The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1892-05-18

1
the face in the face. But he couldn't
make it out any more than he had done
on the ground with the magnifer.
The crowd below passed up a swing.
Govann fastened this to limbs and swung
out in free way toward the bottle, the
face steadily looking on. 1t might have
laughed in its sleeve, il it owned a
slesve, at the way Govann returned
crashing back through the boughs, hang
ing on them shreds of his clothes,
shreds, too, of his sandy hair for the
use Of future nests. builders.
Govann reported that he did not OBJ
tain any additional knowledge Of the
subject by that tour of observation.
The face on the stopper was face; that
was certain.
The magnifying glass was sent up to
the Investigator. Standing on one foot
IN swaying branch, Govann took OBJ
servations with the magnifer. He re-
ported that it was really face; more
over, that it moved and ''made faces at
him.
"Surely it was some wicked spirit
the ghost of some one beheaded for
crime"
Then they fell to rediculing Govann
for the failure of his tree excursion. He
had not advanced the general informa-
tion except by stating that the face
had moved. "I doubt the faces NOV
ing" "The motion was all in Govann's
eye"
"Taking daguereotypes was just then
getting around to our parts, aud all the
people said that they'd subscribe to get
a picture taking man and his machine to
come over and take the likeness of that
red-and- yellow mystery, sitting uncon-
cerned up there.
Govann said that if they would give
him the money which it would cost to
get the things picture taken, he'd under
take to solve the mystery.7
How woIld he do it2 They must raise
the purse and he must see the money; he
didn't propose to wait till planters could
raise another crop and sell it before feel
ing of his money. Then, too, he must
have the help of all the men aud tools
that he might need.
Govaun's first call was for good axes,
sharp saws and the best of choppers.
All the other men of the settlement stood
looking on while the axmen chopped and
the sawyers sawed at the tallest tree in
all that country--the companion through
years of storm and sunshine of the Bottle
Pinnacle. There we're guesses and recl1-
onings about the probable happenings
when the great tree should fall. "The
bottle might be broken to pieces !"
"The face might fall at their feet"
Not Only the settlement but crowd
from near and far came to the tree fall
ing. And it did make sight and
sound worth while. The top was broad
enough to make a sky-dr Ger. When
the folks saw the great plumy mass of
green sweeping down like forest, max
/ ing moving shadow like swift storm
Gle nd, they held their breath, feeling
that nothing could save Bottle Pinnacle
that it must be crushed into a thou
sand fragments. But not crumb was
broken from it, though it was thrashed
with great green whips past numbering.
1t stood silent, unharmed.
The tree itself received a thousand
wounds, but was safely lodged against
the rock, as Govaan had planned. At
once the choppers aud sawyers b egau to
lop off the branches along the massive
trunk.
Then, up the India ladder formed by
the notches, Gtvann climbed till he
reached the rock where the bottles neck
began. There he crept out on the
shoulder, seeking hold, a break in the
rock, by which he might get higher, or
for yielding spots where he might screw
in his augers.
But the pinnacle stood unyielding,
unconquered.
lie called for the longest and lightest
ladder that the settlement could produce.
II took the hard tugging of a score of
men to get it up to him. 1t was planted
on the bottles shoulder, stayed by the
treetop.
1t was now dark. By lantern
Govapn climbed up and up to the lad
ders topmost round, the people watch
ing the latter mount higher and higher
till it seemed star. At the top he held
out and up the lantern at arms length,
but no light was thrown on the face.
There's nothing boys won't do for
fun. They serenaded Govaun, singing
Rockaby, Baby in the Treetop."
In the morning Govann returned to
the top of the ladder and lashed himself
to it, He had rope with three lashes,
each lash ending in loop. This triple
lasso he'threw up, trying to lasso the
face. The countehance was turned three.
quarters to him, but he could hardly get
4 glimpse of it on account of the pro
iecting ledge on the bottle just below
The stopper.
He worked at lassoing all the morning
touching the face. Eut
Just as he head the dinner horns of the '
ettlement sounding faint aud far he i
ound that his rope was caught by some.
hing in the stopper. This made his l
blood jump.
Braclng himself be pulled at the rope t
With all his might. 1t did not start. His '
leart beat hard. If the rope would hold Y
le saw that he could climb it to the top |
II the pinnacle. Holding to the top OF
he ladder, he swung ali his weight on
he rope. 1t held taut Again and again
lie tested it carefully from side to side. 1t I
lid not start. His heart grew hot with n
courage. "Climb It'll Up! Climb it'll" r
hey below shouted. s.
He looked down TO the dwarfed peo- q
lie shouting and waving encouragement. 1
Then his brain reeled; his heart was g
uddenly cold as stone; for a moment v