Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-07-09

A correspondent writing from Elk Grove,
under date of July 8th, says: Mrs. Louisa
Theabold, living on William Dixon 5
ranch. four miles north of Elk Grove, had
a very narrow escape from drowning on
Friday of last week While looking at
some plants in her garden she happened TO
turn around suddenly, when she noticed a
peculiar movement of board over the
well. She, prompted by curiosity, threw
the board TO one side, and peering down
in the well saw her little boy struggling in
the water. She did not KNOW what to do
to save him from drowning. Her husband
was away with header, and she was alone
on the ranch, with the exception of her two
/ little girls and her little three-year-old boy
| His little sisters called 10 him as lie vas
struggling in the water. swimming
round and round, to catch hold of the pipe
! to keep himself from sinking. This the
| little fellow attempted but failed. His
mother frantic. seeing that her little one
must perish before her sight, Jumped down
| the well. distance Of twenty feet from the
| top to the surface OF the water Just in time
to rescue the boy from a watery grave, by
reaching for him an 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 com
municate with her children only by signs,
| and hanging as she was to 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 reaching
her boy she worked with him and did all
she could in her perilous position to bring
him to. His mouth and eyes We're
wide open, the latter staring and
at first she thought he was
dead Supporting herself by, changing
! to the pipe with the right hand and sup
porting her little boy with her left she
made her little girl understand to go to the
neighbors for help. This the little one did
/ immediately. The nearest neighbor, Mr..
| Anthony Opley. lives three-quarters of a
mile away. Here the little girl met with 4
sore disappointment, 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 sent me here to call
YOU Mrs. Opley told her TO fly back and
cheer up her mother until help could
come. Mrs. Opley then ran on to the next
ranch, Mr.. StetleTs, q quarter OF mile
distant. She found hun and his son at
home. Both went to the rescue of the un-
fortunate 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 ex-
hausted and thoroughly chilled. Mr.. Stel-
ter and his son ar, deserving of great credit
for their prompJ action The little girl
only five years old, went back to the well
as speedily as possible, and in the deaf and
by telling her that help was coming. The
mother says if it had not been for thai
courage given her by her little girl sh,
would have drowned.