TO SAVE HER HOME.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 77, 26 January 1914, Page 7

TO SAVE HER HOME.

WOMAN'S HI!AS K FIGHT. j , a rii:io in Tin-; forest. ; Hv Telegraph.--I'ress Association. < Jnvi-ri-Mr-ill, .liumarv 2:!. i A correspondent r;i|>!ii.-a!l.v describes j an example of a woman's heroic conduct , luul endurance (luring Hie lorest. '-ires < which raged in Soutlilunil last week. , Mrs. Mail; liiddeli, the correspondent i states, fought for between live ami six | liuurn In try to save her home ;<inl 'I- , feels from deit met ion at Orepnki. Hit | husband, who works al a .sawmill .ie\eral mill's from when' lie lias set i led down, left early for his daily toil, and. as t here was a snwll l" 1 ' I ' l ' all | • rouad the house, he had 110 tear ot • trouble from the it.umps smouldering. However, every bit of wood about tbe I place. took lire and showered spark* up- ; on the house. Nearly lilinded by the I smoke, Mrs. Kiddell slnik to her task, j putting water on the stumps and logs here mid there. She had live young children to wateh. the elde.it only eight. The little ones did what, lliey eoubl. :is their little blistered bands and arms fillOW. Mrs. Hiddell's elotbes several times caught lire, and it eoubl lie imagined what a grim task she had in that lonely bush, desperation urging lier on to try to save her all. Bui the ])oor woman's efforts were jn v.lin. The house caught tire, and .went bo quickly that nothing eould he saved except a sewing tnaehine. The fire, whieh had travelled for over a mile, came leaping through the. gre"u bush. Taking two of her little ones in her arms, and dragging the others, Mrs. Riddel! went into the bu-li up the hill until she got out of the track of the. fire. After several hours --lie was making her way out,"when she was met hy Mr. A. Brooks. lie said afterwards' that it was a mystery liow she got away from the lire , with the live V children." It was an example of the j irony of fate that .Mr. Kiddell should be lire-lighting ill another part of the ] district at tbe time. lie actually put f a lire out, preventing it from reaching hi house, anil tints saving the place. ] There was no insurance, as there was ' not a briek chimney to the ho:ne. j This is a case of real hard luck, and I a subscription list has |.ieen opened to j assist the family.