A THRILLING INCIDENT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 164, 30 March 1871, Page 7

A THRILLING INCIDENT.

(From the Ontario "Newmarket Courier." 1 )

Returning from a visit to New Orleans we were fortunate enough to seucre a passage on a line steamer with but few passengers. Among the ladies, one especially interested us. She was the widow of a wealth}- planter, and was returning with only one child to her father's house. Her devotion to the child Avas very touching, and tho eyes of her old black nurse would fill with tears as she besought her " not to love that boy too much, or the Lord would take him away from her."

"We passed through the canal at Louisville, and stopped for - a few minutes at the wharf, when the nurse, wishing to see the city, walked out on the guard at the back of the boat, where by a sudden effort tho child sprang from her arms in the terrible current that swept towards the falls, and disappeared immediately.

The confusion which ensued attracted the attention of a gantlemau whe was sitting in the front part of the boat quietly reading. Rising hastily, he asked for some article the child had worn. The nurse handed him a tiny apron she had torn off in her effort to retain the babe in her arms. Turning to a splendid Newfoundland dog, that was eagerly watchiug his countenance, he pointed first to fie apron and then to the spot where the child had gone under. In an instant the noble dog leaped iuto the rushing water, aud he also soon disappeared.

By this time the excitement was? intense, aud some persons on shore supposing that the dog was lost as well as the child, procured a boat and started off in search of the body. Just at this moment the dog was seen far away with something in its mouth. Bravely he struggled with the waves, but it was evident that his strength was fast failing ; and more than one breast gave a sigh of relief as the boat reached him, and it was announced that he had the child, and it was still alive.

They were brought on shore — tho dog and the child. Giving a single glance to satisfy herself that the child was really living, the young mother rushed forward, and sinking beside the dog, threw her arms round his neck and burst into tears. Not many could view the sight unmoved, and as she caressed and kissed his shaggy head, she looked up to his owner, and said —

"O, sir, I must have this dog ! lam rich ; take all I haye — everything — but give me my child's preserver." The gentleman, patting bis dog's head, said, " T am glad, madam, he has been of service to you ; but nothing iv the world could induce me to part with him."

The dog looked as though he perfectly understood what they were talking about, and giving his sides a shake, laid himself down at his master's feet, with an expression in his large eyes that said plainer than words, " No, nothing shall part us."