The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-04
OFF THE ROCKING STONE.
A 10Ts TESTS OF A TRADITION Or
THE COUNTRY FOLK

ANY One who Could Climb to the TOP,
Turn Around Three Times and Then
Jump to the Ground, Would Have the
Power OF Doubling Anything He Had.
You've all heard OF the rocking stones OF
New England. stones so exuuisitely poised
that although they weigh tons they can b
rocked by child. They have stood for ages.
but here. am giving you useful information.
and I'm sure that's not what you want. Butt
had to say that much in order that you would
understand what follows.
There is ono OF these rocking stones at Har-
winfield. In Connecticut It is nifty feet high
and fifteen fee. thick. and It rocks so easily
that II would be an excellent place on which
to put baby to sleep. we're It not for the face
that few mothers could reach the top with
their babies In their arms.
1t In 80 smooth nd steep that not many boys
have been able to climb it-as far back as the
memory OF man goes. II you happen to know
any one in Harwinheld. you caL substantiat9
what l am going to tell you. 1t has always
been said by the local country folk that II .
boy could reach the top. turn around three
times and then Jump to the ground. clearing
the stone In his descent, he could double
money or anything else he could pick up.
You may imagine that. Just rs In the vicn.
ity Of Capt. Kidd's buried treasure. boys are
forever digging. 80 there had always been
Harwinfleld boys who were crazy to reach the
top Of Rocking Rock turn three times and
jump. And then the riches OF the world would
be theirs But the rock was as slippery as ice
on the top. and there was barely room for .
small foot, 80 while every few years a boy would
be found able to reach the apex. he could do
no more than slide of again and land. with
more or less bruises. on the other side
Blu. John Angevine was rs venturesome 40
az b boy That's hat ever ed an1 ne ha "a Go9e deal
He n French Canadian who had
with his father md ten brothers and sisters to
Ii ns hs had ySn o
connected with the rock and he carly deter
" e|Gh r h he Top nt Ts Se vnns
think about that when he got up. 1t might
not be necessary.
the top OF the rock. The other hoys cheered
him until he tried to stand mp and failed. and
then they jeered Boys are not unlike their
john, slid down and landed in heap on .
not daunted He practieed standing on one
foot On ie1ce nost Until he Was able to bal
f5STSa5 'sssf tho sF0una
| Itshad been noised around that he was
5 10 try IT. l very boy In HsrwH
| hand TO see how 1t would turn out. 1t was On
a Saturday afternoon. 1ust before having time.
Tell you when get up said John. Thea
acrobats do in the circus. and began the climb,
| Up he went. almost az easily as a fly would
reached the top He slowly raised h!mself to
standing position on one foot. Then he
bully boy. John" Goo boy" Keep 10
up" You'll do It. Frepchv!' 49,.
sa Tce 5h bn q, ne Ee n6n
forsook him. He knew that 10 lumr and clear
the rock meant passage OF over fifty feet IL
! the air with the probability Of broken leg
at the end He Was not quite old enough to
| love money enough to give II leg for IT. so he
Why didn't We do it. John?" asked Con. al.
"Mebhe you have the power. anyway"
drawed Hank Vinton
and rnbbei it bet Ween thumb and iorenneer
| ani-in twinkling he had two OF The old.
Well You don't know what fun is II you
lived Tere was " one Of Ss
NOR more. " We lidpt stop until our pockets were
bullying with cCnts-!hat seemed unheard.9f
wealth to us. whose fathers were hard work.
renre-ented more than ten, dollars does 70
folks nowadays. had to go home at o'clock.
30 l didn't have chance to spend mine; bus
most Of the other boys, went TO Hiram Hay,
dens store and called for Jackson balls and
| Union balls and Haggi's chewing gum and
imitation tobacco made OF slippery elm and
Old man HAYDEN was astcnished at the orr
ders. and like the man in Simple simon" no
said. SHOW me first your cent
And then came an awful disillus ioniz!ng;
Every cent beyond the one. that the boy had
Sr s nW. 9nd u Y99 ~. cen SSs
John unmereitni!y i Hiram HADN'T lnteriertd:
John hadn't, jumped. "le'ye got he paowe1
And II was so. John could make two OF any
the new, thing. OF course it was lots OF fun
for US all GYt t. was eTasneIatns TOO" For In.
off Of tree and turn it into two. hut the secs
ond wouldn't be cool 70 eat. 1t would lnokk
ks sp S%t eG IKE r" npe Ws d hS
boys never got through pesterng him to try 10
and 1 fhs hf b 659Ee wo ef
be any OF our legs. ard-wll Won believe tt?-
Just after having was overhe finally consented.
where Rocking Rock stands. and we pnt los
Of hay down, I'll around It to break his falI:
as before. Then he rose to his feet quickly
NC Herv2nsIy and 'nnn Hround Tnce. Twice:
forgot to go around the third time. but lnmned.
1t was hi arm that was br,HHEen lie bore
the pain like a little hero. We forgot nboue
the r"wer and Con and and lack Lumris
carrieh him over % Widow Leonards. On the
WI euess~ouch-I got the mower this time.
GIVE US a ouch-cent to try il on;
but Il II" ,s Hs% ana F" IL os3 hs
r. arm WASH, 6ady broken and d in t e.
last boy to stand erect on the top of Rocking
| Rock
have lot Of the things ho'hrought into
existence while he had the rower; a ton. and
some marbles. n kite and a few coins. hut the
ton won't spin and the marbles won't roll and
thu kite won't fly. and y the authorities knew
! had the coins couldn't hoard them any
longer
But to this dav Hsrwnfed boys tell II
"tr-nrhv" Angevine. who came So near to
revoluf ioniZng the wealth ~ the whole world.
AMI for "A good many reasons wish that he
had succeeded.
How to Become Immortal.
To Tup Enron or THE SUS-Sir. From