The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1907-11-28

the lifesaver Of Lime Rock lighthouse,
has been further hoaorcd. This time it
is Andrew Carnegie who has taken no
tice of her. and he has advised her that
he has placed her name ON his private
pension list at the rate of $50 month.
Bravest Woman in America.
Away out on the end of Newport's
eOcky cliffs, where great waves break in
cessantly against the rocks, lives Ida
Lewis, the aged keeper of the Lime Rock
Light who has been singled out by the
Society of the American Cross of Honor
as the bravest woman i'll America, and
so entitled to wear its cross, says Il writ
her home few days ago.
After clambering up the rocky trail,
the newspaper man knocked at the door.
1t was opened by brght-taCed little
woman, her hands covered with dough,
her apron whtened with flour, but with
a happy, kindly smile.
Il had received letter from some
society, telling me that | was brave. or
something of that kind she said, but
| get SO many letters from all kinds IT
people that | did not pay any attention
to it. So they say I'm brave'-and she
laughed a merry, musical laugh
Tells of Her Rescues.
When asked to tell of her rcscucs She
said.
"All l can say is that | have made
eighteen from before the war to 1886.
But | don't care anything for records.
If | saw you IN there ana she pointed
out into the raging suri-"and your boat
had capsized, l would go to your res
cue.
Il was asked to take medal last
year, but | refused it. pulled 4 wom-
an out of the water off here. Her
name was Miss Walker. She was
dressed so handsomely that | was very
sorry for her. Her friends came and
told me a lot of nice things, and that |
must have a Carnegie medal, | told
them l did not care about medals.
Then a committee waited on me and |
refused to accept any medal. 1t was no
rescue; nothing like the others, and |
never even numbered il among the res
cues | had made"
She related that it was Il summer visi
tor who had been capsized in a boat,
and she went out in her boat and res
cued her.
"They told me she would have
! did not care anything about that. 1t
did not seem to me to be a rescue SO
l refused the medal. ! would try to
save any one who was out there. That
is all there is to it.
Il used to keep clippings of the res
cues, but people borrowed them one by
one, and though they promised to re
turn them, they seldom did and they
are all gone. | was very sorry to lose
them, but | never took the trouble to re
place them.
Lives Contented Life.
Il do not know the names Of those
whom | rescued, except Scrgt. Adams,
whom | rescued IN 1863 The others
used to write to me from time to time.
but | guess they have all gone now. !
don't get letters from any Of them, nor
do they visit me now.
Il have always been troubled with
weak lungs, and | guess it is Lime ROCK
that has kept me alive and well so
many years. ! Just love the old light
and the sea breeze that blows here and
lashes the sea into such fury against
the rocks. 1t is all my life, and |
don't suppose | could be contentcd any
where else
Here she took two well-browncd pies
ont of the oven and resumed her work
at the pastry board,
Few women of the country are held
III greater reverence at Newport than
Ida Lewis Wilson. She has tended the
light for. fifty years. Her hair is but
slightly tinged with gray. She is of me
dunn height well formed, but inclined
to be frail. She cleans, oils and runs
the light that warns mariners off this
dangerous ledge, and never have mari
ners found it dimmcd.
PolitiCianS often tried to get her Job
as keeper Of the light until Congress
finally passed an act appointing her
keeper for life.
Although seventy years of age her
cheeks are tinged with color and her
eyes are as bright, and as alert as those
of a young girl.