CONVENT FIRE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10961, 2 May 1907, Page 2

CONVENT FIRE.

A GIRL'S BRAVERY.

SYDNEY, April 21, Exciting incidents were connected with the destruction of the Villa Maria Convent by fire at Hunter's Hill, in the early hour s of Saturday. The buildings, which were entirely of jvood, were quickly reduced to smouldering heaps of ashes, and the five Sisters and eight boarders who occupied the place liad to. seek refuge for the night in a neighboring house. The prompt action of Jessie Barrett, who by her timely wanting undoubtedly saved some of the other scholars and the Sisters from serious injury, if not from death, is worthy of the greatest praise Sh*> w **s aroused from her sleep by a peculiar noise, ahd on investigating tue cause, discovered the music-room, whioh adjoins the dormitories, to be in flames. Miss Barrett 6 first thought was to alarm the Mother Superior, which she speedily did. The rest of tlie sleepers were quickly made ao. attainted, and with tbe greatest order possible the scholars were removed to a place of safety. Tlie flames soon wreathed the whole of the buildings, and fanned by a high wind, spread in a remarkable manner. There was no fire brigade in attendance, the Gladesville section arriving when all was practically over. Miss Jessie Barrett is 16 years of age, and is a daughter of Mr George Barrett, of Wyong. When slie realised the danger that all were in 6he first caught up a seven-year-old child, and with her in lier arms hurried and warned the Sisters. Hastening back to the dormitories, where tlvc other girls, were calmly sleeping, she pulled two out of bed, and awakened the others. '". Miss Barrett' then made a plucky attempt to save the sacramental vessels, but wi_ driven back by the volumes of smoke and flame which poured forth to greet her as soon as she opened the doorv In an undaunted spirit she made another determined effort to reach her goal,' but was almost overcome by the fumes, aud