OUR HEROES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3244, 14 June 1911, Page 2

OUR HEROES.

THE DOCTOR WHO FORGOT HIMSELF.

Gloomy people often say that our nation is “played,” that courage and chivalry are dead, and that we are not as our fathers were. It is not true. In civilised life we are not often called upon to display courage such as distinguished our ancestors, whose lives were passed in times of war and violence; but it is only the occasion which is lacking, not the fine qualities. Every newspaper tells its daily story of heroisan. A noble story of a hero comes from South Afrca, told by a reader of the Children’s Encyclopaedia, in a touching letter form the Cape.' There had been a terrible’accident in Cape Colony about two o’clock one morning.

Among the passengers was a brave Scottish doctor*, named Robertson, whose home is at Cathcart. Both his collarbones were broken and one of his ribs factured. As soon as he was pulled out of the wreckage, he got helpers to carry him—for lie was too ill to walk—and he went from canriage to carriage to minister to the needs of other sufferers. In the darkness, terror and confusion of the scene, this heroic man worked with all his might examining, bandaging, comforting and cheering, regardless of his own injuries, until at last he fainted from exhaustion and pain. May not Scotland well be proud of this gallant son? A GOOD BIG BROTHER.

There are many sorts of heroes, and one. of them appeared the other day in the police court, where he was charged with carrying off his two little brothers from the Lewisham Workhouse- James Saggers, the culprit, the"eighteen-year-old brother of the orphans, held his head high in the dock, as well he might. His story was that his mother when dying, made him promise that he would look after the two little ones. He had not been able, so far, to carry out his promise—what can a boy of eighteen do ? But he heard that his brothers were to be sent from the woi'khouse school to the colonies, or into the Army, so he determined to redeem his pledge to his mother at whatever cost. He asked to be allowed to take the boys away, but the guardians could not agree, and so he “carried them off.” He had found them a good home, and was having them educated. The magistrates could not hut admire this generous-hearted big brother, and, though they had to fine him, they told him that they would not take his brothers from him if he would let the guardians l>now all that he had done.

THE MAN WHO SAVED ANOTHER

Another hero is a porter at the Welsh railway station of Conway. Just as an express from Llandudno dashed into the station, a passenger fell on the line in front of the train. Griffith Pritchard, a porter, leapt on to the line. There was only an instant* but the porter tried to drag the passenger back on to the platform. The man wast oo heavy for him, however, and it looked as if both must be killed. But Pritchard’s nerve did not forsake him, and he did the only thing which, could possiblv have saved the passenger. He rolled Rim clear of the train, and both rescuer and rescued escaped unhurt.