A BRAVE GIRL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11541, 28 November 1900, Page 5

A BRAVE GIRL.

DROWNED WHILE SAVING A COMRADE.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Paeroa, Tuesday. There is an old saying that troubles never come singly, and this apparently is the experience just now of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Thorpe, two highly respected residents of Pa«roa. It was only last week that one of their children caused a scare at the school by stating that she had swallowed matches. Emetics were given by Dr. Smith, and the child treated for poisoning, but it eventually proved that she had not really meant what she said. The parents were considerably troubled over the episode, but a sadder and a deeper trouble lias now befallen them, namely, the loss by drowning of their eldest daughter, Lottie, aged about 14 years. The unfortunate occurrence took place in the Ohinemuri River, near Mr. F. Cock's residence, this afternoon. According to the particulars of the sad affair it appears that several children, including deceased, had been bathing in the river, and when returning in the boat to the opposite shore one of the other children, thinking that the sandbank had been reached, jumped out of the boat. The little one, however, was out of its depth, and the deceased taking in the perilous situation of her comrade pluckily jumped in to save the drowning child. '1 his she succeeded in doing, but unfortunately for herself she must have clung to one side of the boat when handing up the other child, and the boat being overweighted capsized over the top of her. The brave little girl thereupon sank beneath the surface of the river before assistance could reach her, and it is thought that the current carried her body down the stream. The accident was at once reported, and the police, with others, are now dragging the river for the body. Mr. Thorpe was unfortunately away at the time. The deepest sympathy is felt for the parents in being bereft in this sad and sudden way of such a winsome and courageous child.