Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-17
STORY OF A CORK LEG

The love of sport is ingrained in my
nature; it has been the same with all
my kith and kin for generations past.
So when | received from my old school
chum, Tom Missal, an invitation to
shoot with him on the 1st of September
lost no time in dropping him line
Of acceptance. Tom lives at Harro-
dene, some little way down the South
Eastern line.
On the eve of the eventful First"
with all my traps, | committed myself
to that space-destroying bit Of rail-
way engineering South Eastern
railway.
We had not proceeded far toward our
destination when collision occurred.
A fair amount of paint was rubbed off
some of the carriages and among sun
dry other minor mishaps, my left leg
sustained a compound fracture which,
after being examined by doctor, was
pronounced as unlikely to be of any
further use to me. The long and short
of it was-amputation.
Later, became somewhat "low
/ down" in health and was advised a
sea-trip would be beneficial. l ar
ranged for one, to be taken during the
more severe months. BY the time
the good ship Mytabin arrived at Dur
ban, in Natal, l had become SO used
to my new patent-actioned limb, that
l had almost forgotten l was its pos
SCISSOR and walked with but the slight
est Of limps.
At one of the houses at which | had
been entertained | made the acquaint-
ance Of Mr.. Boleyn, young English
man who had farm, or farms rather,
on the other side OF Pletermaritzburg
away among the hills. He had come
to Durham on some matter OF business
and before he returned we saw enough
of each other to enable us to say, each
to the other: 1--WE cottoned to you
old boy" and in his case he made the
addition: You must come over and
stay with me at 'Foaming Falls"
"Foaming Falls" was the name he
had given to his residential farm. He
had extracted q promise from me to
visit him. Within a week | had met
him in Pietermaritzburg to which
! place he had driven in his cape cart to
meet me. We were soon on the road,
and he in high glee, kept telling me
| how delighted Anna was at the idea OF
having a visitor so lately from home.
had not bargained for a meeting
with the womankind, but after he had
explained that Anna was his sister,
and mot bad little woman in her
/ way" l was in measure reconciled
Arrived at Foamlng Falls, Anna met
.5 on the stoop OF the veranda. What
a picture she looked-a figure of me-
dium height, with a glory OF lion
tawny hair, pale complexion, with suf-
ficient embonpoint to suit my taste
| Dressed in a dark violet-lined cash
mere gown, with deep orange-color-
ed silk 'kerchief loosely tied around
her throat, she looked-well, as l have
said, a perfect picture.
No, l say nothing about her eyes
! but the gazelle's are not more limpid
We were soon at table, and we, Boleyn
and myself, at any rate, were hungry
after our drive. Conversation did not
| lag-never the ghost of falter. Her
hobbies, my weaknesses and Boleyn's
anxiety about his stock were all in
| turn trotted out.
My stay had run into a month. dur
| ing which time Anna and | had become
| the best of chums. We walked to-
gether, drove together, and mostly
naturalized in company, for she had
turn for natural history, and so in
| spare time we sought for specimens.
This dolce far niente life could not
last forever, and the time came when I
must perforce make my adieuX.
1t was the morning before the dav
on which l had arranged to take my
departure that Anna was in the garden.
walking in a somewhat aimless fash
ion. | Joined her and we soon found
ourselves on a favorite topic. l was
about to pick up my pipe, which had
dropped from my fingers to the ground.
when | saw, right at my feet, huge
brown snake-a mamba, as the species
is named out there.
I sprang forward with an effort at a
jump, but one can't jump very clever
ly with an artificial limb attached. at
least | had not practiced. My effort
to clear the reptile brought me to
grief, and l fell prone on the gravel
path. Then followed fearful shrek