The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-05-30
UP A TREE.
How corp1 Everett Got the Apples.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: One day in
the Fall of 1868, while the 9th Mich. Cav was
in East Tennessee our brigade halted early and
went into camp near an old apple orchard.
The fruit was about right for gathering, and
our boys proceeded without delay to gather
some. The trees were so tall that someone had
to climb up and shake them off, CorpI Ed
Everett, of our company, promptly volunteer
ed, and though the heaviest and most unprom-
ising looking build for climber, with the aid
of willing hands, assisted with fence rails, he
was speedily boosted up to where he could get
a footing among the limbs and was soon show
eFing down a plentiful supply CT fine apples.
There was one branch containing some par
ticularly nice looking apples, which he con-
cluded he would gather for himself; so out he
walked on limb below the coveted fine ones,
and was soon slowing the incest inside his
Jacket Everybody knows that the finest
fruit is nearest the end of the branch, and in
trying to get the very best he ventured out
little further than was safe, and while reach
ing out for a particularly nice one, he felt the
limb he was standing on give way. He had
barely time to grasp the ends of the limbs above
him when his support gave way and left him
suspended by his hands. Help me, boys!
Oh help me! Pm falling!" he yelled. He
was nearly 20 feet from the ground. The
orchard was full of men of our regiment,
and also the I'd and 7th Ohio and the I'd Tenn.
Everyone'S sympathy was aroused, and all
wanted to help. Bill Morrison and several
others got fence rails, and Bill, by reaching
way up, could just make his rail touch his feet,
but couldn't succeed in tightening up his
weight. dozen schemes for assisting him
were offered by anxious spectators; but before
they could be acted upon, the Corporal yelled:
" Get out of the way, Bill Pm eoming!" We
could see the ends of the limb slipping through
his hands, aud with crash down he came all
in a heap and assumed a sitting posture on
the ground. His friend Bill was the first to
reach him, and he tenderly threw an arm
around to support him, while an anxious crowd
gathered round supposing that half his bones
| at least were broken. Are you much hurt?"
says his chum. The Corporal's hand disap-
peared inside his buttoned jacket. "Poor fell
| low; it's his ribs" says the boys. Out came
| the hand with big, ripe apple in it, which he
/ rendered to his chum. Have an apple, Bill
| They are awful NIGEL"
Where are you hurt?" says Bill.
CANT hurt at all /" says he.
| The crowd dispersed with yell, and the
| next day. as the brigade took the road, while
| our regiment waited near the orchard to fall
into line, we could the boys in the different
regiments as they fled past pointing to the
place, and hear them telling their comrades,
''There's Corp4 Everett's appletree, boys /"
And now, if you ever go to the Soldiers Home
at Grand Rapids and make the acquaintance of
| the genial Engineer that presides over tho ma
chinery at that place, you won't wonder at the
solicitude of his comrades when they saw him
up tree.-E. M. WATSON, Co. L, 9th Mich.
Cav, Marquette, Mich.