Litchfield enquirer., 1850-07-11

over into the water bis niece. his daugh-
ter, his mother, and then with his wife,
made . plunge into the lake himself. j
sow all this passing before me; i was
but the work Il avery few moments
But who can describe the agony that was
compressed within that brief period
there was nothing we could grasp at with
which to buoy hope. / could admin
ister no comfort or encouragement to my
poor wife; we looked into each others
faces and upon our little children in blank
dismay-despair was too deeply seated
in our hearts to throw into word or look
bit Of hope-mute. unutterable agony
possessed our souls. At this moment /
recollect seeing that the dresses of my
wife and hltle girl 70 years old) were on
fire in places. Ny wife Rugged her in
FAINT to her breast-my two little girls and
my darling boy chung to my pantaloons
and cried, !" Pa, don't let US burn up" -
AS the only alternative, and with the
concurrence of my wife / was forced to
follow the example of the rest, and one
by one, as rapidly as | could, dropped
my children over the side, and my wife
next, and / plunged after them, leaping
a little beyond my wife SO as 10 not
strike her in my fail. Invent under a
little, and on rising to the surface swan
round and round in search of them. In
the infatuation of the moment expected
to find them foating-but how vain and
unreasonable il was. Horror stricken to
find them gone all gone--I wonder |
did not sink to the bottom like lead. In
their terror they must have sunk almost
instantly on touching the water. Be-
wildered, struck out know not hoy
towards the shore. l had made but a
few strokes when felt a hand upon my
heel. l looked back and say man
struggling with one hand grappled tight
ly upon my foot; he drew me under
! twice, but with feeling Of reckless des-
peration--fof | had lost all fear Of
drownlng-and by dint Of great exertion,
kicked him off and disengaged myself
he drawing off my stocking ~ he went
down / then made vigorously for the
shore, which was distant, should Judge
about half mile. The boat had ceased
to move before left her, having run
aground. AS proceeded found / had
over>exerted myself, but still struggled
on, straining every nerve, and before !
reached the shore blood gushed from my
nose and ears at every stroke Of my arms.
Al length ! felt my feet touch the ground,
and in another moment / gained the
beach and threw myself OH the sand
Oh !! the agony Of my reflections as lay
in sight OF that wreck of all I held dear,
and surveyed the placid water that had
closed SO soon over its innocent victims.
II seems to me that there was concern
trated into that brief space more of BIT
ter suffering and horror than can be in
tlicted by whole life time Of common
misery and woe, even if compressed
within q single day.
AS | looked out upon that cruel deep
and gazed aloft into that smiling heaven,
felt for moment as if / was Knocked at
and jeered by that bright sky, and in the
fre..zy Of my despair said. Hope is a
delusion, and Faith lie -" There can
be no God" / felt for the time as if a
merciful God could not affiiet with such
terrible accumulation his defenceless
creatures. May that good Being forgive
the weakness Of a chafed and wounded
spirit, and regard with forbearance the
mu,murings and rebellion Of lacerated
heart.
can write no more. recovered the
bodies of those, who living, were dearer
to me than my own life. and whose mem-
cries, now that they are dead, I delight
to cherish. though every thought sends
a pang to the Utmost recesses Of con-
s.artly bleeding heart. buried them
in Buffalo, in one grave.
And now,. Mr.. Editor. one word in
conclusion. Will soothing be one to
render more secure the precious lives Of
passengers upon our rivers and lakes ?
Respectfully and truly you's.
FRANKLIN HETH,
No. 60 Warren st.