River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-03-26
A EiifIe Herr.

In the city Of Hartford. CT, lives the
hero OF the true story ! am about to re-.
late but no longer ''little, as the peril.
GUS adventure which made him famous in
his native town happened several years
ago.
Our hero was then bright active boy
oil 1.-THE son Of a mechanic. In the Sc.
we're winter Of 1885 the father worked in
q factory about mile from his home, and
every day the boy carried him his dinner
across piece of meadow land. One keen,
frosty day, he found the snow on this
meadow nearly two feet deep, and no
traces Of the footpath remaining. Yet
he ran on as fast as possible, plunging
through drifts, keeping himself warm by
vigorous exercise, and brave, cheerful
thoughts. When in the midst of the
meadow, fully half mile from the house,
he suddenly felt himself going down,
down
He had fallen into we'll. He sank
DOM, down into the dark, icy water, but
rose Immediately to the surface. There
he grasped hold of plank which had fall.
len 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 he water. The poor lad
shouted for help until he was almost
speechless, but ali in vain, as it was inn
possible to make himself heard from such
depth, and at such distance from the
house. So at last he concluded that If he
was saved at all he must save himself,and
begin at once as he was getting extreme
ly cold in the water. So he went to
work
First he drew himself up the plank,
and braced himself against the top Of it
and the sail Of the well, which was Of
brick and quite smooth. Then he pulled
of his coat, and taking out his pocket
knife he cut off his boots, that he might
90 to work to greater advantage. Then,
with his feet against one side Of the we'll,
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, to
take breath, and gather up his energies
for the work yet before him. Far hard
er was it than all he had gone through,
for the side being from that point COW
cred with ice, he must cut with his knife
grasping places for his fingers, slowly and
carefully, all the way up. Ii was almost
hopeless attempt, but it was all
that he could do. And here the
little hero lifted up his heart to
God and prayed iervently for help. fear
ing that he could never get out alone.
Doubtless the Lord heard his voice calm.
from the deep, and ptied him. lie
wrought no miracle to save him, but he
breathed into his heart yet larger meas
ure OF calmness and courage, strengthen
ing him to work out his own deliverance.
After this the little hero cut his way
upward, inch by inch. His wet stockings
froze to the ice and kept his feet from
slipping, but his shirt was quite worn
from his shoulders ere he reached he top.
He did reach it at last; crawled out into
the snow and lay down for moment TO
rest, painting out his breath in little white
clouds on the clear frosty air. lie had
been o hours and half in the we'll.
His clothes soon froze to his body, but he
no longer suffered with cold, as. full of
Joy and confidence, he ran to the factory,
where his father was waiting and won
dering.
The poor man had to 60 without his
dinner that day, but you may be sure he
cared little about that, while listening
Sith tears in his eyes to the thrilling
story his son had TO relate to him. He
must have been proud of the boy, that
day, as he wrapped him in his own warm
overcoat and took him home to another"
Al L. IL
and smiled over the lad, and kissed him
ond thanked God for him Grace
Greenwood.