Year: 1875


tiful story-and it is the more sad and
beautiful because it is true-of young
girl, johanna Sebus, who in the year
1909, when the sea broke down the dikes |
and overfowed her native village, proved
herself worthy Of a great poets song.


Johanna, or Joanna was only seven
teen years old, but no one in the village
had the noble spirit and quiet courage Of
this strong, true-hearted girl.


When the waters rose around the hous-
es, and the waves washed up TO the very
doorsteps, Johanna knew there was no
longer safety excepting on the high
grounds near ihe village. But how were
they to reach those high grounds =? The
water nearly knee deep and rising every
minute. The roaring and surging of the
waves and wind was heard in every di
rection, and the dixie was giving away
piece by piece, before the rushing food.
Every moment the danger increased
There was no time to hesitate.
Johanna's mother, an aged woman,
could not force her way through those
raging waves. Johanna was tall and
strong. She took her old mother into
her arms and stepped boldly into the
water. The waves dashed against her,
] but she pressed on. Her neighbors,
mother and three children, seeing her
leave them, were seized with a sudden
terror. Not until this moment did they
know how much they depended upon the
brave Johanna, the only person to whom
they could look for counsel or help in
this hour of peril.


After word of encouragement to her
mother, who trembled as she saw the
waters boiling beneath her-so terribly
near TO her-Johanna turned to her
neighbors and called to them to fly to
the hill close by, which was yet dry, and
would afford them safety for time, and
assured them that she would return to
them as soon as she had placed her moth
er on high ground. And my poor
goat" she cried, as she heard her favor
ite bleating after her; take him with
you. Don't leave him to die"


AS soon as she reached place of safe
ty, Johanna set her mother upon the
ground, and without a moments pause,
turned around to hurry back through the
everdeepenng water. Her old mother
called out


Where are you going? The path is
washed away. Oh my daughter will
you go INTO that dreadful food again ?"


Mother, they must be saved" said
Johanna, as she plunged into the wa;er
by this time more than knee deep.


The dixie was now at the point of giving
away entirely. A hill of water seemed
roaring and foaming toward the village.


But Johanna pressed on over the path
she knew so well, although it was cover
ed with water. The waves dashed against
her, almost knocking her down, and
drenching her from head to foot. At
last she reached the little hill where she
had left her neighbors. But almost at
this moment the dixie gave way mad
deluge rushed in sweeping everything be-
fore it, and around the little hill rose a
turbulent sea, rising above its highest
point.


AS the great waves roll over the land
on which they stand. clinging to each
other in terror, Johanna's poor neighbor
and her children cannot keep their foot
hold. They are washed away and disap-
pear beneath the raging flood. As they
sink, one of the children seizes the goat
by one horn and drags him down. Thus
all but Johanna are lost.


johanna stands alone, still firm and
strong. Who is there now to save this
noble girl. She has many friends and
many lovers, but not one Of them comes
to her now. Nothing comes to her but
the salt angry waves. There is nothing
in sight, not even boat.


She casts one look up to heaven, and
the waters surge fercely against her and
she is gone.


Now nothing is TO be seen where the
/ village stood put Wlld waste or waters,
with here and there a steeple or tree
rising above the food.


But as the survivors gaze upon the
widespread desolaton, the thought of the
brave and beautiful girl who gave her
life for others throws deeper gloom up
on the mOurnful scene,


And even when the waters subside and
the land reappears, no one who knew
Johanna can be glad. They weep for
her and cannot forget her.


This is sad story of noble girl
Only those who have read it as Goethe
SO tenderly and dramatically tells it in
his poem, johanna Sebus," can appre-
ciate its true pathos and force.