A SAD CALAMITY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 184, 6 October 1876, Page 8

A SAD CALAMITY.

<-+ Gkh of the saddest occurrences it has ever been our lotto chronicle, Bays the ' Eoseburg Independent ' of the sth August, occurred lastTuesday on the North Umpqua, near Lorenzo's place, resulting in the death of a mother and two sons, the wife and children of Mr. "W. Wheeler. Mr. Wheeler had gone to Oakland to purchase some flour, and about the time his wife expected his return she, with her children (five boys), went down to the boat landing, there to await his arrival. As was jmtural the children began playing, chasing each other up and do <vn. the bank of the stream, and while thus engaged one of them, aged six years, slipped into the water. The child's cry of distress was answered by another brother of 16, who sprang into the river without a moments hesitation. He canght the drowning child as it came to the surface a second time and started for the shore. At this juncture Mrs. Wheeler, who was wildly excited, started to wade out into the stream on a shelving rock, and she too slipped into the deep water and began to drown. The brave and noble boy, who first went to the rescue; now became a hero. W ith a love in his heart for his mother that knew no hounds, he let go his brother, and tried to save her whom he loved best. But he was already too much exhausted to be of service, and when she came up the third time he caught her by the arm, and both sank to rise no more. The other boy went to the bottom when first released, and of course was drowned. While this terrible struggle for life was going on in the water, two of the children ran up and down the bank screaming for help that never came ; the third procured a boat and tried to help, but he failed to do any good. All they couid do was done, and that was to wait until their father returned, and between their sobbings tell him the terrible news. Search for the bodies was commenced as soon as possible, and by the aid of grappling hooks they were found on We In^sday morning at 0 o'clock, not fur from where they had fallen in.