Year: 1872

Switzerland. Fire.


The FribOurg (SWitZerland) correspond
ent Of the London Standard, after describ-
ing the recent confagration in that city, re-
lates the following act of bravery and self
devotion on the part of woman "Hither-
to had looked on the scene, awful as it
was, as being simply case of destruction
OF property, as l had been told that the peO-
pie who lived in the houses had succeeded
in escaping. Suddenly, however, from one
of the front windows on the third story
heard crash of glass, and looking up l
saw WOman's face-such Il face as |
never care to see again. 1t was dreadful
in its agony. Screaming to the crowd be-
low, she seemed 10 feel that she was too
high for them to reach her, as the
flames, as she stood at the win
dow, came licking up the wall
as though they felt she was already given
up to them. What she said, or attempted
to say, no one knew; but the crowd gazing
up from below saw her, and a hOarse roar
came from them which seemed to reach
her and to give her announcement. Widely
waving her arms, she disappeared for nO-
ment, and then reappeared at the windefE,
with little child in her arms. In England
a fire escape would have been reared
against the wall Of the house, and a fireman
would have brought down the woman and
child-nOt, perhaps, without some difficult
ty, but still without any great danger, pro-
vided he could have kept out Of the flames,
which were darting out of the windows Of
the lower stories; bus in Switzerland no
such things as tire-escapes exist. There
are willing hands aud brave hearts,
and that is all. What, then, can
be done? Are the people to see the woman
and child roasted to death under their very
eyes? But they are far below, and the fiery
flames are creeping up the outer walls and
windows, and already the woman has to
draw back her burden as the fire comes
nearer and nearer. From below all access
is cut of. The staircasCs are simply red
hot stone, where no one can live for a mo-
ment. What can be done? just then a
tremendous cheer burst from the crowd be-
low, the reason for which L could not I'M
derstand, and | could only continue TO look
with horrible dread upon the sight, for |
knew that unless help came within few
minutes it would come too late. But help
did come, though, to ne, from somewhat
unexpected quarter. The house where
the woman and child were standing
were the last of those which had
taken fire, and the adjoining one had an iron
balcony; from which a fireman, seeing the
dreadful danger, and ChCered by the crowd,
attempted to throw a rope 10 the woman.
But it was very difficult for her to catch.
Four times he threw it, and each time we
saw it fall past the window; it was painful
to see how eagerly she tried 10 get hold of
it. But the fifth time she was successful,
and tying the rope tightly round the child's
body, she swung it out Of the window,
and it was slowly, but safely drawn into
the adjoining house. Directly she had
done this, the woman disappeared from
the window, but almost Immediately re-
turned with another clid, and by the
same means she succeeded in saving her
secord charge. But in saving the lives Of
these two children the brave wOmT:l had
got terribly burned. The flames had been
creeping up nearer and nearer to her, aud
as she stood at the window tying the chill
dren a tongue of fire would often leap up
and encircle her, but she never flinChed.
Wrapping the child she held in her arms
tightly in a wOOllen cloak, so as to prevent
the fame touching it, she would stand qui-
etly before the fire until it had once more
gone down, and then she quickly proceeded
with her work. But now it seemed
too late to save the woman herself,
for the fire had reached the store
of wood at Ethe top Of the house, sand
the roof was in flames. Her hands and
arms, too, were terribly scorched, and we
feared she would never be able to hold the
rore. But as the cord was thrown to her
the people raised a tremendous cheer, as
though to encourage her, and, catching it
at the first attempt, she managed to fasten
it round her body, and throwing hersek out