Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 May 1890 — A Marvelous Escape. [ARTICLE]

A Marvelous Escape.

“It was in 1882, on the 27th of June; you will see why I have no trouble in remembering the date. “It had been an exceedingly hot day, not a cloud to be seen, with the sun beating fiercely down, and not a breath of air stirring. We sat out on the porch after supper, trying to find a cool place. The clouds were beginning to gather, and it looked as if there might be a shower. The three little ones went early to bed, and in spite of the oppressive heat were soon fast asleep.

“It couldn’t have been far from eight o’clock when I heard a sound which lat first thought was thunder. The others noticed it, too, and as it grew louder, a terrible rushing sound came with it, and we looked at one another in silence for a minute, and then ran to where we could look out westward. “My heart almost stopped beating, when I saw coming toward us with terrific speed a black, funnel-shaped cloud, the rush and roar accompanying it growing louder every minute. “‘Run for the cellar!’ I cried. My wife ran and seized the baby, and I caught up the two other children from the bed. There was no time to lose. • ‘“The one who first reached the cel-lar-door—it was one of the older children—had just time to seize the knob, nothing more, when—crash! such a terrific noise! I felt myself lifted in in the air, and thought my time had come. The next thing I knew, I felt the splash of cold water in my face. I must have lost consciousness, but the water revived me, and in a moment I knew where I was. “I had come down head first into the well! “The water was some ten feet deep. I was thoroughly at home in the water, though I wasn’t used to diving in that fashion, and I managed to right myself. and come up head fii’st. “The well was u'ot nrore than three feet across, and the pump had been broken off and carried away, leaving a two-inch iron pipe standing straight up in the middle. I was very nearly out of breath when I came to the top of the water. My hands touched something floating on the surface. I thought it was the cat; imagine my surprise when I found it Was Charlie, our five-year-old boy! “He was terribly frightened, and as amazed as I was, to find himself not alone in the well. The wonder was that we were not both of us impaled on that iron pipe; how we escaped it I can not understand.

“The cyclone had passed on, and a terrific, steady wind was blowing. I could hear it roar above our heads; and by the flashes of lightning I could see that the rain fell in torrents. We were both so wet we didn’t mind the little extra water that splashed down on us, and as soon as possible I raised Gharlie to my shoulders, and by aid of the pipe managed to work my way up to the top of the well. This took some little time, and the wind and rain had nearly ceased when I set my feet on solid earth again, and found we were unhurt.” —M. Louise Ford, in St. Nicholas.