The Brunswick times-call. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1900-1902, 1900-09-19
DOWN THE MOUNTAIN

Y
The Senator'S story OF T'houghtAeea
Act That barely Escaped Resultins
In Tragedy--A LncIxy Bound Into
the Air.
More than 20 years ago" said the
senator in reminiscent mood, Il was
doing clerical stunts at Hamilton, New.
and having about as enjoyable an ex-
istence as have ever known. before
or since. The blue skies. the big noun
tains, the inyigorating air, the whole
some food and the interesting people
all around me made my life about as
good as life ought to be this side of
the pearly portals My work was not
SO combining that 1 could not get away
on mountain walks pretty frequently,
and one day 1 started out with my
dog for turn up Mount Tom, Just be-
yond the town. The main highway
leading into the town from the west
passed along the side Of this mountain
and on over gap into the valley be-
yond
Il had particular object in view,
and with my dog wandered along up
the mountain. which was without vege-
tation except a furry thiciket In places,
and the surface was covered with
rocks OF various sizes from football
to haystack. After awhile. for some
thing better to do, began to roll the
stones down the mountain side, and 1t
rapidly developed into most exciting
sport, for the mountain was steep and
the rocks went down with 8 whoop
and hurrah that stirred the blood
to watch them as they bounded along
never thought OF the road passing
along about 1000 feet down the hill,
and. as nobody happened to be going
by, my attention was not called to II
In that way. and kept on.
Naturally enough, my success with
the smaller stones made me ambitious,
and l essayed something larger. II
was dandy, too, a great big, round
bowlder that would have weighed a
ton II II weighed a pound. 1t was q
| job to get 1t started, but by pulling
the rocks from under It on the lower
side and loosening 1t up all around /.
| got II going at last and stood back to
enjoy Its progress down the mountain.
1t went slowly at first, as IL in doubt,
but It struck steep place about 80 feet
down the hill, and It leaped out like a
FESTIVE horse from the post, and away
1t went, bounding dozen feet into the
air and jumping over gullies and rocks
a@if 1t wsEau rubber About GOO feet
down, when It was going at tremen-
dous speed, II leaped 80 feet into the
air, and was just going to let of a
whoop when l saw IL mule team in
the narrow road below and directly in
the track Of the monster.
"The team was drawing two wagons,
as was the custom with the mountain
| frelghters. and it was driven by old
Jerry Simpson, one Of the best known
teamsters In the mountains. 1t simply
| paraly2ed me, for | didn't see anything
but destruction for everything in the
way. There was no turning back or
| whipping up to get out OF the way, for
the load was heavy and the read was
rough and narrow. stood speechIess,
scared white, but the driver had seen
the rock coming, and, dropping of
the saddle mule, he broke back up the
road as hard as he could run. would
have run, too, but my legs refused to
act, and stood fast and watched the
great rock go tumbllng down toward
its victims. I hadn't long to wait, Of
course, and just as gasped at the last
| bound of the bowlder 1t struck an OBJ
struction Of some kind and jumped
clean over the team and the road and
went crashing on its way down into
the rayine below.
''Then recovered my wits, and,
knowing that what | had been doing
was entirely inexcusable, l skinned of
up the mountain behind the rocks and
disappeared, trusting to Providence
that the old Jerry hadn't identified me.
slipped around another way to town
and got In all right without having any
questions asked where / had been, and
that evening l went over to the post
Office which was general loalng
| place, and there found Jerry telling Of
his wonderful escape.
"Dcrned Of | didn't think II wuz
haystack comm down the hill, he
said, with somethin alive IN It,
Have you any idea who rolled It
DOWN. l asked lnnocently.
In course I hain't. Ef / hadn't
been In sich hurry and left my Win
chester In the wagon, I'd a. found out
mighty quick, fer seen him run, and
he had a dog with him
II was a little nervous. but kept on
asking questions.
"'What did you have In your wag-
onsT said.
"Dynamite. -Four tons Nv IT,
Good Lordr exclaimed. There
wouldn't have been much left Of that