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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 60, 11 March 1879, Page 2

An almost miraculous escape from a horrible death (says the Manawatu Timt*') occurred on Saturday morning in Main-street, Tal mersfon North. It appears tbat a little' child, belonging to Mr Locke, schoolmaster, had wandered unobserved into the street, and taken up his seat upon the track of the' railway, just as the noon train from Wanganui was a few hundred yards distant. The driver of the engine sounded the whistle in a most violent manner, but without its having the slightest effect upon the child, which still maintained its position unmoved. Fortunately the noise attracted the attention of Mr W. Moore, butcher, who was riding in the same direction, and clapping spurs to his horse, he forged ahead of the train, flung his basket away, and throwing himself to the ground, snatched the child from its perilous position, as, one second later, the train dashed past the very spot where it had been sitting. During all this, the unfortunate mother was standing at the gate spell-bound and paralysed with terror, unable to move from the place where she seemed transfixed with horror. Tbe conduct of Mr Moore, is beyond all praise, for indepeudently of his presence of mind, those who were witnesses of the affair, state that the safety of the child was only ac complished at considerable danger to himself, and at one time it seemed almost certain that the train would be over both. Sleight of hand— liefusing a marriage proposal,