Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1889-01-25
finally a rope strong enough for him to
slide down on, so the story went. and
so went his dream. He awoke

Why should he have such dream :?
He had known that story by heart so
long. He wasn't on the top Of chin
ney down in the earth was quite diff
ferent thing. While he was musing
over this curious story aud dream, a
swallow Huttered down the shaft, aud
dropped at his side. The poor bird was
frightened but not dead.
| Suddenly a thought possessed New
man Higborn, and he put the swallow
under his hat. Eager. weak, u ray Of
hope He tore oft his shoes and stock
ings, which he carefully unraveled, mak-
ing a circular pile of the threads which
would not snarl.
He worked eagerly yet patiently.
until both stockings formed one long
thread This he carefully---how very
carefully tied to the birds tail feath-
ers and put the bird under the hat once
more; then, taking his pencil, he wrote
on bit of paper. by the light of matches:
II am starving at the bottom of the
saft on Bottsford Maintain. pray you
send help. NEWMAN HIoBoRN."
Then, folding it up, and tying it care
fully on the other end OF the string, he
set the bird ut liberty. It Auttered
about his head a moment, and then went
slowly up.
Now faint. glad hope stole into his
heart; it grew stronger as the bird still
assembled. Yes noble little swallow -
the string was growing less every mo-
ment. Perhaps u life hung by that
thread. The bird disappeared out of
the mouth above.
How many chances, after all, had he 7
He shuddered when no thought how
slight they were Should the bird go
to the right or to the left after reaching
open air, how easily, by the friction on
the salts outer edge, would the thread
be worn off
Little Birdie found, after getting out,
that it was harder to ay one side. and
so sailed high up into the air
Higborn could now see Il again, the
sun shining brightly on its wings he
knew it must be far above the surface
Il "
The party of three, with which Hig-
born started, had missed him some time,
and now were giving anxious search.
They had passed and repassed the old
shaft, and il had not occurred to them
that ho might have fallen in there.
They had looked down into it once, out
of mere curiosity, but saw only black
ness below. AS they were discussing
what should DO done next, one said:
what is that by you, Fits 7"
Where 2"
There, not three feet to your right
Il string, yarn, or something. Why, it
lays u long way to the bushes
"Pull it," said Sam Higborn, New
mans brother.
Fits pulled it and bird Auttered
about two rods away
"Why, the poor bird is tied to that
string wonder what inhuman rascal
could have been guilty Of such thing p
"Its swallow said Fits
II wonder where it's tied ?" said Sam.
perhaps it's somebody's favorite
bird" said Fits.
''Favorite or no favorite, I'm going
to give the poor thing its liberty" and
he cut the string.
Birdie knew what that meant, and in
u moment was among the clouds. Sam
followed the string, and suddenly called
to Fits:
Come here, Fits; here is note on
the end Of the string" He tore topen,
and read aloud:
II am starving at the bottom Of the
shaft on Bottsford Mountain. | pray you
send help. NEWMAN HIdRoRN
Good heaveans, Fits Down in tho
hole--alive Not twenty yards from
here. 1t can't be, yet be says So"
Both rushed for the shaft.
The bird had gone up the shaft an
hour ago. Newman was anxiously wait
ing he had watched the mouth Of the
shaft above, until weary, he had laid
down, resting one cheek on his hand.
He had not been 10 that position long
when he was suddenly startled by some
little chips of wood that were falling
about him, and at the same time he
heard voices echoing down the shaft
lie looked up, aud could see two per-
sons look down.
"Oh, how he shouted ! A few more
anxious moments. and a billet dropped
at his side He lighted match and
read:
ave arc here, aud will bring help ms
soon as possible.
SAM HIGBoRN AND Fits,
lie shouted "Hurrah p back, which
was only roaring, incohercnt noise
when it reached the open air. This was
hope indeed, although three hundred
feet above
A long hour passed-two, three.
Night came. -Four, five, six, seven
hours. Something was coming down.
He could sec the light Of candle at the
top. Thump, thump, thuup, and rope,
a stout rope hit his head.
Oh, how eagerly be seized il, aud
how carefully be made knotted loop,
aud how easily he stepped into it. Then
he gave it a vigorous shaking. aud
shouted
''Pullr'
"Up, up, up. slowly, hopefully-up,
surely, higher, now it stopped. and
went down few feet. His heart came
into his mouth. Up again, slowly. He
secs the stars above him-higher, al
most-a moment mure, and he is on the
broad earth again, saved, weak. but
alive.
Newman Higborn owes his life to
one little bird, and it was gone.
A colored preacher in the Alexandria
Valley down in Georgia sent the follow
ing request for minister to his bishop:
''Send us bishop to preach. II you
can't send us bishop send sliding
elder; if you can't send sliding elder