Noble Deeds of American Women: With Biographical Sketches of Some of the More Prominent
History
Noble Deeds of American Women: With Biographical Sketches of Some of the More Prominent
Women -- United States -- Biography
"By the good offices of Colonel Schuyler, also, who advanced
twenty-seven hundred livres for that purpose, and by the assistance of
several other gentlemen, she was enabled to ransom herself, and her four
sons. With these children she set out for New England in the autumn of
1758, under the protection of Colonel Schuyler, leaving her two
daughters behind.[37] As she was crossing lake Champlain, young
Saccapee came on board the boat, in which she was conveyed; gave her a
handsome present; and bade her adieu. Colonel Schuyler being obliged to
proceed to Albany with more expedition than was convenient for his
fellow travelers, left them in the care of Major Putnam, afterwards
Major-General Putnam. From this gentleman she received every kind
office, which his well known humanity could furnish; and arrived without
any considerable misfortune at the place of their destination."[38]
[37] After the treaty of peace at Paris, Mrs. Howe went to Canada and
brought home the younger daughter, who left the nunnery with a great
deal of reluctance. The older went to France with Monsieur Dr.
Vaudreuil, and was there married to a man named Louis.
[38] Dwight's Travels.
MATERNAL HEROISM
Is there a man, into the lion's den
Who dares intrude to snatch his young away?
THOMSON.
During the campaign of 1777, a soldier of the Fifty-fifth regiment was
sitting with his wife at breakfast, when a bomb entered the tent, and
fell between the table and a bed where their infant was sleeping. The
mother urged her husband to go round the bomb and seize the child, his
dress being, from the position of things, more favorable than hers for
the prosecution of the dangerous task: but he refused, and running out
of the tent, begged his wife to follow, saying that the fusee was just
ready to communicate with the deadly combustibles. The fond mother,
instead of obeying, hastily tucked up her garments to prevent their
coming in contact with the bomb; leaped past it; caught the child, and
in a moment was out of danger.
In December, 1850, the house of Peter Knight, of Bath, Maine, caught
fire, and a small child, asleep in the room where the flames burst out,
would have perished but for the self-possession and daring of its
mother. One or two unsuccessful attempts had been made by others to
rescue it, when the mother, always the last to despair, made a desperate
effort, and secured the prize. When the two were taken from the window
of the second story, the dress of Mrs. Knight was in flames!
A MODERN DORCAS.
'Tis truth divine, exhibited on earth,
Gives charity her being.
COWPER.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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