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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 16, 1908)
fc.ONG.LlT AMD CARME61E MEDAL..1 ELEVEN fm, LATENT YO n J3RHSAI3IER CKOLVli BT JOHN EI-PRETH W ATKINS. THE honor roll of American women and girls, decorated for great deeds of heroism, steadily grows, the Gov ernment to date having thus honored 11 and the Carnegie hero fund commission 17. Should these National heroes unite In a medal of honor legion all their own. here would be a. woman's society of dis tinction. Its badge standing for a much us any Insignia that adorns the Tankee maid or matron. One woman In this list haa received the coveted military medal of honor, con ferred only for distinguished conduct in military action, and this heroine is none other than the noted drees reformer and woman suffragist. Dr. Mary Walker, who since her services m the civil war has persisted In wearing trousers. In which she did a man's .service In the Army. When the Civil w4r broke out she left her medlcaj- practice and went to the front, where she often spent her own money in caring for the wounded and even where shot and shell were flying thick and fast upon the battlefield she was seen at the side of the wounded sol diers. She is said to have been the first woman In the world to have done such war service in a capacity higher than that of nurse, she having the rank of assistant surgeon. While thus engaged she wore an oflloer'a uniform, but after the war continued to wear the "American re form costume," which she had adopted some years previously, the upper part of this costume being feminine in Its make up, although supplemented by trousers. Eventually, however, she adopted full male attire, which she haa since worn. She Is still living at her birthplace, Os wego, N. T. Rescued Thirteen. From Drown In jr. Our next most noted heroine, wearing a United States Government decoration. Is Mrs. Ma Lewis-Wilson, who, for res cuing from drowning at least IS persons, from time to time, haa received the gold life-saving medal of honor, long con ferred by Secretaries of the Treasury upon persons who have manifested great personal courage In rescuing victims from the water. Her father was keeper of the I J me Rock lighthouse upon an Island tn the harbor of Newport, R. I., where she was born In 1S41, and In early youth she became a skilled swimmer and oarsman, spending so much of her time In a row boat, the only means of communication between the lighthouse and shore, that she was as much at home upon the water In storm as in calm. When 18 she res cued from the sea four men whose boat had capsized, and since then she haa saved at least nine other lives. Including those of two soldiers, who broke through the harbor ice. Her father becoming paralytic, she was appointed to succeed him. and has since served as keeper of the lighthouse, and for her rescues she received medals also from the State of Rhode Island, the Massachusetts Humane Society and the New Tork Llfe-Savlng Association. In the Newport customs house, before hundreds of people. General Grant presented her with the lifeboat Rescue, as a gift from the people of New port, and for this craft James FIsk, Jr., built her a boathouse. She was given also the Sorosis brooch. Inscribed "To Ida Lewis, the Heroine." and the two soldiers whom she rescued from the ice gave her a gold watch, while officers and men of the nearby fort gave her a silver teapot worth 1150- Although still popularly known by her maiden name. Ida Lewis, she married William H. Wilson In 1870. A" few months ago a new society com posed of life-saving medalists decorated her with the "American Cross of Honor" and the board of governors has an nounced that ' In their estimation Ida Lewls-WUson has rendered more valiant service In saving life than have any Americans of her sex. The first American woman to receive the llfesavlng medal of honor was Edith Morgan, of Hamlin. Mich., who in the Spring of 1878 rescued two fish ermen whose boat had capsized near Grande Point au Sable. Mich., and who the next year helped rescue the crew of the wrecked steamer City oX Toledo, of the same point. This rescue was mada In the rreat storm of that year. It was snowing hard and the "hip was transformed Into an Iceberg. Miss Mor gan helped convey a rope from shore to the vessel and to rescue 1 men, ail on board. Because the medal awarded tar was of silver instead of gold she - OF LIFE 1' Jt I PL at at refused it. believing that she deserved that of the higher grade. ' Early Child Heroines. . The first child heroine decorated by the Government was Marie TX Parsons, of Fireplace Point, Long Island, who in 1883, when only 10 years old, risked her life to rescue a man and little girl from drowning at that point. She was given a silver medal. One of gold was presented to Edith Clarke, who, three years later, while a pupil of a convent at Oakland. Cal., bravely res cued a schoolmate who was drowning In Lake Chabot. Two Charleston girls, Edna Maude King and Mary Whltely, were together given- the silver medal for rescuing three men whose yawl was capsized In the harbor of Charleston, S. C In 1888. during a great gale of wind. These two plucky girls on finding two of the victims clinging to a wharf and the third hanging to the upturned yawl, bravely lowered a boat from the wharf and at great risk to themselves rescued all three. A silver medal was given also to Mabel Mason, who in 1S90, at the peril of her life, rescued a map who by the wash of a passing steamer had been thrown from his boat Into the Detroit River, near the Mamajuda light station. - The next year Bertie O. Burr, of Lincoln. Neb., while bathing in Blue River with two young women, rescued them "with heroic bravery" and 're ceived the gold medal, which was awarded also to Mrs. Martha White, who In mid-Winter the year following (1892) plunged intov the icy breakers and "at the Imminent peril of her life," as the official report states, rescued three sailors" from the British bark Ferndale. which had been wrecked on the coast of Washington state. Strange to relate, in spite of the re cent advent of the "athletic girl" among us. no American women have In the past 16 years displayed sufficient cour age in making rescues from the water to warrant, in the estimation of - the Treasury authorities, even a silver medal of this category. Eighteen Recently Decorated. But another National heroine was lately found and given the hew medal of honor which Congress recently au thorized as a reward for the saving of life upon our railways. The recipient of this is Miss Mary Gulnan. of Mid dletown, N. T., who recently. Jumped Into a narrow space between two rail way tracks and saved the life of an aged man whom, while sharing his per il, she held in safety while two trains simultaneously whlzsed by them, one on either side, and in opposite direc tions. President Roosevelt, when pro posing this new National decoration, recomended that It be awarded for "conspicuous bravery and self-sacrifice In the saving of life In private em ployments," and although Congress limited It to heroes and heroines of the rail. Andrew Carnegie at about the same time transfered to a com mission a fund of 85,000.000 to be ex pended In medals, annuities and other financial assistance for American he roes and heroines displaying signal courage while "following peaceful vo cations." this last clause excluding acts of courage In war, which the great ironmaster regards as a relic of bar barism. The "Carnegie medal." hand somely stamped on silver and bronze, is conferred only for acts of courage performed since April 14. 1904. I am Indebted to F. M. Wilmot, manager of the fund, for a compilation of the acts performed by the 17 heroines decorated and. aided since that time. Dived Under a Float. A girl 17 years old was the first femi nine recipient of this new order of merit. This was Ernestine F. Atwood, a stu dent of Melrose, Mass.. who was given the silver medal the higher degree for saving a coachman from ' drowning In Boston harbor In the Summer of 1004. From a rowboat 209 feet from shore she dived under a float where the. drowning man was caught, and brought him safely to shore. In addition to the medal she was also given 8500 for educational pur poses. The following December Lavlnla Steele, a cataloguer, of Des Moines, was skating on the Iowa River, when a young law student - fell through the ice in the middle of the stream. The ice was thin and although .others of lighter weight re fused to venture upon it she skated to the drowning man and with a short pole pulled him out upon the loe, at great risk of her own, life. She received the bronze medal. A 18-year-old girl. Maude A. Tttus. of Newark, N. J., was the next recipient, and she received the silver medal for saving a woman from drowning at Tar mouth, Me., in July, 1904. They had DECEIVE JEEtiA HA.UD M?- S- . "- been thrown from a boat Into Caaco Bay, and Instead of swimming to the over turned craft, as two others did, young Miss Titus forgot her own safety and In a choppy sea supported the drowning woman, who could not swim, until both were rescued. The highest grant yet al lowed to a heroine by the commission JL'oO for educational purposes w3 given tb this courageous girl. A bronze medal was soon afterward granted to Anne M. Cunnigham. a trained nurse of Savannah. Ga., who, from a point 125 feet from the shore, swam 25 feet out Into the ocean against the tide In 'a heroic attempt to save a man drowning off Tybee Island, Ga. She reached him and assisted In taking hlra toward shore, but upon being carried un der water the third time by the high waves her hold on him was broken and when they were both pulled ashore she was exhausted and he was drowned. Sucked Venom "From Snakebite. A peculiar deed of courage was that for which Lucy E. Ernst, a Philadelphia girl, has been .more lately deoorated. When a boy was bitten by a rattlesnake at Porter's. Lake, Pa.,; In July. 1905, she, although having on her lip an open fever blister. Into which she might have ab sorbed the poison, repeatedly sucked this venom from the lad's arm and thus saved his life. , A 13 -year-old heroine, who in addition to the bronze medal has been awarded , 82000 for educational purposes, is Therese S. McNally, of Waterbury; Conn., who; in June, 1904, swam 30 feet and 'rescued a" 4-year-old child who was drowning in eight feet of water. Only two years old er was Elsie C. Plontz-, of Appleton. Wis.; when, in January. 1905, she bravely ven tured out upon the thin ice of Fox river to rescue from drowning two girls who had fallen In. For this deed she received the silver medal, as did Mrs. Mary Q. Black, of Marshfleld, Or., who, in' 1904, although Incumbered by four skirts, waded Into a creek and after pulling one child out of a hole eight feet deep swam into it a second time and, while asslst- THE old Roman wedding ring was usually of Iron, symbolic of the enduring bond, which perhaps explains the supposition of some authorities that it, in olden times, indicated the submission of the wearer, as did the iron ring worn about the neck and ankle. There are many tales, romantic, quaint and amusing associated with marriage rings of all nations and all ages. Those interchanged between Mar tin Luther and Catherine von Bora were of sliver gilt, with a figure of Christ upon the crose. And it has been stated that a certain Lady Cath cart, on marrying her fourth husband, had inscribed upon her wedding ring: "If I survive I will have five." Among Hebrews the wedding ring is sometimes ornamented by an elabor ately carved temple fixed , on a hinge, and when opened discloses a tiny rep resentation of the Ark of the Coven ant. Very Interesting, too. Is the lore of the angasrsment rlnz. now aanerally Romance of a Marriage Ring mOMORED' -WBYn' CHIIIUD MEROIHEJF. REWARD: iTOR - BAVEPY. 5 ' J """'" - worn after marriage on the third fin ger of the left hand as a guard to the plaun golden wedding ring of mod ern preference. r A pretty fancy, not common, though not new, is to have this ring? set with stones, the initial letters of which will spell the name of the wearer or the giver. The keeper given to our present Queen by the then Prince of Wales on their marriage Is set with precious stones, the Initials of the names of which stand for the royal husband's pet family cognomen, "Bertie" a beryl, emerald, ruby, turquole, Jacinth and a'i emerald again. ' The custom of giving ' mottoes to en gagement rings possibly originated with the Romans. ' "Good luck to Vou" is Roman, and perhaps "Love me. and I will love you" la Roman also. The trite "When this you see remember me," that may be found In the autograph al bums of almost every-school girl, was used for thla sort of motto more fhan 200 years ago and Is declared to have been not original even then. The modern engagement ring mus" be of gold, of any shape except that of .GOVEB -'NINE AMD ing another childrbecame exhausted. By the aid of her dog. however; who had followed her In, she succeeded In com pleting the Tescue. The heroic rescue of a child on a street cflr track In Washington, In July. 1905, haa resulted In the decoration of Miss Jes sie K. Melson, of that city, with, the bronze medal. With one foot on" the track. Mies Melson grasped" the child and threw him over her right shoulder to safe ty. But before she could escape the car struck her, knocking her from the track .and fracturing her nose. A Arick dared by few other than pro fessional life-savers has brought' the sil ver medal to Mrs. Rosa P.' Sch'aller, of 'ew York City, who, when she saw a girl of 17 drowning off North Beach In i305, swam 100 feet Jo her side, knocked the wedding circlet, and may be set with any stone other than an opal or emerald, the opal ring being regarded as unlucky, and the emerald not favored for some like superstitious fancy. Why' pearls the emblem of tears have never thus been tabooed remains to be explained. "A few years since fashion attempted to bring Into use for betrothal circles these interdicted gems but with small success. Among the ancients 'all rings had some significance. In Greece and Rome only freemen were allowed to wear them; and as the more wealthy had a different one for each season. It may be inferred that there was some fanciful meaning attached to each month and each finger, and that from them came the pretty whimsical Idea of a later century that there is a certain gem that has an auspicious association with each month of the Vear, and that to bring good luck or avert evil one ought to wear that which represents the birth months. London Ally Sloper.. Loren's Query. Little Loren had watched the rain pour down all day. Finally, when the clouds began to break away, he said: "Mamma, do you suppose those clouds will ever be fit to use again?" The Delineator. her unconscious after a struggle fend then supported her In the water until other assistance arrived. Salvation Army Runaway Heroine. Her brave rescue of a child from a runaway team has brought the silver medal also . to Mrs.- Caroline Stanyon," of Mount Vernon. N. T., a brigadier in the Salvation Army. Although rescuing the little one from the path of the mad team, she was herself struck and knocked down, sustaining Injuries for the medi cal expenses of which the commlttion has alfbwed her $500. A brave attempt to save a suicide has brought the silver medal and $1000 to Florence Hoose, of Chelsea, Mass. The suicide was a man 24 yeai of age, delhrious from typhoid, and when she Fruits Are the H ERE are the prescriptions of a' cele brated physician: Eat fruit for breakfast, for dinner, for supper. . Shun hot rolls, hot biscuits and buttered toast. Eat whole-wheat bread. Refuse rloe pudding. Decline pjfratoes if- they are served more than once a day. Do not drink too much coffee or tea and very little beer and whisky. Walk several miles each day. Take a bath every day In Summer and every other day In Win ter. Brush the teeth and wash the face in warm water every night Just Defore retiring. Sleep eight hours Here are the fruits to be eaten: Apples, grapes and bananas at any time, day or night, but not too many at a time. These are the three healthiest' fruits and the habitual eater will require no medicine. Peaches are godd for the clearing of a muddy complexion. Pears are healthy raw, but better when cooked. Straw berries are good for rheumatism. Oranges are good for dyspepsia, but pine apples are evert better. Lemons are a fine fruit tonic and a few drops squeezed Into half a wineglass of water each morn f trled to prevent his deed he choked her and threatened her with desth. .She then pursued him, and, although he again molested her, she- continued to follow him through, the house, and made a heroic though futile effort to prevent hie plunging from a window. Two Fire' Heroines. One of two fire heroines recently dec orated is Mrs. Thelma McNee Guittand, of Dayton, Ohio, who, in 1905. when only 17 years of age. and shortly before her marriage, bravely saved two- small children from -an. apartment-house fire In Boston. While the -Ijuildlng was burning flrecely she made her way to the roof and thence to the apartment where the children were locked In a room. After seizing them, she brought them safely down, through the dense smoke, to the street. Two posthumous decorations have re ce ntly been conferred upon heroines by the commission. The first of these was conferred in memory of Mrs. Sadie b. Crabbe, of Avalon, Va., who. In Febru ary, 1905, while attempting to pull a colored youth from a hole in the Ice, herself broke through the treacherous crust and lost her life. The other post humous medal has been conferred in memory of Miss" Jewel H. Reed, aged 17 years, of St. Louis. Mo., who. In Jan- uary, 19"0tt died while bravely trying to save two elderly women from burn ing. Through fire and smoke she as cended a stairway to the second floor to reach the twi victims, but was cut off from escape and burned with them. Decorated This Summer". The most recent decorations have gone to the youngest of all these hero ines two little girls, aged respective ly and 11 years, and hailing from dif ferent states. Each was awarded tlis highest honor the silver medal by the commission at its last meeting a few weeks ago. The first of these. Miss Marce Y. Trevor, of Marlon, III., on De cember 30, 1906. when only 9 years of age, saved a little boy of 7, who had fallen from a bridge crossing a creek, running 'high and swift. This brave little girl, although she could not swim, jumped from the bridge into the creek, and after seizing her imperiled playmate, caught hold of the bridge, and, with great danger to herself, held on until both were lifted out. The other littln heroine decorated this Summer is Miss Marjorie E. Coast, of Iowa City, who, in June of last year, when only 7 years of age, saved from drowning another little girl, aged 10 years, who had fallen Into the Iowa River. Marjorie, also unable to swim. Jumped from the dock, and after seiz ing her helpless companion, managed to get her to a floating plank. Then by paddling she reached It herself. Washington. D. C, August 8. A Hunch for Langdon Continued From Page S enough: but as long as he could keep on his pins he kept liopln' to get in just one on me; so I finally has to drop him with a stiff one behind the ear. Course, if we'd,had ring gloves on he'd looked like he'd been on the clioppln' block; but with the pillows you can't get hurt bad. Inside or 10 minutes I has him all washed off and up in a chair, lookin' not much worse than before, ex cept for the eye swellin's. And what do you guess is the first thing he does?. "Say. McC'abe." says he. shovin' q.ut his paw. "you're all right, you are." "So?" saya I. "If I thought you was any judge that might carry weight." "I know." says he. "Nobody likes- me." "Oil. well," says I, "I atnt ruhbln' It in. I guess there's white spots in you, after all; even if you do keep 'em cov- t ered." He pricks up his ears at that, and wants to know how and why. ' Almost be fore I knows it we've drifted into a heart to heart talk that a half hour before I would have said couldn't have happened. Langdon aint turned cherub: but he's a whole lot milder, and he takes In what I've got to say as if it was a bulletin from headquarters. "That's all so." says he. "But I've got to do something. Do you know what I d like best?" i I couldn't guess. "I'd like to be In the navy and handle f one of those blfr 13-lnoh guns," says he. v "Why not. then?" says I. "I don't know how to get in," says he. "I'd go tn a'minute, if I did." "You're as good as tfiere now, then," says I. "There's a re-rultln' office around on Sixth avenue, not five blocks from here, and the Sergeant's sorfiethln' of a friend of mine. Is It a go?" , "It is," says Langdon. "Hanged if he didn't mean it too, and before he can change his mind we've had, the papers air made out. In the mornin' I 'phones Pembroke and he comes around te lug me up while he breaks the news to maw, for he says she'll need a lot at calmin' down. I was lookin' for nothln' les than eat fits, too. But say, she didn't even turn on the sprayer. "The navy," says she. "Why. how sweet! Oh I'm so glad Won't Lang don make ,a lovely officer?" I don't know how's It's goln' to work out; but there's one sure thing. It'll be some time before Langdon'll be pes tered any more by the traffic cops. And, now that the stateroom's en gaged, you ought to see how well Pem broke Is standln' the blow. (Copyright by the Associated Sunday Magazines.; Best of Medicine ing or night will act more beneficially oh the system than purgative pills or salts. ' Perhaps. ' . Oh. perhaps you think th city doesn't hve a welcome sound When one comes back frdm the country, very rested ut and browned; -And perhaps you think Jhe subway and the trolley and. the "I." Don't appeal to one who's been away from old New Tork a spall. Oh, perhaps the erowd of people and the music and the lights Don't look" great to one who's gone to bed at 7:30 nights. And "the bustle and the tumult and the highway's melody Oh, perhaps you think that doesn't make an awful hit with roe. Haply, maybe, peradventure, it may chaneej and eke perhaps 1 Ton opine that one Is sorry when one haa to leave the yaps I Oh, peVhaps ySu think one wishes one mlghs travel back tonight. j And perhaps, O gentle reader, you have guessed exactly right. Mew Tork Evening XaiV
