Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 April 1895 — Kansas Heroine. [ARTICLE]

Kansas Heroine.

Early one morning not long since the Patterson Hotel, at Harper, Kan., was destroyed by fire. There were thirty-seven guests in the house at the time, and the lives of all of them were saved by the heroism of Maud Schemerhorn, one of the dining-room girls. Miss Schemerhorn and Mattie Harper were asleep in a room in the rear of the hotel, when the flames broke .out in the kitchen directly under them. They were awakened by the smoke, and attempted to escape, but before they could get out Miss Harper was overcome by the smoke. Miss Schemerhorn broke out the window with her bare hands, and carried her companion out. Then, passing around to the front of the building, she broke another window, entered the house and awoke the occupants, all of whom were sleeping peacefully. At the door of the last room she sank down exhausted. The gentleman who was in this room tripped over her form as he stepped out. He stopped, picked her up and succeeded in making his way with his unconscious burden to the street. A few minutes later the whole house was in flames. A large part of her way through the house the heroic girl was forced to crawl on hands and knees, owing to the dense smoke, but she kept on until every sleeper was aroused.- But for her efforts all, of nearly all, would undoubtedly have perished. Miss Schemerhorn is only Isl years eM, and is very pretty.