The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-08-20
Frightful Swing Adventure.

lively and joyous party of ladies and gen
tlemen started out from the neighbOrhOOd
of Guthrieville, 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 consisted of six ladies and five
gentlemen. Two of the ladies were Sis
tiers from Baltimore, Misses 5. V. and An
ME II. johnson, daughters of a prominent
salesman of that city. The sisters were
spending few weeks with their friends,
who made up the excursion to the noun
tain for the benefit of the visiting ladies'
prior to their departure for home. Ihey
left the farmhouse on the above morning
at o'clock, in large covered wagon, con-
tanning provisions, ropes for swings, Gro
quet sets, and parlor organ. They
reached the summit of the mountain at
1880 o'clock, and Immediately commenced
arranging for the day. In few minutes
the blue smoke of their campfire curled
above the tree tops, and breakfast was duly
prepared. The entire forenoon was very
pleasantly passed with the various
games and festivities incident to such Occa-
sions; delightful songs were sung, accom-
panied on the organ, and for time the
mountain rocks and glens gave back beau
ing music. 1t was 3 O'Clock in the after
noon when Miss Annie johnson expressed
a wish to engage in swinging. A swing
had been put mp in the morning, suspend
ed from a tree sixty feet high. About halt
way up the solid oak huge limb branched
out to the left, upon which both ends OF
the rope were fastened, thus making the
swing thirty feet, requiring a rope over
sixty feet lOng-One used for well digging.
This swing had been used during the day
without accident. Miss johnson, who Is
lady of a daring disposition, insisted on
being swung as high as could be done by
the aid of the gentlemen, and, to crafty
her wishes, they consented. The young
lady is between eighteen and nineteen
years Old, pretty brunette, dark eyes, and
was dress ed in gray linen suit. She sat
on the seat-board of the swing and grasped
the rope tightly, and babe them 60 ahead.
The swing commenced its motion,
and gradually rose higher and high
er. until an altitude Of about
twenty feet had been reached. She
still insisted upon being pushed, and
up went the swing, higher and higher, I'M
til 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, and when the swing with its pre-
cious burden made one swift sweep in the
air, her head was noticed to drop TO one
side, her muscles relaxed, her arms TO let
90 their hold and drop, and away the un-
fortunate girl was hurled through the air,
and only saved from frightful and terri
Bile death by one of the most miraculous
interventions ever heard OF. The momen-
tum of the swings motion carried the ap-
parently lifeless form of the girl up fully
thirty-five feet from the ground, and lOdg-
ed her safely and securely between two
branches at the point where they join the
trunk of tree, which stood about thirty
eight feet from the tree to which the rope
was attached. The fright and terror of
the party below can be better imagined
than described as the swing came reeling
backwards, while It's former occupant was
lying apparently lfeless in the branches
OF the tree. 1t required only few min
utes' deliberation for the gentlemen to re-
alize the situation and determine hat to
do. 1t was fully twenty feet from the
ground to the first limb above, and the
trunk of the tree about three feet in diam
eter They backed the wagon with its
canvass cover directly under the tree. so
hat in case she should drop her fall would
be 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 below. By
this means two gentlemen of the party
hurriedly went up the rope, and in few
minutes were at the side of the untoTtu-
nate girl. She was just returning to con-
sciousness. and the force of he fall had so
securely wedged her between the trunk
and the limbs as to require no little effort
to extricate her. Miss johnson at once
realized her fearful situation. She was
pale and weak, but still had the good
sense to do as the gentlemen desired.
The rope was pulled up, 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 in safety.
With the aid of the wagon cushions and
several shawls, a couch was arranged, up
on which the young lady was placed, and
soon regained her strength and compo-
sure.-Reading (Pd.) Eagle, July 81.