HUMBLE HEROES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 340, 21 March 1874, Page 3

HUMBLE HEROES.

It has frequently been our pleasing but melancholy task to bring under the notice of the public some of the deeds of heroism which adorn •• the short and simple annals of the poor " — deeds which, if performed on a larger stage and before a more numerous audience, would ensure for their authors an immortality of fame. We regret to say that we' have to add another to the list. And jet " regret " is scarcely the proper word to use in connection with the event we are about to describe, because, while we cannot help mourning the loss the community has sustained by the death of one brave man in the execution of his duty as the breadwinner for wife and little ones, we cannot help feeling proud of the courage and selfdenial displayed by his mate, who we are afraid is likely to follow him into the land of shadows. No. 3, Oram's Reef, Caledonian diggings, was recently the scene of an accident similar to those with which, the mining districts are unhappily too f*amiliar, but it had about it certain peculiarities which riveted our attention, and left it out of the ordinary category of such catastrophes. Henry Moore Howard and James Nicholson were pursuing their ordinary avocation in the mine when a mass of rock fell upon them, crushing both beneath its weight. At the usual time Mrs. Howard went to summons them home, but found that her repeated calls met with no response. A man named John Brohan then proceeded down the shaft, and when half way heard the sound of a voice calling. Upon reaching the bottom he found Nicholson lying on his lace in a drive close by. He was qiute sensible, although he had been lying there, doubtless, in almost intolerable anguish for some six hours. With a coolness and stoii-ism which the hardest amongst us may well envy, he quietly said that " he was hurt ;" that he imagiued his back was broken." But even though in extremis, his thoughts were not wholly for himself. He bade the deliverer, without waiting to succour him, go further into the drive and look tor his mate, who, he thought was bleeding to death. A brief exploration only proved how correct his anticipations were. According to the evidence giicn at the inquest, Howard was found in a ntting posture, with his back against the will, propped up by Borne stones and debris whjuh had fallen — dead. His right leg had been literally smashed, and the points of broken bone had. divided large blood vessels, aud so his life ebbed away before help c»uld reach him. Judging by the splinters of bark and other things lying about, he hai endeavored to staunch his wounds, but his efforts had boon all unavailing. We may conclude that he met his death becomingly, for his po<Jr mutilated fellow-sufferer would not have displayed such solicitude for a poltroon. We hej# perpetually that our race is effete and worn out. Worn out it will never be while the equals of men such as James Nicholson and Ilem-y Moore Howard live to sustain and perpetuate its ancient fiune. — " Argus."