Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-05-05
A New Swing for Ladies.

| A smart Illinois boy, named Sloane in
vented trap on the principle Of those USED
in Africa for trapping game-that is to say,
he constructed slip-noose of thongs, anc
attached it TO the top of stout sapling,
which he bent down by the aid Of hoist
ing tackle, and fastened it to the ground.
Now Master Sloane had sister, young
lady of great worth and of very decided
character. Other girls, who were envious
of her beauty, said she was an ill-tempered,
red haired thing, but this was probably
mere calumny. At all events, SO thought
the young minister who was settled owe,
the Seventeenth Congregational Church,
and who was generally believed to be Miss
Sloane's accepteflover. That he went to
see Miss Sloane on the very evening wher
the reckless boy set his Central Africa trap
was not strange, for he usually spent three
! or four evenings every week at the Sloane
mansion, but is was a coincidence that on
that precise evening he proposed walk,
and led Miss Sloane toward the identical
lane where the trap was waiting for victims
How it happened that neither the young
minister nor Miss Sloane noticed the benz
saplins or the rope, no one can understand.
unless they were so deeply engaged in the
discussion Of theological questions that they
were oblivious to all earthly things. Still
more difficult Is il TO comprehend how they
could both have stepped within the moose,
not mole than a foot in diameter. 1t is
plain, however, that the lady was reading
hymnbook and that her companion had
approached extremely close to her in order
to see if the hymn was correctly printed
However this may be, the fact remains
that Miss Sloane and the minister were
Just within the moose when the
trap sprung, and the elastic sapline
suddenly lifted them twenty feet in the
air, where they remained hanging like two
cherries on a single stem, and expressing in
lively tones their suspicion that something
unusual had happened. Half an hour laiei
the Clinton and Holmesville stage passed
that way, and the driver and his passen-
gers were astonished beyond measure
For some time it was supposed that some
new and curiously complicated animal
was swinging from the top of the saphng
but just as one of the passengers was about
to fire at it. the driver recognized the min
lister, though he was not able to recognize
his fel!ow-prisoner. The latter voice was
somewhat muffled, but she was distinctly
heard to reviie the minister, and TO asser
that she never would forgive him, no mat
ter how he might try to excuse himself.
Six strong men finally beat down the sap
ling, released the victims. Fortunately,
neither of Master Sloane's victims were SER
iOusiy injured, and were both able to walk
home on opposite sides Of the street. The
result Of this affair were numerous Mis-
Sloane left town the next day on visit to the
East, and has not since returned. The
minister was tired for indiscreetly hanging
from the tops Of trees with young ladies,
and thereby bringing reproach upon his
profession, but was acquitted by close
vote. As for Master Sloane, is is believed
and hoped that his father has killed him.
At any rate, he has not been seen, and the
rumor that he has been sent TO the House
of Refuge in Chicago is no, generally be
lieved