Such true fame
Awaits her _now_; but, verily, good deeds
Do no imperishable record find
Save in the roll of heaven, where hers may live
A theme for angels, when they celebrate
The high-souled virtues which forgetful earth
Has witnessed."
These lines describe equally well Ida Lewis, the heroine of our own
country, whose brave deeds have passed into the habit of a life.
Ida Lewis Wilson, for she is now married, is the daughter of Hosea
Lewis, who was formerly of the revenue service, became keeper of Lime
Rock Lighthouse, in the inner harbor of Newport, R.I. The lighthouse is
situated on one of the small rocks of limestone in that harbor, and is
entirely surrounded by water.
From her thirteenth year Ida has resided on the rock. As the only means
of connection with the city of Newport is by water, she early learned
the use of oars. When she was about fifteen years of age she rescued
from drowning four boys who had been thrown into the water by the
upsetting of their boat near the lighthouse. During the Winter of
1865-66, on one of the coldest days of that season, she rescued a
soldier belonging to Fort Adams, who was clinging to a skiff, which had
upset with him and become full of water. She lifted him out of the water
into her own boat and carried him to the lighthouse.
About this time the duty of looking after the light depended on Ida and
her mother, her father having become a hopeless cripple from paralysis.
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