Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-08-07
A BRAVE WOMAN.
Devoted Mother Saves Her ChiId,s
Life at a Deadly Risk.

- 11SsohSa saves
Life AT a Deadly Risk.
A correspondent writing from Elk
Grove to The Sacramento Record
Union, under date of JULY, saws:
Mrs. Louisa Fheabold, living on Will
liam DlXon's ranch, four miles north
OF Elk Grove, had very narrow es-
cape from drowning one day last
week. While looking at some plants
IN her garden she happened to turn
around suddenly, when she noticed
peculiar movement of board over
well. She, prompted by curiosity,
threw the board 10 one side. and peer
ing down in the well saw her little boy
struggling in the water. She did not
drowning. Fl II husband was away
with herder, and she was alone on
the ranch. with the exception of her
two little girls and her little Swear
old boy. His little sisters called to
him as he was struggling in the water,
swimming round and round, to catch
hold or the pipe to keep hlmSelf from
sinking. This the little fellow at
tempted, but failed. His mother, fran
tic, seeing that her little one must
perish before her sight, jumped down
into the well, a distance of twenty
feet, just in time to rescue the boy
from watery grave, by reaching for
him at arms length beneath the
water. What added to the distress
still more was the fact that the mother
is both deaf and dumb, consequently
could communicate with her children
only by signs, and hanging as she did
on the pipe with one hand, the other
arm supporting her half drowned
child, this was exceedingly difficult
The water in the well by actual
measurement is nine feet. After reach
ing her boy she worked with him and
did all she could in her perilous posi-
ton to bring him to. His mouth and
eyes were wide Oopen, the latter star
ing, and at first she thought he was
dead. Supporting herself by changing
to the pipe with the right hand and
supporting her little boy with the left,
she made her little girl understand to
go to the neighbors for help. This
the little one did Immediately. The
nearest Aeighbor, Mr.. Anthony Opley,
lived three-quarters of mile away.
Here the little girl met a sore disap-
pointment, as Mr.. Opley was not at
home. Mrs. Opley asked the little
girl if her mother was still living, and
when she replied, ''Yes. and ssnt me
here to call YOU" Mrs Opley told her
to fly back and cheer up her mother
until help should come. Mrs. Opley
then raa on to the next ranch, Mr..
Stetler's, quarter of milo distant.
She found him and his sons at home.
Both went to the rescue of the unfor~
tunate woman without delay. When
they arrived at the we'll they found
that the lady had been in the cold
water for upwards of an hour, was
completely chilled, and could not
have held out five minutes longer.
By the use of block and tackle Mr..
Stetler and his son soon had the boy
to the surface, and next his heroic
mother. Both were nearly exhausted
and thoroughly chilled. Mr.. Stetler
and his son are desevlng of great
credit for their prompt action. The
little girl, only years old, went back
to the well as speedily as possible, and
in the deaf and dumb language kept
cheering her mother by telling her
that help was coming. The mother
says if it had not been for the courage
given her by her little girl she would
have dro wned.