The Daily Union

From the Boston Post.

TWO LIVES PRESERVED BY A CHILD TWELVE YEARS OLD.

On Monday afternoon, September 1, a party of ladies—consisting of Mrs. James Oakes, of this city, her two sisters, Mrs. Knapp, of Newburyport, and Mrs. Mosely, of Boston, and Mrs. O.'s daughter, Miss Garafelia Oakes, who will be twelve years old in December—went from Newburyport to Plumb Island, to bathe. They all came out of the water except Mrs. Mosely, and went a short distance upon the beach to dress. While they were dressing, Mrs. R. N. Berry, of this city, who was also upon the beach, heard Mrs. Mosely scream "Save me! save me!" Mrs. Berry called to Mrs. Knapp, and told her that her sister was drowning. Mrs. Knapp, with a natural impulse, rushed into the water to save her sister, but immediately found herself beyond her depth, and called upon Mrs. Berry to save her. Mrs. B. was in full dress, not having been in to bathe, but she waded in up to her neck, and reaching out, seized a part of Mrs. Knapp's clothing, and drew her on shore.

By this time Mrs. Oakes heard the screaming, and seeing her sister, Mrs. Mosely, floundering in the water, pushed out to attempt her rescue; but she, too, soon found herself sinking, and in her turn cried out to her daughter, "Garafelia, save me! save your mother!" Mrs. Berry saw that both ladies must inevitably drown, without prompt succor, and, with great presence of mind, she advised Garafelia to put on her life preserver and save her mother. Quicker than lightning, (to use Mrs. Berry's words) the heroic girl had on her preserver, plunged in, swam to the spot where her mother was sinking, seized her by the hair of her head, which was all that was above water, and dragged her to Mrs. Berry, who had waded in to receive her; and, together, they laid her upon the beach, perfectly insensible, and with every appearance of a drowned person. But Mrs. Berry's self-possession had not deserted her; and she implored Garafelia now to leave her mother, and rescue her aunt, Mrs. Mosely, who had already sunk. As she rose, Garafelia swam towards her, calling out, "Keep up, aunty! keep up! I'm coming; I've saved mother, and will save you!" and, with these words, she reached the drowning woman, and drew her also on shore, unconscious of all.

Dr. Atkinson, of Newburyport, who happened to be upon the island, was soon at hand, and assisted in restoring animation to the two ladies, who had been in such imminent danger. He said that neither of them could have lived two minutes longer in the water. Mrs. Atkinson, Mr. Thompson, the hotel-keeper, and his family, and Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Titcomb, were also extremely kind to the distressed party.

It appears that Mrs. Mosely was seized by cramp, lost her self-control, and was drawn by the current into water ten or fifteen feet in depth. The coolness of Mrs. Berry, and the admirable courage and quickness of Miss Oakes, prevented a catastrophe that would have been afflictive beyond description.