Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-09-04

In this frame II mind weprepared 70 tnogA
& out II vns . log night and . mose ~
eumfcrfabie one.
At first - could not get 70 sleep, try -
ne would, and we talked and told stories for
bourx Then we began 70 feel drowsy. and
settisd Ourselves - veil - ve could to take
nap.
But the hardnes OF the rough wood and
the frequent aches and cramps which ran
through Us made sieeping diniculf, and even
dangerous, for both oe u came within IN scs
Of falling out Of the tres several times during
the night
Oucr Arthur, who was above, slipped and
fell directly upon me, carrying NE with him.
and we both slipped some feet down the trunk
before we could stop.
"whew, that WAS q close shave, - painted
he, pulling himself hack again
.'Its lucky that this tree doesn't stand up
straight" said L WED have been pumped
down On those hard rockz il it did
We'll il isn't very far TO the ground, for
sunately," answered be- '.We're not up more
than ten or twelve feet, should say"
After this we kept broad awake and passed
the tedious hours somehow or other. but they
we're the longest | ever remember TO have
spent
be over, and we were wondering whether the
world hadn't stopped turning on its axis.
when Arthur suddenly exclaimed:
why. can see you. Sam!"
And looking up could just descry his fig
ure and the shapes Of the branches near him.
Hurrahl 1t was really morning at last.
The light grew rapidly stronger. and over
bead the fog was breaking up. Strips Of dark
blue shovel through the Clouds and We were
now able to sec quite a stretchof the ground
over which we had come.
Curious that II clears away faster on one
side than on the other" remarked Arthur.
II can't seq a thing under Us, while all out
the other way the rocks show a. plainly as
can he"
looked down and saw nothing but fog he
meath and further out.
1T Is queer" said II never saw fog
cling to the ground 50 before in my life, still
less only in one place"
Just then the sun broke through the vapors
and flooded us with its brilliancy. l was look
ing w To get my bearings from it. when a
sort Of gap from Arthur caused ME to glance
at him, first in surprise and then in alarm.
He was clutching the trunk with both hands.
and gazing downward with staring eyes.
open mouthei and pale faced, a perfect
statue Of terror.
Hastily following the direction Of his look,
caught one glimse Of what he saw. and ill.,
stantly Rugged the nearest branch like mad
man.
Beneath ME was an empty gulf, going down.
down till the tree tops at the bottom looked like
shrubs and through the thinning fog saw
that our tree grew out Of the very edge Of a
sheer precipice hundreds Of feet high, over
which it hung like the arm OF a crane.
Do you wonder that we were frightened. or
that for some minutes we chung there. trying
to steady our swimming heads aud brace our
trembling nerves after the sudden shock Of
that sight
What an ordeal that was getting off our
perilous perch, moving an inch al a time,
sliding, holding on, and finally making last
plunge to the safety Of the firm ledge! We
lay there half an hour before we felt able to
move again.
Think how near came to walking right
of the edgel" | kept repeating, over AID
over again.
And then that time when We almost fell
out the tree together" Arthur said, shud-
derng Suppose we'd taken a fancy to
jump down In the nightr'
We safely descended the mountain, mu n
to the relief Of the landlord, who was abe 1t
sending men to search for US. and drove ba, k
| to town; but it vas long before we cared to
dwell upon the remembrance Of that unc, n
scious, careless and frightfully dang, rous
| night We mad passed up a tree.-Manley II
| Pike in Golden Days