Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-06-14
A Thrilling Story.

NNNNAN-A'g SSH-AN
forty years ago The facts are almost literal
ly related as follows
Ny brother Heman liked the business of
carrying the mail better than did, and so |
went to work in q new clearing rhad com.
menced, about mile and u half from home,
and not quite so far from the house of broth
er.inla used to stay as often at one place
as the other 1t was bad arrangement, as
in case of accident neither family would be
alarmed, or 90 to look for me if | should not
come home felt the force of this in the
course of the winter, as you will see directly.
There had fallen one of our old-fashioned
| Northern New York SHOWS, crusted over hard
enough to bear man. l was getting on fa-
mously with my clearing, getting ready to build
a house in the spring. | was ambitious, and
worked early and late, going without my din.
ner some days, when the piece of bread and
meat had brought in my pocket was frozen
so hard that | could not masticate it without
taking up too much of my time One day it
was intensely cold, with the prospect of
storm, that might hinder my work the next
! day, and so | worked on as long as / could
see, and after twilight felled a tree, which
| in its descent lodged against another, IcOuld
not bear the idea of leaving the job half fin
ished, and mounted the almost PROSTATE body
/ to cut away a limb to let it down.
! The bOle of the tree fOrked about forty feet
/ up into two equal parts, with large projecting
/ limbs from both 1t was one Of these | had
to cut away to bring it to the ground. In
my haste perhaps | was not so careful as
should have been at any rate, the first blows
eased the lodgment so that the tree began to
settle, and l was just going to jump off, when
/ the fork split, and as it did so, one foot drop
ped into the space so that could not extrcate
it for the moment, but felt no alarm, for [
knew that l could cut away the tree in a min
ute, or perhaps draw my foot out cf the boot
as the pressure was not severe. At the first
blow Of the axe, the tree took another start
rolled over, and the split closed with all the
force Of its giant strength, crushing my foot
. till the very bones were lattened, and there |
hung suspended just able TO touch the tips of
my fingers 10 the snow, with nothing to rest
upon for a mOment-the air at zero and grow
ing colder-no prospect of any one coming
that way that night-the nearest house mile
away-no friends to feel alarmed at my alb
sence, for one would suppose ne safe with the
other
Ny axe in its fall rested upon The snow
crust about ten feet of. If | could only get
that might yet save myself. did not think
( how was to cut myself loose from the body
of that great tree, suspended as | was, head
down, and suffering with the rushing current
of disordered blood, but l thought in that
keen blade my only hope Of life was fixed
Just forward of NE grew a slim bush, which |
thought if | could obtain, | could form into a
hook by twisting the limbs together. and draw
the axe within my reach
Although the bush was out of my reach. |
at length succeeded in getting hold of it by
means Of loop by tying my suspenders TO
gether. ! drew it towards me and cut it off
with mT pocket knife-One Of that sort so long
known as the Barlow knives, having q single
blade about two aud a half inches long and
three-eighthS Of an inch wide, with equal width
all its length, set il q handle Of peculiar form.
half its length iron and half horn or bone. |
l succeeded admirably in fashioning nv hook.
and almost felt the handle of the axe within
my grasp, SO certain was | of success. From
the tree that imprisoned me the ground des-
ceuded very rapidly for dozen yards or more
to q little creek. Ny axe lay upon the brow
of the hill. The first movement l made to-
wards twisting the loop of my stick around
I. the handle, so as TO draw il within my reach,
loosencd it from its icy rest, and away il went
down the bilI crushing through the little frost
brittle brushes, down upon the ice Of the creek
down TO little fall few rods below. and
over that into the unfrozen pool, with surg
ing sound, as it fell into the water that seemed
10 send its icy chill through every vein and ar
terry in my whole body.
! still had my knife. True, it was q rough
surgical instrument but hope aud the love Of
life gave me strength 10 climb us by my fast
ened leg and cut away the boot and stocking.
and then with that knife IuUi0inted NY ankle
and fell to the ground-uy left leg a footlesS,
bleeding stump The intensity of the cold
saved me from bleeding to death tore of
part of my coat, and with my handkerchief
and suSpenders managed to bind up my leg
with handful Of snow, and started to crawl
home. | succeeded in reaching within sight
Of the house, and then my strength utterly
failed.
tried my voice in vain, but could make
no one hear. exerted myself once more, and
crawled toward the road that knew Heman
must come. 1t was painful task, for, besides
my exhaustion, was perishing with cold
I just then | heard the sound of nv brothers
/ stage horn and the jingle Of the bells coming
! down the hill. l strained my voice to the Ut.
most pitch, but he did not, could not hear !;
/ but there was another friend-mans faithful
/ friend-who did hear Old Hunter the no.
| bic old dog, had insisted upon accompanying
/ this trip, and brother said, 4" Let him 60 who
knows what good may come Of it!" Good
/ did come Of it, for his ear was quicker than
Herans and be reused up at the first CRY, and
as the seooad cry reached his ear, he leaped
out, and in minute was at the spot where l
/ lay upon the snow he smelt all around, and
| held up my fOotless leg. Just then the
sleigh had got up the hill Hunter sprang