The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1856-11-22
Eeroism Of a Mother.

The greatest heroism displayed on the
occasion, OF which we have any knowl-
edge, Che wreck Of the Niagara, on
Lake Michigan, J VAS shown by a moth
er III her efforts TO save her eight children.
the eldest OF whom was only fourteen,
and the youngest one year old. She was
picked up BY the Traveller lnscnsibIe and
nearly perlsheJ but was restored by great
exertlons, and brought to this city. Sae
did not know last evening whether OF not
any OF her children were saved, but heard
that three were aiken ashore in the only
boat that pulled oil, from the burning
steamer. MIS-. Chalmers says that when
the fire broke out she was outside the
steerage cabin, on the nam deck, with
her husband aud children She saw the
stern boat lowered, and Observing in it
a woman whom size knew, she thought.
II lAe boat reached the shore, and she ber-
self did not, that woman would b like a
mother 10 her children. 50 Sae commenced
throwing her smaller children into it, IN
tending to keep the baby herself, because
sAecOuId easier support II IN the water than
the others. She had thrown two into the
boat when II showed off. She had one IN
her hands 10 throw, but it was too hate 10
throw 50 large Que to The boat accOr-
dinghy size seized the baby, suPposlng
she had strength to throw il to the retreat
ing boat She had rCt, however; the
I,I,. f.u i,.a ,ba x,pt,,r q f,rt fg1t,a IA i,
boat, she screamed to the woman in the
boat to save 1t, and had the satisfaction Of
seeing her reach out, grasp it and draw
ii to tie boat.
She then directed her efforts 10 the five
children about her. She pushed the old
est boy OF twelve years INTO the water,
with directions 10 SWIM after the small
boat and cling 10 II il they would not
take him ia. She thinks he did actually
reach II, bu' cannot be certain. She taen
put her oldest Child, girl Of fourteen in
10 the water, In hopes she could cling 10
something. She has heard since arriving
here that a girl OF that age was rescued,
aud thinks maybe 1t was this one. She
then had three small children remaining.
Her husband got into the water, and she
passed them down TO him, and he placed
them on one OF the capsIzed boats floating
near. She then got down by arope On
reaching the water she found The waves
had washed two oil the children off the
small boat. She managed 10 catch t, EN-
both with one arm, and hold them up,
still clnging TO the rope with the other
hand, and maintaining her hold IN the
midst ot al! the desperate struggles
around her. At last the rope burned oti
above, and she sank down, down, With
Others who had been clrnging TO the same
rope. When she came up again, she had
lost one child. She managed 10 throw
her dIsengaged arm over stuck and hang
on to II with the child In the other.
She then looked 10: the child she had
lost but although many heads were
around her, and some of them children s
heads. they were all SO hegrmned with
the oil, and ashes and SCOT on the surface
Of the water. that St could not distinguish
their features, and they sunk one alter
another, without her being able TO recog-
nize her own. She then directed all her
efforts to save the one IN her aims, and
she feels coniden, she could have done
81. but some man-she thinks he was an
old man-puIed her arm oh from The
stick which supported her. She regalned
her hold, and her hand was again puiiei
off and herself pushed away By the man
Then she sunk down, down, down again
She struggled to rise, and finally did rise
but the last child was gone, though she
thought, until she reached the surface ana
saw to the contrary, that she had 1t still
in her arms. :,
She was then alone on the water With
ont support. She had lloated some dis
lance away from the steamer, but she
sau her husband upon the capsIzed toa''
holding one Of tie children. That sign,
inspired her with fresh courage. Alas!
she knew not at that moment that the al.
lie one he held in his arms was already
IEf,Lss, hn !, was even so. Al that IN