The Tiffin tribune. [volume] (Tiffin, Ohio) 1848-1859, 1856-11-07
a Thrilling Incident at the Burning of
the Niagara. al

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the Niagara. a.
One of the many affecting scenes at
tending the frightfu disasters to the pas
sengers of the Inflated Niagara, says the
Milwaukee American, was that OF the
loss of the entire family Of Mr.. Ainsworth,
of Vermont With the care and painful
anxiety Of the father and husband, he had
gathered his wife, his aged father Of sew
enty years, and three children about him ,
and with all the precaution that the ter
ribe confusion would permit, lowered
them from the deck and away from the
advancing flames, to the more welcome
but no less fatal waters. The palsy Of
age, the terror Of women, and the fright
OF children did not unman this hardy sou
of the Green Mountains; but with alacrity
he swan from one 10 another; now help
ing his wife to retain her hold upon the
treaoherous hawser; now assisting his
daughter in her struggles to catch at some
buoying object.
With what intense exertiop he Tedoubl-
ed his exertions when he saw his young
est child Of three years sink 10 its cold
grave? Then came the death struggle of
his aged parent. and he saw amid his de-
vided exeriions the gray hairs Of his faith
er disappear forever. His exertons were
now between his wife and two children,
but the relentless waves have drawn them
apart by its meiciless lashings, and his
TASK grew heavier as his sorrows and
dangers were doubled upon him. He had
no time TO look for distant boats, but only
sufficient to grasp some chair, some seeth-
ing brand and broken panel, aud shove il
as best he might, with exhausted arm to
his wife aud children. But he had not
been tried enough; and the waves came
and rolled angry surges over the chilly
wife and daughter burying them from
his agonised sight.
All were now gone. save his little boy
Of eight ears, who was struggling with
the sea to maintain foothold upon float
ing sofa AS the little fellow would mount
It's secure seat, the sea would strike it
and roll it from under his feet. Timo
after time did the brave boy Chamber up,
and as ofteu would the seas break over il.
4 AN A0ehNi' AAN oNAAtNN = uoatI VIA was
bottom up but seeing bis boy in such
fearful peril at once sought him, 10 render
assistance with what little Of shergy yet
remained in his limbs and in his heart
With desperate reaches lie struggled for
his brave little sou. the last Of has family,
but before reaching him. ho disappeared
aud followed his grandfather, his mother.
his sister. and little brother to their cold
grave at the depths Of Michigan.
Life was now scarcely worth presefv-
ing. and only one hopen6w helped him to
save HIMSELF it was that he might yet
recover che cold corpses of his drowned
family, and lay them With his own hands
in the ground He succeedAd, and was
saved the only member Of happy "a.
mily that but few days before left
home Of comfort in the beautiful Valley
Of the White River. among the Eastern
and sunny slopes Of the Green Mountains.
Like kvangeline at the grave of Gabriel.
he is to-day watching ;he beech Of ozau-
kee, in hopes that some friendly wave
may send him up from the bosom Of the |
Lake. his lost. forever lost family.