The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1859-08-31
From the Belfast (Me.) Age
A Remarkable and Affecting Incident

1t is seldom we hear of such remark
able manifestation of filial devotion or
heroism on the part of child rs is
evinced in the affecting incident we are
about TO relate. The age of the child
was two years, which point we much
questioned until our informant gave us
the minutes which he took down from
the lips of its parents, as they stood over
its remains soon after the occurrence
The child is described as being very intel
ligent, and as possessing high and broad
forehead such as would indicate mind
of no ordinary mould. But to proceed
with the narative: On the afternoon OF
the 4th inst, ,Mr.Nash, the keeper of Grinnel
Point Light, Ilesboro, started with skifl
for the purpose of mooring boat few
rods from the shore. While in the act Of
casting over the kedge anchor the skifi
capsized, overturning him with it. Be-
cause of his lameness he was unable to
swim, and, rising to the surface, seized
hold of the gunwale of the skiff, and at
once hallooed to his little boy Elisha, who
was looking out of tho open window, (the
house being Lut - -~hari distance from the
ehere), to give his mother the alarm.
Mrs. Nash, who had been confined to the
house by illness for fortnight, heard
her husbands voice, and at once started
for the rescue. Before leaving the house
she charged Elisha to remain on the door
step until her return. Seeing no hopes
of saving her husband herself, she ran tc
the house of a neighbor for assistance
Elisha, beholding his fathers perilous stu
alton, could remain quiet no longer, anc
so ran down 10 the shore, and at once
began to wade into the water to attemp
to help him. His father bade him keel
out of the water and sit on the shore un
til his mother returned. Seating himsel
upon the shore he patiently waited for hi
mothers approach.
| Mr.. Nash, by struggling hard to main
tain his position, had we'll nigh exhauste'
himself, and, while clinging to tho sid
of the skifi, it again turned over, and h
thereby lost his hold. Bidding his chill
farewell, he sunk beneath the waves, wit
the belies that he should never rise alive
But to his JOY as he sunk he caught hol'
of the rope with which the boat wa
moored, and by this meaus drew himsel
up and got on board. Upon looking fo
his child, he found he had disappeared
The little fellow, thinking to render hi
father the essential aid, betook himself
the water as he saw him sink, and wade
: out as far as he could, and then reache
forth his hands toward his father. Tb
strong tide bore the little hero beyon
his depth, and in the quiet of death b
rclinquished his hold upon life. Whe
; the neighbors arrived, they found M
Nash in the boat quite exhausted, an
: the body of his devoted Elisha floatin
near the beach.
Our informant who saw the corpse
the child soon after it was recovered, sa!
= that its tiny hands were still outstretche
, and its eyes opened wide, as if still an
= iously looking in the direction of its fat
er. As the fond and heart-stricken p
rents bent over the ub-liko form of u
r darling one as it was arranged for buria
: many eyes, like theirs, were suffused vii
: tears, because of the pathetic tale co
nected with its death.