North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-06-07
EXTRAORDINARY ESCAPE.
IT, last Abingdon Virgnian contains the following

,r, 1sst Abingdon Virglnlan contains the ioIio"'s
Unit Of most extraordinary circumstance
The children of Mr. George Hickan el nI md
s,ott county, were playing together IN q In their
near the mouth of fathomess' ~ fem wears
Hmhols one of them, boy about egc' - 80 la
sfaoe. push ed his little brother aoout ~ Joar ~
head-long over the edge and down in' oL;id nos
nit below. 1t was some Tune ate, ILL he dra wn
missed before any certain Ioooroo Of him and
rom the others as to what hao Deco!le VI I'm IT,
ol i'e ~, threats of severe punishment, that n
II Mos oo me their fear and extorted from the BOY
may d;d ,bs deed, confession OF what hao naPPen-
" An effort was made lmmeoiateiy esoei' q, =
co. ,;rn of the little fellow, and afford MIN relief
me ,ras not beyond its power. Ropes were tied
II ~ with stone attached to one end and an at
~ was made TO fathom the dePtn oeneath, but
@ han sixty fee: of rope were employed In vain;
mot Ian, r could be reached. A lighted candle was
no oT' lawn. but its light gave no hopeful indica-
men ,ant that the pit was free from choke damp
tol n air as far down as the candle descended.
ame on and all further efforts had to be for
N.Y." oIbandoned On the next day further trials were
the deph of the pit, but with no better sue
sS In despair the frantic parents were about to
CESS al homes of recovering relieving their little
geoat and preparations were being made to close
III ,b month of the pit, to prevent like occurrence
IN the future, when it was suggested and agreed up
IN 'tt NE. another and final effort should be made by
Gus va, come individual down by ropes TO examine
,uro of the abyss and ascertain IT there was
1 encouragement for farther efforts to be found be-
az! brother of the lost child undertook the lear
f :.st Cords were fastened around his waist and
T ur and one to his wrist, by which he might in
to those above his wishes either to descend
o a. bo dawn ND. He swung off and slowly
~ until having gone to the depth of about SO
r h looked below him, and there shone through !
,o thick darkness two gstening eyes lntenty look
inn inward In another moment he was standing
n or angle in the shaft with the child cIasped
~ his bosom. He fastened the little fellow securely
~ his own body, and bidding him take the rope firmly
IN his hands the signal was given to draw up. The
biId held convusively the rope and IN few min
utes thew rose within view of the hundred anxious
snecators, who had assembled to witness the result;
and when the first glimpse of the little fellow alive
cauoh their eager gaze, screams and SHOUTS rom the
excited multitude filled the air. and big tears OF sym
natbv started from the eyes of every beholder After
the first paroxysms of delight had subsidized the
child was examined to if it had sustained any in
iurv. and extraordinary tell, with the exception Of
little bruise on the back of its head, it was perfect
edv sound and unhurt Its only complaint that it
was hungry being nearly 81 hours under the ground.
To injuries made of it, it replied that it saw light
and heard thunder From the nature Of the pitt it
appeared that the little fellow had fallen perpendic
ular distance of 40 feet upon slope or bend in the
shaft, and from that place had Sided down 90 feet
farther to the spot where he found leaning against
sort of pillar or wall, and gazing upward. How
he escaped instant destruction is beyond all account