The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1871-11-10
A Marrow Escape.

A correspondent writes from Michi
gan A thrilling incident and miraen
l0us escape from death was In the case ol
the family OF five children of Mr.. VIII
liam Mann, Of Rock Greek. When Che
mother saw that they must leave theil
home, after fighting the fire all day, she
told the children five In numberl. 10 nc
10 the lake and she would follow mn soon
as she had gathered up few articles 10
take with her They reached the lake
just In time 10 be taken into u fishing
boat, which three nei shbors were about
TO shove on In. The mother In the
mean time had gathered mp what Rhe
could carry. and started for the lake,
bnt found the road which her children
had taken No full of smoke aud fire aud
falling trees, that she took a..0ther course
through the woods, coming out at some
distance above where the children had.
She knew not whether her pets had pass
ed through the fiery ordeal safely or not.
She naturally feared the worst, but final !
~ heard they bad been taken on by the
boat.
Here commences the romantic and
thrilling part Of the story. There was
not an oar or sweep on beard a piece
OF board was all they had 10 control the
boat with. For some time the boat rode
gently upon the water, all the time work
ing little out from shore, although
they did not realize, ON account 0f the
den sity of the smoke, how far they were
getting from shore. They presumed they
could easily return nj their pleasure.
III soon became apparent. on account
Of the ronghness OF the Lake, that they
were rapidly drifting into the lake, aud
they made NIL the Efforts they possible
could 10 guide their unwieldy craft back
toward the shore Hour after hour they
labored. but all was i'm vain. They knew
that II they continued 10 drift, death was
almost sure. All were in the greatest
despair.
The Oldest Of the children, a girl of
eleven summers, was the bravest of the
lot She held the baby almost constantly
during that terrible trip. On They went
the waves frequently breaking over them
OF course all were wet aud cold Night
,ame ON with Egyptian darkness. After
weary and long, long hours Of suffering,
daYbreak was joyousiy hailed They
were now beyond the smoke Of the
burning forests. They were sure they
would soon hail some vessel All day
long they looked, until darkness again
set IN without seeing o sail. Al about
two o'clock in the morning of the third
day ont one Of Mrs. Mann's children,
boy Of three summers. died from hunger
and exposure when il died IL Was lying
in the bottom of the boat with water hall
over lis little body. The little eleven
years old girl said she wanted the men
IN the boat 10 put il on the bedding, but
they would not. and she was too weak
and wns holding the baby, and could not
do ii. The children did not cry much ON
the last day, aS all were nearly exhausted.
Finally, after three DAYS aud nights, they
were Omitted on shore nj Kincardine.
Ont, where their wants were speedily at
tended 60, end from there sent 10 Port
Huron.
During these three days, the reader
can imagine the mothers feelings
Everybody that knew Of the circum-
stances supposed of course they had gone
10 the bottom Of the lake. The mother
came into Port Huron, and at once went |
20 the relief rooms After making her |
self known. and bewailing the fate OF
her children i'm piteous sobs and means |
she had supposed them all dead till this |
mementD, Mrs. Fred Wells, the Secretary |
Of the Relief Association, told her her
children were here, well and apparently |
happy. cannot picture the scene. /
g oh is il NO = In ID NO p God bless !,
their little hearts r. Where are they ?"
I" Take me 10 them at once !" Mrs |
Wells informed her they were near by, |
and she would take her there mt once. |
Another and more painful part Of the
story was vet 10 be told Mrs Mann. |
How 10 do this was aquery, all the ladies |
in the room dreaded 10 break the dread |
full tidings 30 her At last Mrs Mann |
began TO ask her how Emma was, and |
then the next one. Finally she asked
how little Charley was ? No one an
swered for a moment. she looked mp
and saw nj once all was not right. In
he dead in be dead p and commenced
weeping as only fond and loving moth |
er can, for the loss OF her boy.