The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-09-04
THRILLING ADVENTURE AT STONE
MOUNTAIN.
\ Little Girl Suspended Over 1 800
Foot ChaSm.

Yesterdays Atlanta Constitution.
STONE MOUNTAIN, Aug. 19.-Our
usual quiet village was thrilled with
an excitement yesterday evening that
blanched the cheeks Of women and
paralyzed the arms of men for awhile.
Mrs. w. 9. Jones, Of Augusta, who
has been spending the summer with
her children at the Jossey House in
Decatur, came here yesterday to 90 up
on the mountain and enjoy the view
for the last time preparatory to going
back to her home in Augusta. The
children were enthused and delighted
at the trip, running hither and thither
through groves of cedar, and mounting
the heaps Of boulders piled up in fan
tastic shape.
Unnoticed, little Emma, charm
ing fairy creature Of some ten years Of
age, had wandered off and could rot
be found. 1t was near the north side,
with its perpendicular descent of over
800 feet, and hearts almost ceased to
beat, palled by the fear-a horror that
creeped through the frame and ran
through the marrow like a wire of cold
steel-that the bright eyes and fairy
form of the fair Emma was q pulpy
mass at the foot of the mountain. To
intensity this horror, the sun was rap
idly declining the west, and soon
night would close in on the scene.
Parties in the valley, on the north side
of the mountain, saw however, the
child way up the mountain side,
bleak and bare, clinging to the Gre
vices with tenacity truly remarkable
They shouted to her to 'shold on and
relief would come. She took in the
situation and held on while she called
out for assistance in the hope that her
mother and sisters might know where
she was. The news spread like fire
in broom sedge, and a large crowd
soon gathered Oh the mountain. The
first chill Of horror was succeeded by Il
fever Of excitement to rescue the dar-
ling one, lest by some unguarded
movement she might lose her slender
hold to certain death And now came
amOment fraught with intensest inter
list.
The point where little Emma was
lodged was over one hundred feet from
the top, with perpendicular fall of
some fifty feet just above her and fifteen
hundred feet or more below her. She
was resting on a narrow ledge of rock
scarcely large enough to hold her; in
fact, she maintained her position by
thrusting her fingers in the crevices
among the lichens growing there. Few
men cared to venture down. Mr. Geo.
H. Goldsmith, however, fred by a
noble desire to rescue the child from
certain death, was let down by means
of the rope. Slowly the rope rolled
off; eyes watch every movement
with intense eagerness, and
hearts throb wild and fast as
young Goldsmith descends. A
pause-a thrill-as he leaves the rock
and seems to be in mid-air. At last he
spies her; he reaches her with a con-
vulsive grasp she SEXES hold upon him,
and he signals to ascend. Hands now
work with frenzied activity prayers
ascend from aching hearts that the
rope may hold out eyes and hearts
are strained to their utmost tension
until sight of her is caught.
At last she is brought in safety to
the top. A wave of satisfaction breaks
over the multitude, breaking out in a
higher wave of rejoicing as she is
clasped in the fond embrace Of loving
hearts. Then assembled to the Most
High Inscriptions of praise from thank
full hearts for the rescue of the child,
and petitions for the richest benizons
on her youthful rescuer.
Emma states that while strolling
about she slipped and fell to the point
where the ledge stopped her descent.
and in her efforts to protect herself
she grasped the crevice of the rocks as
stated. To let go was to fall, and she
held on.