Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-23
BOY'S MARROW ESCAPE.
He Falls Into n Well and Struggles TO the
surface--whnt BereII Farmer Beiler's Lit
tie Sen.

DulluingS nave crumDled INTO decay, ana
in what was once the dooryard OF the
dwelling Is an old well. The cattle OF the
adjoining farmers have free access to the
deserted fields. The well was covered with
boards by the owners OF the cattle 10 insure
their safety in roaming about. This COW
ering in time became hidden be1cath layers
Of fallen caves. ar the existence OF the
well had almost been forgotten.
One day last week, according to a resi-
dent Of the neigbborhood, ten-year.old
son Of Farmer Beiler started out in the
brush lots blackberrying. He was in the
habit Of roaming about IN the woods, and
he was frequently absent until late in the
afternoon. He was never known TO be ab-
sent. however, until after the supper hour,
which is O'Clock, and when, on the day
in question. that hour came and passed,
and the hoy was still away. hs parents
became uneasy. aud his father start
ed In the direction OF the deserted
farm, thinking TO meet him on the way.
II grew dark, and the farmer, now greatly
alarmed, returned home and procured
lantern. and returned to the brush lots,
calling his boy by name. He received no
response, and finally turned in haste
towards home with the intention OF en-
listing the neighborS in an organized
search for the missing boy. He made
his way by a short cut which brought
him through the yard Of the deserted
farmhouse. As he hurried across it faint
cry broke on his ear, and he stopped and
called his sons name. A faint " Here!
was heard in reply, off to the farmers
right, and he threw the light from his Ian
tern In that direction. In it, rays he saw
the missing boy lying on the ground but a
few feet away. Mr.. Beier ran to him, sup
posing that he had fallen and broken leg
or received some other injury. What was
his as.onishment and horror TO see that the
boy was lying almost on the edge OF the
old well, the covering OF which was
broken. revealing by the light OF
the lantern an opening on one side
OF the well about two feet wide.
The father raised his boy from the
ground. Hcwas dripping wet and SILVER
| ing with cold dhe night being one OF the
chilly ones Of last week. and apparently
nearly exhausted. The farmer wrapped
| his coat 1round the hoy, and taking him in
| bis arms hurried with him for home. which
gas n quarter OF a mile away. Once there,
| the boy was cared for, and in a short time
was able to explain how be came to be in
the condition in which he was found, which
| be did substantially rs follows:
On leaving home he sought the hill 2
mile away, where he filed bis basket with
berries. He then discovered ground
! hogs hole on the hillside, and attempted
/ TO dig tie occupant out. Absorbed in this
| he did not notice that it was growing late,
and the sun was low before he became
aware OF it. lie then hurried hOmeward,
reaching the old farm about o'clock. lie
| took the short cut through the farm
yard. when suddenly the ground. as
! h. thought, gave way beneath him,
| and the next instant he found him.
| self nOundcring in water. lie reglined
| hls feet, and as soon as he could collect his
senses. began feeling around TO find ont il
possible where he was. He stood IN water
| up 10 his waist, ard it was exceedingly
| cold. With the exception Of stream OF
! dim light he could see above him, all was
as dark as night. BY feeling about with
| his hands. he found 4 wall circling around
| him, and then for the first time ne realized
| that he was at the bottom OF well.
! although he never before knew OF its exist
| ence.
At first be was almost overcome with
! terror at his situation, but the first appall-
| ing thought over, he as calmly aS possible
| sci about finding some way to escape from
/
! the wall OF the well was laid were rough
and Jagged, aud between them, as he found
/ by reaching up along the wall, were large
/ chinks and creyicos. The boy said he knew
| there could be no other way OK escape for
him except by climbing up the wall by the
bcIp Of the prOtruding edges Of the stones
! and the cracks between them. The well
was too wide for him to place one foot on
one side and the other on the opposite
/ side, by which means his ascent would
/ have been comparatively easy, and so he
must make his way up by clamoering on
one side alone, or remain in the well until
/ his critical position might be discovered,
| the chances Of which he feared were very
remote for that night a. least, and ne
| doubted the possibility Of his being able to
sustain himself many hours in the confines
| Of the well. After several attempts he
succeeded in drawing himself out OF the
water one chnk in the wall anordins him
footing while he felt carefully about for
another. BY the fast disappearing streak
/ Of light above the boy could Judge that the
/ surface was not many feet above him, and
/ he said that a. he slowly approached the top
/ lie prayed earnestly FOR strength to reach
IL. The ascsnt was slow and painful. The
bows fingers were torn 10y the sharp stones
as he clutchcd his way upward, and he
could feel the Hood come out from under
hls nails as he pressed his fingers in the
creyices above him and drew himself TO the
places lie found for bis toes to rest on. His
! progress was so slow that the streak Of light
had entirely disappeared before he had
been able to get within reaching dis
tance OF the opening through which it
had come. He finally worked himself up
so that he could see that he was almost
within reach OF the opening'5 cage. lie felt
that the fastening OF his fingers in one
more chink in the wall and one
more step upward OF his feet would carry
| him TO the surface, when he could easily
draw himself out. He reached one hand
cautiously upward TO find a creyice, and
there vas none. n large, smooth stone MI
cd The space above him. At either side OF
it., lust within his reach, there was a chlnk,
but 10 make them Of service to him he
must edge alOrg the face OF the wall IN or
der TO bring his feet directly in under the
creyice above. Unless he could do this he
was no better off than he had been at the
bottom Of the we'll Slowly and cautious
ly he moved sidewlSc around the
circle, aud was reaching up to feel
IL his way was clear, when he lost his foot
| luz anu ltil dBdil III lht Nhiiif 'N''A ~ '''N
bottom. He gave wavt TO violent grief wnen
he found that his almost superhum1n
efforts TO escape from the well had come to
naught. He shouted for help until he was
too hoarse to cry aloud. For long time
he could not muster sufficient courage to
begin the fatiguing and perilous ascent
again, but the thought OF the agony OF his
parents at his long and unaccountablc
absence ncryed him to another effort. For
nearly three hours he struggled for liberty.
and at last, when almost faintinS from
exhaustion, he felt his hands grasp the
upper edge OF the wall, and, concentrating
all his remaining strength in one last
effort. be drew himself out on the ground,
and knew no more until he heard his
fathers voice calling him.
1t was 10 O'Clock when Farmer Beller
came across his boy at the well. and the
latter must have been lying there uncon-
scious for nearly an hour. The boys
fingers were worn to the bone IN places
and his legs were badly lacerated. The re-
lapse from the OyeTgr0ught state OF MS
nerves left him i'll with braln-feyer, but he
is out Of danger.