The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-08-11
A FEARFUL SWING

| sWiNGING-SHE Is MIRACULOCS4Y SAVED
FROM DEATH.
The Reading (Pa.) Eagle coD<ains the fol-
lowing description of strange oecurrance
near that city: On Wednesday of the pres-
ent week. a lively and joyous party of
ladies and gentlemen started out rom the
neighborhocd of Guthrlevill. Chester
county, for the purpose OF spending a day
on the summit OF the romantic Welsh
Mountain. about two and half miles from
| Morgantown. The party consisted of six
ladies' and five gentlemen. Two
of the ladies were sisters from Baltirr ore.
Misses ;. V. and Annie X. Johnson, daugh-
tiers OF a prominent salesman of that civ.
The sisters were spending few weeks with
their friends, who made up the excursion to
the mouptain for the benefit of the visiting
ladies prior to their departure for home.
They left the farm house on the above morn
ing at . o clock in large covered wagon.
containing provisions, ropes for swings,
croquet sets, and parlor organ.
They reached the summit of the
mountain at 7:30 O'Clock and immediately
commenced arranging for the day. In a
few minutes the blue smoke of their camp
| fire curled above the tree tops and break fast
was duly prepared. The entire forenoon
was very pleasantly passed with the various
games and festivities incident to such occa-
sions; delightful song were sung, accompa-
MED on the organ, and for a time the
mountain rocks and glens gave back
aed 0 ench sGnGss music no the Was
o'clock in the afternoon when Miss Annie
| Johnson expressed q wish to engage in
swinging. a swing had been put up in the
morning, suspended from tree 90 feet high.
About half way up the solid oak a 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 so feet lCng-one used for we'll
digging. This swing bad been used during
the day without accident. Miss Johnson,
who is lady of a daring disposition, in
could be done by the aid of the gentlemen,
and, to Crafty her wishes. they consented.
The young lady is between Is and 10 wears
old, pretty brunette, dark ewes, and was
dressed in gray linen suit. She sat on the
seat board of the swing, and grasped the
rope tightly and bade them go ahead. The
swing commenced its motion, and gradually
rose higher and higher until an altitude of
about 20 feet had been reached. She still
insisted on being pushed, and up went the
swing
HIGHEB AN HIGHER
until fully thirty feet had been reached.
She had been cheerful and lively zap to this
point, but all of y 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 to let go their hold and
drop and away the unfortunate girl was
hurled through the air, and only saved from
a frightful and terrible death bv
one of the most miraculous in
terventlons ever heard of The
momentum of the swings motion carried
the apparently lifeless form of the girl up
fully 35, feet from tine 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
to which the rope was attached. The fright
and terror of the party below can be better
imagined than described as the swing came
Keeling backwards. while it's former occu-
pant was living apparently lifeless in
the branches Of the tree. 1t required only a
few minutes elaboration for the gentle
men TO realize the situation and determine
what to do. 1t was fully 20 feet from the
ground to the first limb above and the trunk
of the tree was about three test IN diameter.
They backed the wagon with its canvas
coven-directly under the tree. so that in case
she would drop, her fall would be partially
broken. The swing was hurrdly 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 huaridiy went up
the rope. and in few minutes were at the
side of the unfortunate girl. She was Just re-
turaing to consciousness, and the force of her
fall had so securely wedged her between the
trunk and the limbs as to require no little
effort to eXtricase 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 YVES
pulled up, sip-knot was. made, and then
passed arounGher 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 cush
ions aud several shawls couch was ar
ranged upon which the young lady was
placed and soon regained her strength and
.composure..
Ulysses Grant, son of the President, &C
compsnied by his brother Jessie, Lieut.. Har-
ry Otis, and son of Tom Murphy, ex-col-
lector of the port of New York, arrived at
Pittsburg on the eth instant, after a pedes-
trian feat occupying six DAYS. In this time
they walked from Huntingdon, Pa, to Pitts
burg a distance of 200 miles. They preyi-
ously expressed their goods and clothes to
Washington, Pa. where they were bound on
visit to Mr.. Smith, a nephew of the Presi-
dent, who resides there, and all the weapons
they carried with them on their tramp over
the mountains were hair brushes and tooth
brushes. The first day out from Hunting
don the party walked 20 miles bsfore they
cosld get anything 70 eat. Ulysses gTaiu-
ated from Harvard University recently, and
is now about twenty years of age. Iient
Otis graduated at West Point last fail, and is
about the same age as Ulysses. Jesse Grant
Is only 16, but bore the fatignes of the tramp
as well as the rest of. the party. Murphy Is
also young and tough.
The pablie have been surprised by the an
nouncement that DR.. Revels (colored ex-
United States senatorl has been removed
from the chancellorship of the Alcorn Uni
versity. AS his conduct has been excep-
tionally exemplary, and he has devoted
himself assiduously to the interests of the
university, and, rs according to the repeated
testimonials of the Pilot and other organs of