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Show I 1 American Heroines By LOUISE M. COMSTOCK Kate Walker it rr EEP the light burning, Kate." l These were her husband's dying words. And for 33 years tiny Kate Walker, who stood but 4 feet 10 inches with her shoes on, remained faithful to her trust, tending the giant beacon on Bobbins Reef in New York bay. During these years veteran boatmen estimate that Kate Walker saved as many as 75 lives. The young Kate had come to this country from Germany, and opened a boarding house at Sandy Hook. Here hei excellent cooking made a very favorable fa-vorable Impression on Capt. Jacob Walker, keeper of the Sandy Hook lighthouse. They were married in 1SS2. Shortly afterwards Captain Walker was transferred to the lighthouse light-house on Robbins Reef. Four years later he became ill of pneumonia. Kate not only nursed her husband, but tended for him the huge light that was his trust. Upon his death, she was officially appointed keeper at Robbins Reef by President Benjamin Harrison. There were two small children at the lighthouse in those days. Every morning the young mother rowed them across the bay to school on Staten Island. Is-land. Every evening she called for them. She became an excellent oars-woman oars-woman and distinguished herself time and again by the courage with which she braved high seas to launch her small boat and row out to the rescue of people who were In grave danger. Not once during her thirty-odd years of guardianship did the light on Robbins Rob-bins Reef fail. Rohbins Reef lighthouse is one of the most Important In this country, guarding a busy marine thoroughfare. By day and night the ships from the seaports of the world pass it by, moving mov-ing in and out of New York bay. Kate became able to recognize every ship by the sound of Its whistle. Once, when In New York city, the sudden blare of a factory whistle caused her to stop short "If I didn't know that the Richard B. Morse had been scrapped years ago," she exclaimed, "1 would have said that was her whistle." So sure was she of her identification, that inquiry was made. It developed that the whistle was indeed that of the discarded ship, purchased by the factory for Its own use. With the passing of years Kate's son Jacob grew old enough to be her able assistant. In 1919 she retired from the service, and went to live In a little lit-tle white cottage on Staten island, where the beams of the light on Robbins Rob-bins Reef could steal Into her bedroom window at night, assuring her that all was well on the high seas. "Tom" Hunley IN 1SG2 there was enlisted In the Union forces engaged In the Civil war a drummer boy named Tom Hunley. Hun-ley. He was a frail little fellow, whom the soldiers often teased with looking more like a girl than a boy. But his father. Jeremiah Hunley. enlisted In the same regiment, kept Tom close at his side, and protected him not only from the taunts but even from the friendship of their comrades In arms. And for three years little Tom drummed the Northern troops along their weary marches and Into desperate desper-ate battle, and only two people, his own father and General Grant, ever knew that he was no drummer boy. but a little girl! Tom's father carried the secret to his grave a few years after the close of the war. And General Grant told none. So that It was not until (10 years after her heroic deeds that the drummer boy herself, then n white-haired white-haired old lady, Mrs. Anna Glud of' Oakland. Calif., told the strange story. Jeremiah Hunley and his five motherless moth-erless children lived In a border state. When the Civil war opened, two sons joined tip with the Union side, two with the Confederates. Then the father fa-ther was called. Afraid to leave his only remaining child. Anna, then ten years old. alone, friendless In a contested con-tested territory, he cut off her hair, dressed her in hoy's clothes, told her to answer to the name "Tom" and set off to Join the Union army. For two years "Tom" gallantly accompanied accompa-nied her father through some of the bloodiest battles of the war. her secret se-cret unsuspected. Then, one day, General Grant Inspected In-spected his troops. He was particularly particu-larly struck with the diminutive drummer drum-mer boy. decided she was too small for action, and ordered her mustered nut and sent home to her mother! There was only one thing for her father fa-ther to do. As soon as he could gain a private hearing with the general he explained that the drummer hoy was no hoy but his own daughter, and laid before him the circumstances which had prompted the deception. He bego-ed that he might he allowed to keep her with him. And General Grant straightway shook the little drummer's hoy's hand, swore himself to keep her secret, and ordered her retained in the service. Thus it was not until the end of the war that little Anna Hunley returned to the dross and life that befitted a little girl. m; w-st.rn SVwFraiwr rnl'.n. |
