Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 August 1869 — A Little Hero. [ARTICLE]

A Little Hero.

In the city of Hartford, Connecticut, live* the hero of the true history I am about to relate—but no longer “little,” as the perilous adventure, which made him for a time famous in his native town, happened several years ago. Our hero was then a bright, active boy of foiirtocn—the son of a mechanic. In the sittp* winter of 18—, the father worked in a factory; about a mile and a half from his lipme, and eyery day the boy jearried him hit dinner aeross a wide piece of meadow land. One keen, frosty day, he found the snow on this meadow nearly two feet deep, and no traces of the little’foot-path remaining. Yet he rah on as mst as possible, pliipgmg through drifts—and keeping himself JWjm by vigorous exercise apd Dfave, qjieenul thoughts. ' _', ‘ When in the midst of the meadow, fully half a mile frgm i*py house, he found himself going down, down, down! He had fallen into a well! He sank down into the dark ice water, but rose immediately to the surface. There he grasped hold of a plank, which had fallen into the well as lie went down. One end of this rested on the' bottom of- the well, the other rose about four feet above the surface of the water. • The poor lad shouted for help until he was hoarse and almost speechless, but all in vain, as it was impossible to make himself heard at such a distance from any house. So at last he concluded that if he was saved at all he U)USt sava himself, and began at fined, ha he Waifcettmg extremely cold In the water. So he went to wotk. First, he drew himself up the plank, and braced hlmsdl' against the top ofit SrWfcpm off hiscsat,ana faking out nis poclcet lune, cut off his boots, that be might work to gasaws JAtta tiers against the other, lie worked his way up, by the most fearful exertion, about half the distance to the top. Here he was obliged to pause, take breath, and gather up his energies for the work yet before him. Far harder was it than all he had yet gone through, for the side of the well being from that point completely covered with ice, he must cut with his knife grasping places for his fingers, slowly ana carefully all the way up. It was almost a boneless attempt, but it was all that hh could do. Ann here the little hero lifted up his heart to Hod, and prayed fervently for help, fearing he could never get out alone. Doubtless the Lord heard his voice, calling from the deeps, and pitied him. He wrought no miracle to save him, but breathed into his heart a yet larger measure of calmness and courage, strengthening him to work out his own deliverance, it is in tikis way that God oftenest answers our prayers, when we call upon him in time of trouble. , After this the little hero cut his wav upward, inch 'by inch. His wet stockings fra7.fi to the ice and kept his feet from slipping, but bis shirt was quite worn from his shoulders ore he reached the top. He did reach it at last—crawled out into the snow, and Jay down for a moment to rest, panting out his breath in little white clouds on the clear, frosty air. I ft* had been two hdurs and a half in the well! ’ His clothes soon froze to his body, but he no longer suffered with the cold, as full of ana thankfulness, he ran to the factory, where his good father was waking aud wondering. The poor man was obliged to go without his dinner that day, but you may be sure he cared little alxiut that, while listening, with terns in his eyes, to the thrilling story his son had to relate to him, He Epist have been very proud of the boy-itirit day, as he wrapped him up in his. own warm overcoat, anil took him home to “ mother.” Ana how that mother must have wept and smiled over the lad, and kissed him, and thanked God for him!—Gr<K* Greenttood.