Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-05-04

I compelling Tomlto scramble quickly back
to his former position.
"It's no use of your trying any such
game % shouted the pioneer, as he re-
sumed his axe. "But if you'll come down
and surrender yourself, say the word J It's
big height up there, and IS the tree
goes, as will soon be the case, there's moth
ing can save youp
"D-n the lubber ~ growled Tom, 'he
has his weather eye open" And then
resolving to hold out to the last, he added
in loud voice. do your worst, you ras-
cally sharkW
At these words up went the rebels axe
and the chips again began to fy.
Tom watched him keenly, but his enc
my was not to be taken by surprise. At
intervals Of every few seconds he would
throw glance out of the corners of his
eyes, in the direction of his intended vic
tim.
Presently the tree commenced to trem-
BILE. At this juncture the rebel paused
and leaning upon hisaxe, lifted his glance
to the ZouaYe.
"Now, then" he exclaimed, al give you
one more chance, and the last one, for
Eyour life. Two more blows and over goes
the tree. Will you come down !"
"No; you Internal porpoise-no |" yell
ed Tom, at the the top of his voice. Cut
away, and be id to youp %
Nevertheless the speaker had no inten-
ton of allowing himself to fall with the
tree. Confident in his agility, he had
formed in his mind q plan which he trust
ed would enable him to reach the ground
in time to avoid the fate which his enc
my believed would be imitable. Per
haps by the contemplated maneuvre he
would also be enabled to gain his musket
before the rebel could possess himself of
the weapon.
"Say your prayers 2" shouted the pio-
neer as he now lifted his axe and struck an
other blow.
The tree shook, and posing his axe
again the rebel gave the final stroke. But
before the keen edge of the instrument
had reached its destination Tom had COM
menced to slide with rapidity truly won-
derfuldown the slanting projection behind
which he had screened himself, and as
the tree now bowed its lofty crest he ran
out upon branch within twenty feet of |
the ground This branch bending low |
with his weight enabled him to drcp un-
hurt to the earth from height of ten
feet, Just as the deafening crash of the
falling tree saluted his ears.
At the same moment a cry of horror
escaped his lips as he looked toward the
huge trunk which was lying athwart the
body of the rebel. The latter had evi-
dently supposed that the tree would fall
in the opposite direction, and therefore
had not attempted to leave his position
until he perceived the movement of the
Zouave.
The eye of Tom had not quilted him
far a moment during his descent, and
while he was running out upon the branch
he had seen the pioneer turn suddenly
toward the musket, which was lying
few feet from the spot, and make an at
tempvto spring toward it. But his foot
catching in some protuberance
npon the ground caused him to stumble
and fall. Before he could rise the huge
trunk of the tree fell upon his brest,
crushing the bones like so many splinters,
producing instant death.
Tom turned from the sad spectacle
with feelings which may easily be imag-
ined, and picking his musket from the
ground, made his way back to the place
where he had left his comrades,
After he had related his adventures to
the officer of the guard, the latter promis-
ed to promote him for his good conduct.
"No. shiver mep' replied Tom, ''thy
best thing you can do is to get me my
discharge from a consarn which has
bloody marines to cut away a mast while
q shipmate is aloft.