Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 March 1900 — AN INDIANA HEROINE. [ARTICLE]

AN INDIANA HEROINE.

PARIS WILL HONOR LITTtE JINNIE CREEK. Mill Grove Girl Who Saved a World’s Fair Special Train and Wais Decorated with the Cross of the French Legion of Honor. Indiana will be represented at the Parts exposition by Miss Jennie Creek of Mill Grove. She is only a simple American girl, barely 18 years of age, but is entitled to wear the famous five-pointed golden star of' the French Legion of Honor, founded by Napoleon Bonaparte. Since the beginning of the order it has been conferred upon bnt two girls. Winning the French Legion of Honor is an ambition that scientists, w’riters and artists have struggled for many years, and ofttimes in vain. Its medal was awarded to Jennie Creek nearly seven years ago, when she was 11 years of age, to commemorate a deed of exceptionable bravery and remarkable presence of mind. From tip;, little village of Mill Grove to the rich reception rooms of the National Humane ■Society of France this young lady will journey and be presented to the thousands of Parisians and visitors at the exposition as one of the most distinguished young women in the world. In the afternoon of Sept. 10, 1893, the world’s fair special left Chicago and was speeding along the Phnhandlc- Railroad within a few miles of Mill Grove, when this little curly headed ehild caught the odor of burning wood as she strolled along the ravines of her uncle’s farm. Being of an investigating turn of mind, she discovered the long wooden bridge partly consumed by fire, and while hesitating over how to act she heard the shriek of the locomotive around the curve and less than three miMs away.

Quickly recovering from the sudden thock she fairly flew toward the fast coming train, tearing off her red underskirt as she ran, and frantically waving it at the engineer. He at once perceived the bright danger signal, which almost flashed in his face, and reversing his engine he came to a stop within a few feet of the burning bridge. In that act Engineer Trank Williamson saved hundreds of precious human lives, and made little Jennie Creek one of the heroines of the World. -Having accomplished alone and unaided the act of saving the hundreds of passengers from the great ugly gulch below, this modest little country maiden was returning home, breathing a prayer of thanks to the Lord for permitting her to be in time, when she was overtaken by two passengers and triumphantly carried back and through the coaches that the passengers, might liehold their deliverer from a fearful accident. When pressed to tell her story of it all this little Indiana child modestly reiterated that she had done nothing and wanted to go home without so much fuss. Money of ail denominations was rapidly showered into a purse before the little miss was permitted to depart. Some prominent French people who were on the train carried the story to their native land, and the Legion of Honor Society, through President McKinley, then Governor of Ohio, conferred upon and decorated the girl with the golden star and watery ribbon of scarlet hue, of almost priceless value, when measured in a financial way. She was and is the youngest person in the world to ever receive the proud insignia of this famous order. Now that she has accepted the invitation of the National Humape Society of France, she will probably be the youngest guest of honor entertained by the Paris exposition.