Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1860-04-05
THE REPUBLICAN.
,THRII.LING STORY.

currcnce which actually took place in Yer.
mont. some forty years ago. The facts
arc almost literally related. as follows:
Ny brother Herman liked the business
of carrying the mail better than did; and
90 wen. to work in new clearing l had
commenced, about a mile and half from,
home. and not quite so far from the house
of brother-in-law. used to stay as of
ten at one place as the other, 1t was a
bad arrangement, as in case of an accident,
neither family would be alarmed, or go to
look for me. il should not come home.
j felt the force of this in the course of the
winter, as you will see directly.
There had fallen one of the old fashion
Cd. Northern New York SHOWS, cru>ted
over hard enough to bear man. l YVES
gstting ready to build a house in the spring.
/ was getting ambitious. aud worked early
and late. going without my dinner some
days. when the breal and meat had brougt
IN my pocket was frozen so hard that
could no. mastcate it, without taking up
too much of my time. One day it was in
tensely cold, with prospect of a 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. / could
not bear the idea of leaving the job half
finished; mounted the almost PROSTATE
body to cut away limb to let It down.
- The body 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 tree began to settle. and was Just
going to jump off, when the fork split, and
as did so one foot dropped into the space
90 that could not extricate it for the mo-
n,ent, but felt no alarm, for knew that
i could cut away the tree in a minute, or
perhaps draw my foot from out 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 until the very bones flaitened. and
there hung suspended, Just able TO touch
the tips of my fingers in the snow, with
e nothing to rest upon for moment-the
air at zero, and growing colder-no pros
poet of any one coming that way that
night-the nearest house a mile away
no friends to feel alarmed at my absence,
for one would suppose me safe with the
other.
Ny axe in is fall rested upon the snow
crust, about ten feet of. If i could only
get that. / might yet save myself. did
not think how was to cut myself loose
from the body Of that tree. suspended as |
was, head down, and suffering with the
rushing current of disordered blood; but |
thought in that keen blade my only hope
of life was fixed. Just forward of me grew
slim bush. which 1 thought. if could
obtain, could form into hook by twist
ing the limbs together, and draw the axe
within my reach.
Although the bush was out Of my reach,
at last succeeded in getting hold of it by
means of loop made by tying my sus-
penders together. drew it towards me
and cut it off with my pocket knife-one
of that sort SO long known as Barlow
knives" having single blade about two
and . half inches long, and three Fights of
an. inch wide. with equal width all its
length, set in handle of peculiar form.
half its length iron and half horn or bone.
i succeeded admirably in fashioning my
hook, and almost felt the handle of the axe
within my grasp. so certain was | OF sue
= cess. From the tree that imprisoned me
the gro.nd descended rapidly for dozen
rods or more to little creek Ny axe lay
upon the brow of the hill. The first move
ment / made toward twisting the loop of
my stick around the handle, so as to draw
it within my reach loosened il from its icy
= rest, away it went down the hill. crushing
through the little frost brittle bushes, down
upon the Ice of the creek. down little fall
few rods below, and over that into the
unfrozen pool with surging sound. as il
fell in the water, that seemed to send its
lev chill through every vein and artery in
my body.
"a ] still lad my knife. True, it was a
rough surgical instrument, but hope and
the love of life gave me strength to climb
mp By my fastened leg and cut away the
boot and stocking. and then with that
knife unjointed my ANGLE and fell to the
ground-my LEFT leg footless. bleeding
; stump! The intensity of the cold saved
me from bleeding to DEATH j tore off par
Of my coat, and with my handkerchief and
suspenders managed to bind my leg with I
handful of snow. and started to crawl home
i succeeded in reaching within sight of The
house, and then my strength ute 'ly failed
me.
/ tried my voice in vain, but coult
make no one hear. / exerted myself one,
more, and crawled toward the road that
knew Heman must come. 1t was pain
full task, for, besides my exhaustion / wa
perishing with cold. Just then | heard tn
sound of my brothers stage horn. and tn
jingle of the bells coming down the hill
7 Istrained nay voice to its utmost fitch, bu
: hsdid not, could not hear; bur there wa
another friend-man's faithful friend
who did hear. Old Hunter, the noble oil
dog. had insisted on accompanying thi
trip. and brother said, Let him go; VIII
knows what good may come ofit?" Goo
did come come of it, for his car was quicke
than Heman's and he reused up at the frs
cry. and as the second cry reached his cal
he lesped ont and in minute was at til
= SPOT where lay in the snow. He smel
al around. and held up my footless lee
Just then the sleigh had got mn the hi