Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-02-20
CHOPPED DOWN. &
AN 5ExCITING EXPERIENCE IN a
LoGGING CAMP.
How tho ola Hands Tried to Play.
Practical Joke Upon New
Comer-A Panther Takes
Part I'm the Fun.

-. "'AsihS ouout tHe rough prlctlcal
jokes played in logging camps upon
greenhorns, So. Nicholas contributor
says:
For myself, was chopped down"
once, and once only. It happened in
this way. In the midwipter Of 1879, L
had occasion to visit tho chief camp of
the Little Madawaska. Coming from
the city, and to camp where 1 was
stranger to all the men, 1 was not utl-
naturally regarded as a pronounced
specimen of the greenhorn. took no
pains to tel! any one what the boss al
ready well knew, that is, that had
been frequenter of the camps from my
boyhood. Many and many neat trap
was laid for my apparently "tender''
feet, but avoided them all as if by acct
dent. AS for climbing a tree, alwaya
laughed at the idea when it was proposed
to me. always suggested that it might
spoil my clothes. Before long the men,
by putting little things together, came
to the conclusion that I was On old
stager; and, rather sheepishly, they
gave over their attempts to entrap me.
Then graciously waved my hand, as it
were, and was frankly received as a
veteran, cleared from every suspicion Of
being green.
AT last the day camo when I did wish
to climb tree. Tho camp was on q
high plateau, and not far off lowered q
magnificent Pine tree growing out of
the summit of knoll in such q way rs to
command oil tho surrounding country.
Its branches were phenomenally thick;
Its girth of trunk was magnificent. And
this tree resolved ono day to climb, In
order to get q clear idea of the lay Of tho
land. OF course strollod of surropti-
tiously, and, as I thought, unmatched.
But there was much mistaken. No
sooner was I two-thirds of the way up
Tho trco than, with shouts of laughter,
tho lumbermon rushed out of tho sur.
rounding cover and proceeded to chop
mo down. Tho chance was too good for
them to lose.
concealed my annoyance, and mado
no attempt to descend. On tho contrary
| thanked thom for the little attention,
and climbed fow feet further up, to SO.
cure position which saw would be n
safe one for me when tho tree should fall.
AS did so, I perceived, with grasp
and q tremor, that was not alone in tho
tree.
There, not ten feet above me, stretched
at full length along n largo branch, was q
huge panther, glaring with rage and ter
ror. From the mon below his form was
quito concealed. Glancing rcstlessly
from me to my pursucrs, the brute
seemed uncertain just what to do. Ash
carefully RETAINED from climbing any
further up, and tried to assume an an mir
of not having observed him, he apparent
ly concluded that was not his worst
enemy. In fact, dare say he understood
what was going on and realized that no
and were fellow-sufferers.
laughed softly to myself as thought
how. my tormentors would be taken
aback when that panther should como
down among them. decided that, con-
sidering their numbers, there would be
at least no more danger for, them than
that to which they were exposing INC in
their reckless fooling. And, already in
fuenced by that touch of nature which
makes us so wondrous kind, began to
hope that the panther would succeed in
making his escape.
The trunk of the pine was so thick
that might almost have reached the
ground before the choppers could cut it
through. at last it gave mighty shud.
der and eagged to one side. I balanced
myself nimbly on the upper side, steady
ing myself by convenient branch. The
great mass of foliage. presenting a wide
surface to the air, made the fall COM
paratively slow one; but the tremendous
sweep of the draught upward, as the tree
top described its giga attic arc, gave me
sickening sensation. Then came the
final dull and thunderous crash, and-in
nm instant, found myself standing in
my place, Jared but nnhurt, with tho
snow threshed up oil about me.
The next instant there was another
roar, or rather sort of screaming veil.
overwhelming the riotous laughter of the
woodsmen; and out of the confusion of
pine-boughs shot the tawny form of the
panther i'll whirlwind of fury. One of
the choppers was in his path, and was
bowled over like clumsy nine-pin. The
next bound brought the beast on to tho
backs OF yoke of oxen, and his cruel
claws severely scratched the oxen's necks.
AS the poor animals beloved and fell on
their knees, the panther paused, with
some idea, apparently, of fighting the
whole assembled party. But as the men,
recovered from their first engagement,
rushed with their axes to the rescue of
the oxen, the panther saw that the .odda.
were all against him. He turned .harf,
round and greeted his enemies with ong>
terrific and strident snarl, then bounded
off into the forest at pace which made
it idle to pursue him. The owner OF the
oxen hurled an ak after him, but the
missile flew wide of its mark.
NI,o Tdoo7 rnaias NJ