A YOUTHFUL HERO.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XX, Issue 5883, 20 April 1886, Page 2

A YOUTHFUL HERO.

♦ The Waimate correspondent of the Press tells of an act of bravery at the Waimate fire by an eleven-year-old boy named Evan Fox. A man named Sullivan and his family occupied one of four cottages, and, though the fire missed the three first cottages, it BOmehow caught that occupied by Sullivan. Sullivan was busy at the time trying to remove an entire horse to a place of safety when little Fox rushed up and told Sullivan that his house had caught fire, and that his children, seven in all, were in bed, and that the flames had already reached the bed clothes, Sullivan caught up three of his children and rushed to the back door with them, but before he could get out, little Fox, who had fearlessly entered the burning building, took up one pf the two remaining chilI dren, and in a remarkably, short space of time conveyed his burden toaneighboring paddock. Fox darted baok to the house again, and saw Sullivan make a fruitless attempt to get out of the baok door, which was surrounded with flames. Quick as thonght young Fox was through the burning door and away past Sullivan, and was seen to pick up another child that had been conveyed to the front part of the house; A moment afterwards Fox was seen tottering towards his own home.carrying one naked ohild in his arms, and with another running behind. Following the example of young Fox, Sullivan eaoaped by the front door. Sullivan expresses himself in tor ma of deepest gratitude towards Fox,and attributes the saving of the five children's lives entirely to the timely warning of Fox and the little fellow's truly noble and brave aotion s I have made careful enquiries and talked with several eye-witnesses of the Courageous conduct of Fox, and give the above particulars as actual facts. While a number of people were standing looking on at the building being consumed, and while they seemed helpless as soon as it was known that five children were in the greatest danger of being burnt in their beds, the little lad Fox had presence of mind and courage enough to enter and emerge from the burning building twice, and after he had rescued the children his first thought; and aotion was to convey them to his own house. Suoh conduct on the part of a boy eleven years of age is not only worthy of being placed on record, but worthy of some substantial recognition.