A most interesting story is told, in a late German paper, of a
remarkable woman in Pillau, Prussia, whose heroism of character
certainly rises into the gigantic, or whose intrepidity, to say the
least, appears to be unprecedented. This woman, by a truly generous
daring, is the widow of a seaman, with whom, for upwards of twenty
years, she made long voyages; and, since his death, she has devoted
her life, for his memory's sake, to the noble and perilous task of
carrying aid to the drowning. Her name is Katherine Klenfoldt.
Whenever a storm arises, whether by day or night, she embarks in her
boat, and quits the harbor in search of ship-wrecks. At the age of
forty-seven, she has already rescued upwards of three hundred
individuals from certain death. The population of Pillau venerate her
as something holy, and the seamen look upon her as their
guardian-angel. All heads are uncovered as she passes along the
street. The Prussian and several other governments have sent her their
medals of civil merit: the municipality of Pillau has conferred on her
the freedom of her town. She possesses an athletic figure and great
strength, seeming to be furnished by nature in view of a capacity to
go through wild scenes and high deeds. Her physiognomy is somewhat
masculine, with the expression softened by a look of gentleness and
goodness.