Telegram-herald., 1890-03-31
LLNOST TRAGEDY.
A Grand Rapids Maiden's Narrow
Escape From Frightfnl Death
Brave MeR kescue aer Prem steFy
Grave ana she l. Teaaerly Carea b or
by the >y2 FGIketie >elsheerhsSa.

kzE&As AUN she IL ANAGc@-t A-AA<~ -
by ths sy@FsIhstie >sigheerhsoa.
Domestic life II the Valley City is not
by any means one duh prosslo round
bat there are oftenumes tragedies, mel
Odrsmas and comedies enacted IA the
quiet homes of our citizens that would
be very interesting II they were made
public
0l one Of the principal streets OF the
citv-it may have been Jerierson-sNe.-
during the last cold snap there was an
occurrence that nlight have been uagl-
Cal IN is denOuement, bat fortunately
Il Was not.
The household was wrapped IN SUM
ber when Nary Jane, the hired gifi, re-
turned from the grand ball gwen by
the ancient and honorable order OF bar
tenders, aud finding the doors all last
ened, she humauely resolved 70 avold
rOuslng the sleepeTs. She dismissed
her escort and went around
% the side Of the house 10 Try the wln-
dOws. At last she found what she
supposed 10 be the coal window IA TIE
cellar, uuiastened. Ii was long past
midnight, and the street Was empty, 80
Mary Jane resolved not 10 risk her best
dress and her clean skirts IN gong
through the rather limited aperture.
She swiftly diyested herself of her outer
apparel, and when the brlght-eyed stars
peeped out between the flying clouds,
| they saw the maiden standing alone ln
| the wintry night, clad only IN her base
ball suit and her bushes. The night
wind whistled around the corner and
toyed with her golden hair, and more
| charming cigarette picture MAS never
seen. She got down on all tours and
started crab-fashlon through the cellar
window. Her little Ootsy-tOOtsys struck
out wildly IN all directions for some
thing 10 rest upon, but finding nothing
| She let 90 of the window sill and came
| down kerplunk. Ii was then that Mary
Jane discovered how she had erred ~
| her calculations, for instead of land
ing in coal heap, she found herself
! standing alone IN the silent night IN the
middle of large clstern. The water
came clear up 10 her shoulder blades
and there was about half an inch of ice
Tor an upper crust. Mary Jane exc
cuted terrific war whOOp and the man
J Of the house turned over IN bed and re-
marked 10 hls helpmate:
81 hope the {. & ". NJ. will quit
their dod gasted experimenting with To-
| cOmotive whistles. They blew one a
minute ago that would give fellow
| the tOoth-ache for week"
Just then there came "A blOod-curd-
ling yell of "help. murder" seemingly
from right beneath the bed. The man
of the house lodged under the clothes
while his wife sprang 10 the bureau ior
a revolver. Another search from Mary
Jane assured them that the cry came
from some one in mortal extremity and
very close at hand. The man of tho
house drew on his trousers hind SIDE
before and rushed out doors and found
several of MS neighbors clad IN theiI
night clothes coming toward hls house
They could hear WOman's voice rms
out with tremendous fOrusslmo ere
scendO and then die away with z lOng
drawn shuddorlng wall, like the sac
lament of q screech-oBl, and knowing
that nobody could be practcing classi-
cal muse at that uncarthly hour, they
looked for murder most foul. BY the
(. time they reached the cellar window
Mary Jane was giving tongue like &
whole pack of fOx-hOunds. A lamp wa
brought and It's light revealed hel
standing like TeutOnic Venus IN The
middle of the icy water with blue lip
and staring ewes, and her teeth chat
tenng the FISHERS Hornpipe."
The man Of the house descended
bravely into the icy waste and boosted
Mary Jane through the window. II,
, spent the rest of the night making no
toddy and pouring it down her throa
while crowd Of sympathetic ladle
curried OF her smartlng flesh.
The above IS an actual occurrenc
and Will be better appreciated by thos
Immediately concerned if the name
are suppressed.