
Philip Won Worndle. who was COM