Nebraska advertiser., 1861-12-05
NEBRAsKA THURSDAY, DEC,
A Little Hero.

Grace Greenwood writes the follow
ing little gtory-and a true one it is
for the Little Pilgrim, child's paper.
/ She gets the facts from an incident
described in the Hartford Daily Times
some years ago, as having happened
in Colts Meadows:
In the city of Hartford Conn, lives
the hero Of the true history I am about
to relate-but no longer "little," as
the perilous adventure, which made
him for the time famous in his native
town, happened several years ago.
Our hero was then bright, active
boy, Of fourteen years-the son Of a
mechanic. In the severe winter of
18-, the father worked in factory,
about a mile and-a-half from his home,
and every day the boy carried him his
dinner, across wide piece Of meadow
land.
One keen frosty day, he found the
snow on his meadow nearly two feet
deep, and no traces Of the little foot
path remaining. Yet he ran on, as
fast as possible, plunging through
drifts-keeping himself warm by the
most vigorous, and brave, cheerful
thoughts.
When in the midst of the meadow,
full half mile from any house, he
suddenly felt himself going down,
down He had fallen into a we'll =
He sunk down into the dark, icy water,
but arose Immediately to the surface.
There he grasped hold of plank
hich had fallen into the we'll as he
went down. One end of this rested
on the bottom of the well, while the
other rose about four feet above the
surface of the water.
The poor lad shouted for help until
he was hoarse and almost spheechless,-
but all in vain, as it was impossible for
him to make himself heard from such
q depth, and at such distance from
any house. So at last he concluded
that if he was to be saved at all, he
must save himself, and begin at once,
as he was getting extremely cold in the
water. So he went to work.
First, he drew himself up the plank,
and braced himself at the top of it and
the wall Of the well, which was built Of
brick and had become quite smooth.
Then he pulled off his coat, and taking
out his pocket knife, cut off his boots
that he might work to greater advan
tage. Then, with his feet against one
side of the well, and his shoulders
against the other, he worked his way
up, by the most fearful exertion, about
half the distance to the top. Here he
was obliged to pause, take breath and
gather up his energies for the work
vet before him. Far harher was it
than all he had gone through, for the
side of the we'll being from that point
completely covered with ice, he must
cut with his knife, grasping places for
his fingers, slowly and carefully ait the
way up.
1t was almost a hopeless attempt,
but il was all he could do. And here
the little hero lifted up his heart to
God, and prayed fervently for help,
fearing he could never get out alone.
Doubtless the Lord heard his voice
calling from the deeps, and pitied him.
He wrought no miracle to save him,
but breathed into his heart yet larger
measure of calmness and courage,
strengthening him to work out his own
deliverance.
After this, the little hero cut his
way up inch by inch. His wet stock
ings froze to the ice, and kept his feet
from slipping, but his shirt was quite
worn from his shoulders ere he reached
the top. He did reach it at last
crawled out into the snow, and lay
down moment to rest, painting out
his breath in little white clouds on the
clear, frosty air.
He had been ttgo hours and a half 6a
the aOeU!
His clothes soon froze to his body,
but he no longer suffered with the
cold, as full of JOY and thankfullness
he ran to the factory, where his good
father was waiting and wondering.
The poor man was obliged to 60
without his dinner that day, but you
NAV be sure he cared little about that,
while listening with tears in his eyes
to the thrilling story his son had to
relate to him.
He must have been very proud of
his boy that day, as he wrapped him
in his own warm overcoat, and took
him home to ''mother."
And how that mother must have
wept and smiled over the lad, and
kissed him and thanked God for him.
To SoFTEN OLD PUTTY.--In remOv-
ing old broken panes from a window, it
is generally very difficult to get OF the
hard. dry putty, that sticks rourd the
glass and its frame. An exchange says:
Dip small brush of nitric or muratic