The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1885-02-05
Pulled out 81 tie Ground.

One can imagine the citexnent and
anxietyEof the parents Of the littleson
who experienced the thrilling adventure
and escape related below, and their
solemn resolve (when it was almost TO
late) never again to leave a deep hole
uncovered for child to fall in. The
trick Of lifting little children by their
heads, which is thought funny by some
mistaken people, is only justihable as
o last resort in peril as here, and
the man who performed it so patiently
and skilfully and saved % young life is
worthy Of all praise. "a farmer near
Thamesville, Ont, in endeaSvoring to
procure water, drilled atseyeral points
holes in the ground o foot in diameter
and Of various depths, filing each up
before another was commenced, as soon
as it was evident that water was not
there. Mr. 81 IS 5}S,slt5 =
The last one drilled was sunk fifty
feet. Into this hole came water. and
after q time it was partly filled with
water and mud, the latter reduced to
q soft consistency by the forme 9ss ST, L
The family had q little two-year-old
boy playing about the dooryards,s but
suddenly the baby was missed. Calling
him and hunting for him proved futile,
until the father thought 81 the hole:
twelve inches in diameter. 81
$ AS a last resort, without really think
ing the child was there, he: looked into
the hole, but of course could see noth-
ing. While doing so, however, he
thought he heard the .child,s voice, and
after several moments Of anxious listen !.
ing, became satisfied that he was at 4
the bottom, at least twenty-five feet
below the surface, in q space Of such
small circrmference that the possibility
of rescue was q problem.
The neighbors were appealed tosfor
suggestions. Among others itwas.pro-
posed to dig down Il: tbs little zone, but
take two or three days, said
one. and the child might die meantime,
while another called attention to the .
prospect Of smothering or killing the
child by cl DDS falling upon him. "a
Finally o colored man came up, and
was informeds OF tho y catastrophe
and dilemma. He asked for q mirror,
and holding it above the hole, gazed in
to il md saw the reflection Of tie child
OF the bottom. From the sbabyas 3posi-
ton, he had evidently stepped into the
hole, and with his otliing had filled it
SO full as to sink gradually, the mir be-
low offering re sistance enough to pre-
vent any injurio swift descent.
The colored man mex i asked for
rope, on the end Of which lle made
LOOP; large enough to go over the ohild,s
head. Then he pro cured wood en- strips
which he, fastened strongly together,
until he had one strip twenty Eve feet
or mora il length. He dropped the
rope down the hole and lowered the
wooden strip. II r
While another person, held the mir
ror above the co1ored man knalt BY!
the opening, and taking bis bearings By
frequent obsery ationss in the mirror,
worked faith fully u! to place the loop over
the head Of the little one. Il
Meanwhile d physic lant had been sent
for, that he might be at hand ID base Of
need. The colored man tried againsan
again TO get the loop over the back Of
the child s head and around under his
nose. The pressure against; his nose,
caused the little one to throw; his head
| back as for rs possible thus bringing
the weigh Sprinci pally on the back of
the head, and ID this position lie was
s}pnlle dup To The .snr face. apctoy,
examined him and found him little the.
sworse for his \ emarkab1e experience,
and he was then returned to lis over
1 loyed parents and d proper guard placed
/ about the mouth of the hole. Il An