The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-08-20
a PERILOUs POSITION
Young Lndy Hurled from A
swing at am Altitude of mir.
" Sect and Caught I'm the LinnI,-
Of "a Tree.

hu NAuS hH IN the HI Iht d
: lFrom the Reading (Pa.) Eagle.
On Wednesday of the present week
| lively and joyous party of ladies and pen
ueneh started out from the neighborhoo,
OF Guthrieville, Chester County fur ia,
purpose OF spending day on the summit
OF the romantic Welsh Mountain. abou,
y miles from Morgant0wn. The part,
consisted Of six ladies and five gentlemen
Two OF the ladies were sisters from BALI
more, Misses 5. V. and Annie K. John
son, daughters OF prominent salesman
of that city. The sisters were spending
few weeks with their friends who made
up the excursion to the mountain for th,
benefit OF the visiting ladies prior to THEN
departure for home. They left the farm.
house on the above morning at 5 o'clock
In large covered wagon, containing pro-
visions, ropes for swings, croquet sets,
and parlor organ. They reached the
summit OF the mountain at 1880 o'clock;
and Immediately commenced arranging
for the day. In n few minutes the blue
smoke of their camp fire curled above the
( tree tops, and breakfast was duly prepaid.
| The entire forenoon was very pleas lntly
/ passed with the various games and festiyi-
ties incident to such occasions delightful
/ songs were sung, accompanied on the
organ, and for n time the mountain rocks
and glens gave back beautiful echoes TO
the pleasant and enchanting music 1t
was o'clock in the afternoon when Miss
Annie johnson expressed a wish TO en-.
gage in swinging. \ swing had been
put up IN the morning, suspended from
tree 90 feet high. About half 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
80 feet, requiring a rope over 90 feet long
Que used for well-dIgging. This swing
had been used during the day without
accident. Miss johnson, who is a lady
of u 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 Is and - years old, pretty
brunette, dark eyes, and was dressed in
u gray linen suit. She sat on the seat
board OF the swing, and grasped the rope
tightly and babe them go ahead The
swing commenced its motion, and gradu-
ally rose higher and higher until an alti-
tude of about 20 feet had been reached.
She still insisted upon being pushed, and
up went the swing higher and higher until
fully 30 feet had been reached. She had
been cheerful and lively up to this point,
but all of a sudden she became quiet, the
rest of the ladies were awe-stricken, and
when the swing with its precious burden
made one swift sweep IN the air her head
was noticed to drop TO one side, her
muscles relaxed, her arms let go their
hold and drop, and away the unfortunate
girl was hurled through the air, and only
saved from frightful and terrible death
by one of the most miraculous interven-
tions ever heard of. The momentum of
the swings motion carried the apparently
lifeless form Of the girl up fully 35 feet
from the ground and lodged her safely
and securely between two branches at the |
point where they join the trunk of tree,
which stood about 80 feet from the tree 10 |
which the rope was attached. The fright
and terror OF the party below can be bet
ter imagined than described as the swing
came Keeling backwards, while its former |
occupant was lying apparently lifeless in !
the branches of the tree. 1t required |
Only Il lew Minute = utllDeIdllOn lOf the ]
gentlemen to realize the situation and de- |
termine what to do. 1t was fully 20 feet |
from the ground to the first limb above, |
and the trunk Of the tree about feet iu |
diameter. They backed the wagon with |
its canvas cover directly under the tree,
so that in case she would drop her fall |
would be partially broken. The swing |
was hurriedly taken down and in an in 1
slant one end of the rope was thrown over
the limbs of the other tree and secured I
below. BY this means two gentlemen Of I
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 to consciousness, and the force OF
her fall had so securely wedged her be-
tween the trunk and the limbs as to re-
guire no little effort % extricate her.
Miss johnson at once realized her fearful
situation. She wss pale and weak, but
still had the good sense TO do as the gentle
men desired. The rope was pulled up,
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 in safety. With the aid Of the
and several shawls a
couch was arranged upon which the young
lady was placed and soon regained her
and composure.