The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1908-12-18

1he capI.tl lag Falls Into An Old
well -Hls Lifs Saved hy
Psnalna Grape Vine.


Nose Shepard, an elderly eOlored man,
oa the janitor force at the capitol, had
very tragic experience Monday night
While en- his way home.
Is lives about a mile out beyond
ab0ard Air Line Railway track,
cn Bellaire road, and, being late in
ao home on this particular night, he
took short cut through field in which
there was an abandoned well. The path
runs close by this well. but as it is per-
fectly familiar ground TO Nose he appre-
pended no danger. However, just as
Be came abreast of the well his foot
slipped and down he went, head-tore-
most. At a depth of about fifty feet he
struck water, but, being good swim
naer, he kept himself ahOat. The bot
tom of the well, below a narrow strip
Of curbing which still remains in place,
ia caved in and forms quite a good sized
pool, on the surface Of which floats a
number of old planks from the eurbing.
By the aid of these Nose climbed up
upon the curb and sat there until he
could recover somewhat from hls fright
and establishment. Then he took sew
eral of the panks and stuck them cross
wise into the clay sides OF the well
above the curbing, and, slowly and la
boriously, little by little, climbed up
until he almost reached the top.
But the treacherous soil gave way
and he fell back into the water. Again
he rested, and again made the attempt
to climb out, only to fall the third time
into the depths below. After this last
failure, almost despairing, the poor
fellow climbed upon the curb, braced
himself with planks so that he would
not fall into the water should insensl-
bility Overtake him, then, cold, wet and
exhausted, began his weary waiting for
the dawn. He could hear the sounds OF
life all around him; trains passing, wag-
ons going along the road, cattle lowing
and dogs barking; even the voices OF
men-men who could have helped him,
but who, all unknowing, passed by on
the other side. He was left alone 70
wait for an expected death. =" He had
no hope Of being found. His voice,
made hoarse by hours Of calling for aid,
refused to utter sounds which would
rise TO the earth above. Salvation, il 1t
came at all, must come through his own
effQV should he still be alive when the
daylight came.
AT last the morning broke. Almost
too stiff TO move, Nose commenced
gain to arrange his planks in the sides
the pit and to climb upon them as he
thad done with such disastrous results
during the night. With the light, how
ever, came hope of deliverance. A
grape vine grew upon the brink Of the
well and long pendant hung down just
behind his back. In the darkness 1t had
not been seen. He caught and tried it,
cautiously, seeing how much OF his
weight it would bear. Finally, he de-.
cided to trust it, and so, between the
improvised ladder and the heaven-sent
grape vine, Nose at last reached the
top, safe, but almost dead by reason Of
the terrible experience through which
he had passed
He lay on the ground long time too
weak to move-toO thankful to do more
than thank God for life and safety.
"Ah, Missls, he SAID in telling his story
later, Il can't tell you what | passed
through. ! didn't ever expect to see
my wife and children again, and had
nothing TO do but just sit there, half in
the water and half out, wondering what
sort of death / was going to die
whether I'D fall into the water and
drown, or whether I'd sit there until /
starved. And yet / hoped on, and tried
to trust God to send me help And
tell you what when ! saw that grape
vine, knew God had put it there 10
help meout of that we'll "
Nose Is an honest, sober and reliable
negro, highly thought of by our white
citizens, all of whom would have been
exceedingly sorry. had his accident re-
shifted in death.