The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-13
From Parsons Meeklv


 WYE give a man unstinted praise for N/ saving the life of a fellow crea-
 ture. Does it occur to you that there are occasions wien individuals have displayed an equal degree of pluck and endurance in saving their own?
 One night about four years ago veter- mary surgeon employed by the Duffryn Colliery company was walking along the Brecon and Merthyr railway when lie was knocked down by mineral train, and one of his legs was cut completely off. as well as the toes of the other foot.
 By some miracle he did not lose con sciousness, and, knowing that no help was near and that without it he must shortly bleed odeath, he managed to put ligature round the leg.
 For three long hours he lay in the dark and cold before his cries brought help. Then the constable who heard him found him holding the stump of his leg in the air to check the still flowing blood As the policeman administered first aid, the victim, with wonderful nerve, smoked a cigarette and gave directions as to what should be done.
 Such a man deserves to live.
 Here is another similar case-a ghastly one, and yet worth quoting as an example of British pluck. A New Zealand rab- bitter named Clark was at his work in wild country near Cromwell. in Central Otago, when he had the misfortune to fall over a steep rock face.
 He broke one hip and gave himself q ghastly cut four inches long in the ab- domen. Aware that the latter wound would prove fatal if not attended to, he set to work to stitch it up.
 He had no penknife nor string, so taking off his felt. he made holes in the flesh with the tongue of the buckle and sewed up the wound with a bootlace There he lay helpless for four days, and was almost dead from starvation when at last his cries were heard and he was found
 On December 22, 1906, a Bavarian cheese monger named Ebrand was walking home about in the afternoon when q binding snowstorm broke He lost his way and strayed out on to the partially frozen surface of Lake Seeg.
 The ice broke and he fell into the freez- ing water. He climbed out but the ice broke again and again. In the darkness he missed his direction, and made, not for the shore, but for the center of the lake. For two interminable hours he crawled over rotten ice or swan in the bitter water and at last gained tiny island.
 Meantime his shouts had been heard and a pastor whose house was close by start ed to the rescue. But there was no boat. and the only way to reach the spot was by stretching blanks across the ice to- ward the island.
 The half frozen man dragged himself along them. Four times he fell through, and had to struggle for life among the broken ice, but at last, more dead than alive, was dragged to safety. He had been fighting for life for five hours. As he said afterward, it was only by think ing of his little daughter, wlio would have been left an orphan by his death, that he was able to keep himself alive.
 What man can endure and live through is amazing cattleman called McKit- trick was a passenger in train wrecked ny cOlllSlOn HedT fot l1ouiS tWO ySdi 5 ago, and when found was pinned by the left leg under the wheel of one of the en- zines. Steam was escaping over him. and there were no appliances at hand to move the gigantic weight.
 Calling one of the passengers to him, McKittrick produced a large knife. Here. stranger, see you have n par sons coat on. I'm going to try your nerve. Take this knife and cut the leg away below the knee. and we'll show this pesky steam there's life in the old man yet"
 The clergyman unhesitatinsly took the knife and did as he was ordered, while