The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-11-16
A Narrow Escape.
HOW A MOTHER AND HER FIVE CHILD
rem FLED FROM FIRE.

HOW A MOTHER AND HER FIVE CHILD
rem FLED FROM FIRE.
A correspondent writes from Michi-
gan:
A thrilling incident and miraculous
escape from death was in the case of the
family of Ave children of Mr.. William
Mann of Rock Creek. When the mother
saw that they must leave their home,
after fighting the fire all day, she told
the children five in number) to go to
the lake and she would follow as soon as
she had gathered up few articles to
take with her. They reached the lake
just in time to be taken into q fishing
boat, which three neighbors were about
to shove off in. The mother in the mean
time had gathered up what she could
carry, and started for the lake, but
found the road which her children had
taken 30 full of smoke and fire, and fall
ing trees, that she took another course
through the woods, coming out some
distance above where the children had.
She knew not whether her pets had
passed through the fiery ordeal safely or
not. She naturally feared the worst,
but finally heard they had been taken
off by the boat
Here commences the romantic and
thrilling part of the story. There was
not an oar or sweep on board a piece of
board was all they had to control the
boat with. For some time the boat rode
gently upon the water, all the time
working little out from shore, although
they diu not realize, on account of the
density of the smoke, how far they were
getting from shore. They presumed
they could easily return at their pleas
ure. 1t soon became apparent, on ac-
count of the roughness of the lake, that
they were rapidly drifting into the lake,
and they made all the efforts they posi-
bly, could to guide their unwieldy craft
back toward the shore. Hour after hour
they labored. but all was in vain. They
knew that if they continued to drift
death was almost sure. All were in the
greatest despair.
The oldest of the children, girl of
eleven summers, was the bravest OF the
lot. She held the baby almost constant
ly during that terrible trip. On they
went, the waves frequently breaking
over them-of course all were wet and
cold. Night came on with Egyptian
darkness. After weary and long, long
hours of suffering, day break was joyous
ly 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 a
sail. At about two o'clock in the morn
ing of the third day out, one of Mrs.
nh hnx ~
died from hunger and exposure; when it
died it was lying in the bottom of the
boat with water half over its little body.
The little eleven years old girl said she
wanted the men in the boat to put it on
the bedding, but they would not, and
she was too weak and was holding the
baby, and could not do it. The children
did not cry much on the last day, as all
were nearly exhausted. Finally, after
three days and nights, they were drifted
on shore at Kincardine, Ont, where their
wants were speedily attended to, and
from there sent to 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
to the bottom of the lake. The mother
came into Port Huron, and at once went
to the relief rooms. After making her
self known, and bewailing the fate of
her children in piteous sobs and means
(she had supposed them all dead till this
moment,) Mrs. Fred. Wells, the Secre-
tary of the Relief Association, told her
her children were here, we'll and appar-
entity happy. cannot picture the
scene. "Oh! is it so is it so?" God
bless their little hearts" Where are
they?" "Take me to them at once !"
Mrs. Wells informed her they were near
oy, and she would take her there at once
Another and more painful part of the
story was yet to be told to Mrs. Mann.
How to do this was query, all the la
dies in the room dreading to break
the dreadful tidings to 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 answered for moment. She looked
up and saw at once all was not right.
"Is he dead? is he deadp" and COM
menced weeping as only fond and low