Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1886-05-08
FRIGHTFuL EXPERIENCE.
IT.. Bah, Falls Down Well, and ths
Mother Makes Hercul~an Ell
forts to RAscue II.


NEw YORK May A Special from Hor
hellsy.ls says: Frazer French and his
family live TN the old Mines farm, in the
town Of Bradford, this county In the
fanny is a deep well, with low curb,
the water being drawn up by an old fash
ioned sweep. On Saturday all the family
were absent from honie except Mrs. French
and her year old son. FARMER Wrench
came home at noon. There was no one in
tho house He went into the kitchen. On
the table was slate on which was
written in hasty scrawl: Baby
and | are in the we'll" French
ran to the we'll Looking down he saw
his wife in the water clinging to the
wal, but apparently dead Alva Morris, a
neighbor was passing at the time, and re-
sponded to the farmers cries orhelp. Nor
ris let himself down in the well and fastened
a rope around Mrs French, and she was
drawn but, She was alive, but unconscious.
She was restored With altfculty. As soon
as she revived she asked for hef child. The
body of the child was found at the bottom
OF the well, in ten feet Of water, and drawn
to the surface by means of a rope AT
ten O'Clock this forenoon said Mrs. French,
Il went to the we'll after Il psil of water,
taking baby with ie | saw that a board
on the curb was loose; and | ran back
TO the house to get hammer and nails to
fasten the board, and tboughtessly left the
child by the we'll When | came back the
baby was gone. looked in the well and
saw him struggling in the water Thinking
that some one might be in the house soon, /
rushed back and wrote on the slate that we
were in the well, so that we could have
help as soon as possible. | then hurried to
the well again and let myself down. u the
water by the inches in the wal
succeeded In getting the baby
out of tie water with one
hand, while he'd myself above water with
tie bther. | then placed one foot in a
niche On oiie sitie of the we'll and the other
foot on the opposite, and then braced myself
so could keep above the water which was
above my waist. The baby was alive, and
having the Use of both my hands and arms,
soon brought him to. Icalled constantly for
help as loudly as could, Both myself and
the child were terribly chilled by the water
! shouted for aid until my voice was entirely
gone, and then, feeling that we must both
die from exhaustion and cold unless could
reach the top in some way, | began to work
myself up, Using one hand and my feet
Little by little crept upward by aid of the
inches in the wall, and in half an hour
was almost within reaching distance of the
top. How my strength ever held ont
] do not know stopped to rest anC
thought of tossing the baby up over tia,
curb. If | had had strength ehougr
in my arms know | could have done
50. but they were too tired and weak
After resting awhile was feeling arounC
for another place to put my, foot LITTLE
higher to draw my.e If up, when | lost my
footing entirely, and W. fell back into The
water The baby was Knocked back out 0
my arms and wheii CAME to the sitrtac'
of the water could not find him. | re
member grabbing about among the niche
in the wall; and that was all until | CANE
| to after being rescued. must have cluns
to the wall over an hour unconscous.n