The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-09-11
A PER1r.oUs POSITION.
Hanging Between Life and Death.

a l. Gxb41iVSo ANoAAA0A''
Hanging Between Life and Death.
Special Dispatch to the Atlanta Constitution.
STONE MOUNTAIN, August go.
Our usually quiet village was thrilled
ith an excitement yesterday evening
that blanched the cheeks of woman and
paralyzed the arms of men for while.
Our citizens had witnessed the rescue of
a man from perilous position on the
steep side of Stone Mountain years ago.
But the case lacked the elements of
thrilling excitement and miraculous pre-
seryation that characterized the escape
of little ten-year old girl yesterday
evening from death horrible in the ex-
treme.
Mrs. W. @. Jones, Of Augusta, who
has been spending the summer with her
children at the Jossy House, in Decatur,
came here yesterday to go up on the
mountain and enjoy the view for the last
time preparatory TO going back to her home
| in Augusta. The children were en-
Unused and delighted at the trip, running
hither and thither, through groves of ce-
dar, and mounting the heaps of bould-
ers piled up in fantastic sbape-enjoy.
ment was at its highest point as each
cheek glowed with the flush of pleasure
and the merry tones of childhood's sill
very music voiced delight that none but
little cherubs like them can feel. The
golden sky ofjoy was overcast by cloud
at once sombre and chilling. Unnoticed,
little Emma, charming fairy creature of
some ten years of age, had wandered off
and could not be found. 1t was near the
north side, with its perpendicular descent
Of over fifteen hundred feet, and hearts
almost ceased to beat, palled by the fear
-ahorror 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 pulpy
mass at the foot Of the mountain. TO
intensity this horror, the sun was rapid
ly declining in 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 crevices with
teuacity truly remarkable. They
shouted to her to "hold on" and relief
would come. She took in the situation
and held on while she called out for as-
sistance in the hope that her mother and
sister might know where she was. The
news spread like fire in o broomsedge
field, and a large crowd soon gathered
on the mountain. The first chill of hor-
ror was succeeded by fever of excitement
to rescue the darling one, lest by some
unguarded movement she might lose her
slender hold and fall to certain death.
And now came moment fraught with in
lenses interest.
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 1900 feet
or more below her. She was resting
on narrow ledge of rock scarce
ly 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 ven
ture down. Mr.. George H. Goldsmith,
fired by q noble desire to rescue the
child from certain death, was let down
by means of rope. Slowly the rope is
rolled off; eyes watch every moment 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 with convulsive
grasp she seized hold upon him, and he
signals to ascend. Hands now work
with frenzied activity, prayers ascend
from aching hearts that the rope may
hold; 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 higher
wave of rejoicing as she is clasped in the
fond embrace of loving hearts. Then as
cended to the Most High Inscriptions of
praise from thankful hearts for the res
cue of the child, and petitions for the
richest benisons on her youthful res.
cuer.
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 grasp
ed the creyice of the rocks as stated.
To let go was to fall, and she held
on.
Her position was one of great DANCE,
especially for one of her tender years,
and her nerve is truly wonderful. Alto
gether, her escape from instantaneous
death is miraculous, and her adventure
is one that seldom falls to the lot of one
so young. Little Emma will ever re-
member the meaning of the word saved.
Mr.. "Stauny" Sans, who accompanied
Mrs. Jones to the mountain, in endeav.
oring to discover little Emma, walked
nearly mile around the brow of the
mountain, over the roughest kind of To-
calities. To expedite his movements he
pulled off his boots, and at the close Of
his search his feet were bruised and
bleeding. He reached a part of the
mountain far below the point where EN-
ma was, and saw her position. He hur-
riedly proceeded to Stone Mountain for
assistance. The people responded as
ono man. Stores were closed, business
was suspended, and men, women and
children partook of the excitement
Little Emma was rescued, as stated, by
George II. Goldsmith, who is the recipi-
ent Of the highest encomiums of praise.
Mr.. Sans, ne regret to learn, is con-
fined to his bed to-day by his sore and
swollen feet, the results of his efforts yes
terday. He was to have left for Nash
vile to-day.
ST. GEORGE.
49,. c,, n II I1y.1