The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-09-08
ssDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 8, 1850
A REMARKABLE AND AFFECTING INCIDENT.

"A hEmhhkABLE AND AFFECTING INCIDENT.
1t Is seldom we hear Of such remarkable
manifestation Of illal devotion or heroism on
the part Of n child as is evnced in the ailec-
ting incident we are about to relate. The
age of the child WAS t,co 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
Iigent, and AS possessing n high and broad
forehead, such as would indicnto mind Of
no ordinary model But to proceed with
the narrative: On the afternoon of the 4th
inst, Mr. Nash, the keeper Of Grinnel Point
Light, islesboro,' started with skiff for the
purpose Of mooring a boat few rods from
the shore. While in the act Of casting over
lsedge anchor the sk,tf capsized, overturn-
ING him with it Because of his lamcness
he was unable to swim, and, upon Using to
the surfi'ce, seized hold of the gunwale Of
the skitf, and at once halloocd to his little
boy Elisha, who WAS looking out of the open
window, (the house being out a short dis
lance from the shore,) to give his mo,hcr
Tie alarm. Mrs Nash, who had been con-
fined to the house by illness for fortnight,
heard her husbands voice and at once star
tcdto 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 to the
house of a neighbor for assistance. Elisha
bcholling his fathers perlous situation
could remain quiet no longer, and so ran
down to the shore, and at once iegan to
wade into the water to attempt to help him.
His father bade him to keep out Of the
water and sit on the shore until his mother
came. Seating himself upon the shore he
impatiently waited for his mothers ap-
proach.
Mr.. Nash, by struggling hard to main
tain his position, had we'll nigh exhausted
himself, and while clinging TO the side Of
the skilf it again turned over, and lie there
by lost his hold. Bidding his ehId fare
well, he sunk beneath the waves with the
belief that he should never arise alive
I'nt to his joy: as he sunk he caught hold
OF the rope with which the boat was moored :,
aud by this means drew himself up and got
on board. Upon looking for his child he
found he had disappeared. The little fcl low
thinking to render his father the essential
aid, hetuok himself TO the water MS he saw
him sink, and waded out as far as he could
and then reached forth bis hand toward
his father. The strong tide bore the little
hero beyond his depth and in the quiet Of
death he reIinqninished his hold upon life.
When the nciShhors arrived they found
Mr.. Nash in tie Loaf quite exhausted, and
the boly Of his devoted Elisha floating near
the beach.
Our informant, who saw the corpse Of the
child soon after it was recovered, says that
its tiny hanls were still ou,strctchel, and
its eyes opened wide, as still anxiousy look
ing in the direction of its father. As the
fond aud hart-stricken parents bent over
the cleruh-lilic form Of the darling one as
it WAS arranged for burial, many eyes like
theirs, were suti,scj with tears, because of
the pathetic tale connected with its DEATH
-Bey"st (Afuine) .ige.