Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1869-08-25
4 Little Hero.

In the city of Hartford, Connecticut,
lives the nero OF the true ut>vJrJ am
about to relate,-but no longer little, as
the p~erilous adventure, which made him
for a time famous in his native town, hap
pencd several years ago.
Our hero was then a bright active boy
of fourteen.-the son of a mechanic. In
the severe winter of Is, the father
worked in a factory. about a mile and a
half from home, and every day the boy car
ried him his dinner, across q wide piece Of
meadow land.
One keen, frosty day, he found the snow
on the meadow nearly two feet deep. and
no traces Of the little f%ootpath remaining.
Yet he ran on as fast as possible, p.luging
through drifts, keeping himself warm by
vigorous exercise and brave, cheerful
thoughts.
When in the midst of the meadow. fully
half a mile from any house, he suddenly
felt himself going down, down. down He
had fallen into a well! lie sank down into
the dark ice water, but arose Immediately
to the surface. There he grasped hold Of
a plank, which had fallen into the well 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 speechless, but all
in vain, as it was impossible for him to
make himself heard from such a depth,
and at such a 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. So he vent to
work.
First he drew himself up the plank, aud
braced himself against the top of it and
the wall of the well, which was Of brick,
and quite smooth. Then he pulled off his
coat, and taking out his pocket-knife, cut
off his boots, that he might work to great
er advantage. Then, with his feet against
one side of the wall, and his sboulders
against the other, he worked his ray up,
by the most fearful exertion. about half
the distance to the top. Here he was
obliged to pause, take breath, and rather
up his energies for the work yet 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, grasp
ing places for his fingers, slowly and care
fully all the way up.
1t was almost a hopeless attempt, but it
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 pit
led him. He wrought no miracle to save
him, but breathed into his heart a vet
larger measure of calmness and courage,
s rengthened him to work out his own de-
liverance. 1t is in this way that God Of
tenest 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 stockings
froze to the ice and kept his feetfrom slip
ping, 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 for a moment
to rest, painting out his breath in little
white clouds on the clear frosty air.
He had been tsco hours and a half in tie
ueH!
His clothes soon froze to his BODY. but
be no longer suffered with the cold, as full
Of Joy and t~hankfulness. he ran TO the
where his good father was waiting
wondering. The poor nan was
to 90 without his dinner that dav.
but you may be sure he cared little about
hat, while listening, with tears IN bis eyes,
% the thrilling story his son had to relate