Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1874-08-12
rrIuhtfuI Swing Adventure.

lrrom the Reading IA Eagle, July al
On Wednesday Of the present week
lively and Joyous party Of ladies and
gentlemen started out from the neigh
borhood OF Guthrievills, Chester county.
for the purpose OF spending day ON
the summit of the romantic Welsh
Mountain, about two miles and half
from Morgantown. The party con-
sisted Of six ladies and i've gentlemen.
Two Of the ladies' were sisters from Bal
timore, Misses :. V. and Annie X. John
son. daughters OF prominsut salesman
Of that city. Tho sisters were spending
few weeks with their friends, who
made up the excursion 10 the mountain
for the benefit OF the visiting ladies'
prior TO their departure for home. They
left the farmhouse ON the above morn
ing at five o'clock, in large covered
wagon, containing provisions, ropes for
swings. croquet sets, and a parlor or
gan. They reached the summit Of the
mountain at 7:30 o'clock. and immedi-
ately commenced arranging for the day.
In few minutes the blue smoke OF
their camp Ere curled above the tree
tops, and breakfast was duly prepared.
The entire forenoon was very pleasantly
passed with the various games and fes-
tiyitiss incident 10 such occasions; de-
lightful songs were sung, accompanied
on the organ, and for time the noun
tain rocks and glens gave back beautiful
echoes to the pleasant and enchanting
mrsic II was o'clock in the after
noon when Miss Annie johnson ex-
pressed wish TO engage in swinging. A
swing had been put up in the morning.
suspended from tree sixty feet high.
About half way up the solid oak a
huge limb branehed out to the left, upon
which both ends OF the rope were fas-
tened. thus making the swing thirty
feet, requiring q rope over sixty feet
long -onS used for wcll-digging This
swing had been used during the day
without accident. Miss johnson, who
i. lady Of q daring disposition, in
sisted on being swung as high as could
be done by the aid Of the gentlemen,
and 10 crafty her wishes they consented.
The young lady is between eighteen and
nineteen years old, n pretty brunette,
dark eyes. and was dressed in gray
linen suit. She sat ON the seat board |
Of the swing and grasped the rope |
tightly and babe them 80 ahead. The |
swing commenced its motion. and grad
ually rose higher and higher until an
altitude Of about twenty feet had been
reached. She still insisted upon being
pushed. and up went the swing.
higher and higher. until fully thirty feet
had been reached. She had been
cheerful and lively up to this point, but /
all Of sudden she became quiet. The
rest OF the ladies' were awe stricken, AMI
when the swing with its precious bur
den made one swift sweep in the air. her
head was noticed TO drop to one side,
her muscles relaxed. her arms tofst so |
their hold and drop, and away the un-
fortunate girl was hurled through the |
air. and only saved from a frightful and
terrible death by ono of the most mirsc-
ulous interyentions ever heard of. The
momentum Of ihe swings motion car
ried the apparently lifeless form OF the
girl UP fully thirty-hvc feet from the
ground, and lodged her safely and Sc
curely between two branches at the
point whom they join the trunk of stree,
which stood about thirty-eight feet from
the tree To which the rope was attached.
The fright aud terror Of the party below
can be better imagined than described as
the swing came reeling backwards, while
its former occupant was lying apparently
hfeless in the branches Of the tree. IL
required only q few minutes deliber-
alton for the gentlemen 10 realize the
situation and determine what to do. IL
was fully twenty feet from the ground to
he first limb above. and the trunk ont
the tree about three feet in diameter.
They backed the wagon with its canvas
cover directly under the tree, so that in
case she would drop her fall would bo
partially broken. The swing was hur-
riedly taken down and in an instant one
end Of the rope was thrown over the
limbs OF the other tree and secured be-
low. by this means two gentlemen OF
the party hurriedly went up the rope.
and in a few minutes were at the side OF
the unfortunate girl. She was just re-
turning 10 consciousness, and the force
of her fall had NJ securely wsdged her
between the trunk and the limbs as to
require no little effort TO extricate her.
Miss johnson ut once realized her fear
full situation. She was palo and weak,
hut still had tho good sense to do As the
gentlemen desired. The rope was pulled.
a slip-knot was made. and then passed
around her body under her arms, the
other end passed around the limb. and
In this manner she was lowered to the
ground I'm the safety. With the aid of
the wagon cushions and several shavls,
a couch was arranged, upon which the
young lady was placed, and soon rs-