The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1861-01-03
A LATHE HERO.

A LiTrLE HLRO. rs
Grace Greenwood writes this little sto
~ for the Little Pilgrim. She gets tn,
facts from an incident described ia Oh,
Hartford Daily Times; e
In the City Of Hartford, Connecticut
lisss the hero Of the true history | an
about to relats-but no longer " little,
asthe perilous adventure, which mad,
him for time famous in his natiy,
town. happened several years ago.
Our hero was then bright, active boz
OF fourteen-the son of mechanic. Ii
the severe winter of IS, the father
worked in factory, about mile and ,
half from his home, aud every day tho
boy carried him his dinner, across q
wide pieae of meadow land.
One keen frosty day, he found the
snow on this meadow nearly two feet
deep, aud no traces of the little footpath
remaining. Yet he ran on, as fast as
possible, punging through drifts-keep
ing himself warm by vigorous exercise,
and brave, cheerful thoughts
When in the midst Of the meadow,
fully half a mile from any house, he sud-
denly felt himself going down, down.
down {! He had fallen into a well.
lie sunk down into the dark, icy wa.
ter, but rose Immediately to the surface
There he grasped hold of plank, which
had fallen into the we'll as he went down.
One end of this rested on the bottom of
the well. the other rose about four feet
above the surface of the water.
The poor lad shouted for help until he
was hoarse and almost speeches., but all
IN vain, as it was Impossible for him to
make himself heard from such 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 ex.
tremely cold in the water. 50 he went
to work.
First, he drew himself up the plank,
and braced himself against the top of it
aud the vail of the well, which was Of
brick, and quite smooth. Then he pull
led off his coat, and taking out his peck
ct knife, cut off his boots, that he might
work to greater advantage Then, with
his feet asaius. one side of the well. and
tbs shoulders against the other, he work
ed his way up, by the most fearful exer
ton, about half the distance to the ton
lie he was obliged to pause, take
breath, and gather up his energies for the
work before him. Far harder was it
than all he had yet gone through, for the
side of the well being from that point
completely covered with ice, he must
cut with his knife, grasping places
for his fingers. slowly and carefully, all
the way up
1t Was almost hopeless attempt but
It was all he could dc. And here the
little hero lifted up his Heart to God, and
prayed fervcutly for hep, fearing he
could never get out alone
Doubtless, the Lord heard his voice
calling from the deeps, and itieL him.
lie wrought no miracle to save him, but
brea'hed into his heart a yet larger meas
'ure OF calmness ani courage, strengthen
ing him to work out his own deiverance.
1t is In this way that God oftenest an
swers our prayers, when we call upon
him In time of trouble.
After this, the little hero cut his way
upward, inch by inch, His wet stock
lnss froze to the ice, and kept his feet
from slipping, but his shirt was quite
worn from his shoulders ere he reached
Nhe top.
lie did reach it at last, crawled out in
to the snow, and lay down a moment to
rest, painting out his breath in little
white clouds on the clear frosty air.
lie had been two hours and half in
the well.
His clothes soon froze to his hodv,
tut he no longer suffered with the cold.
as full of joy and thankfulnesS, he ran to
the factory, where his good father was
waiting and wondering.
The poor man was obliged to 90 with
out his dinner that day, but you may be
sure he cared little about that, while is.
TENN" with tears in his eyes to the Thrill
ling story his son had to relate to him.
He must have been very proud of the
boy that day, as he wrapped him up in
his own warm overcoat, and took him
home to "motE err"
And how that mother must have wept
and smiled over the lad, and kissed him.
and thanked God for him.