The Dickinson press., 1900-07-28
DOWN THE MOUNTAIN

DOWN IHE
A BoWLDER THAT WAS STARTED
ROLLING JUST FOR FUN.
The Senator's Story Of n Thoughtless
Act That Barely Escaped Resulting
In n Tragedy-A Lucky Bound Into
the Air.
"Mors than 20 years ago." said the
senator in reminiscent mood, II was
doing clerical stunts at Hamilton, New,
and having about as enjoyable an ex-
istence rs l have ever known, before
or since. The blue skies, the big noun
tains, the invigorating air, the whole
some food and the interesting people
oil 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 I could not get away
on mountain walks pretty frequently,
and n day I started out with my
dog for a 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 a gap into the valley be-
yond.
II had a particular object in view,
and with my dog 1 wandered along up
the mountain, which was without vege-
tation except a furry thicket in places,
and the surface was covered with
rocks of various sizes from a football
to n haystack. After awhile, for some
thing better to do, I began to roll the
stones down the mountain side, and it
rapidly developed into a most exciting
sport, for the mountain was steep and
the rocks went down with q whoop
and q hurrah that stirred the blood
to watch them rs they bounded along.
I 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 it
in that way, and l kept on.
Naturally enough, my success with
tho smaller stones made me ambitious,
and l essayed something larger. 1t
was a dandy, too, a great big, round
bowlder that would have weighed a
ton If it weighed a pound. 1t was a
job to get it started, but by pulling
the rocks from under it on the lower
side and %loosening 1t up all around l
got it going at last and stood back to
enjoy it's progress down the mountain.
1t went slowly at first, as If in doubt,
but it struck n steep place about so feet
down the hill, and it leaped out like q
FESTIVE horse from the post, and away
it went, bounding a dozen feet into the
air and jumping owe gullies and rocks
as if it were rubber. About GOO feet
down, when 1t was going ut tremen-
dous speed, 1t leaped so feet into the
air, and l was just going to let off a
whoop when I saw n IL mule team in
the narrow road below and directly in
the track Of the monster.
"The team was drawing two wagons,
US was the custom with the mountain
freighters, and it was driven by old
Jerry Simpson, one of the best known
teamsters in the mountains. It simply
paralyzed me, for I 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 road was
rough and narrow. I stood speeches.,
scared white, but the driver had seen
the rock coming, and, dropping off
the saddle mule, he broke back up the
road as hard rs he could run. I would
have run, too, but my legs refused to
act, and I stood fast and watched the
great rock 60 tumbling down toward
| its victims. I hadn't long to wait, of
course, and just as I gasped at the last
bound Of the bowlder it struck an OBJ
struction Of some kind and jumped
clean over the team and the road and
went crashing on it's way down into
the ravine below.
"Then I recovered my wits, and,
knowing that what I had been doing
was entirely inexcusable, I skinned of
up the mountain behind the rocks and
disappeared, trusting to Providence
that the old Jerry hadn't identified me
I slipped around another way to tow1
and got in all right without having any
questions asked where I had been, ant
that evening I went over to the post
Office, which was q general loaf1nl
place, and there found Jerry telling o,
his wonderful escape.
"'Derned eff I didn't think it wuH
haystack comm down the hill,' h
said, with somethin alive in it.
I "'Have you any idea who rolled 1
DOWN. I asked innocently.
"In course I hain't. Eff I hadn'
: been in sich q hurry and left my Wiz
chester in the wagon, I'd "a found on
mighty quick, fer I seen him run, an
he had q dog with him.
II was a little nervous, but I kept o
asking questions.
"'What did you have in your wat
onsY I said.
II "'Dynamite. Four tons Nv it.
n "'Good Lordv I exclaimed. "The1
wouldn't have been much left Of thu
team, would thereT
"'Nor me, neither I reckon he sal
shaking his head.
"'What did you think Of as you wei
running up the roadT
"'Not much Nv anything, I CUES
but mostly eff they wuz goin to be alb
", to git enough Nv Jerry Simpson me.
r. out of that mule meat to have a fune
~ al with
NJ II don't know where Jerry is now
concluded the senator; dead, I su
pose, but I never told him who role
~ that rock down the hill, nor did I ev
re tell anybody in that town who did
~ because it came altogether too near b
IS ing a tragedy for it ever to be co
ia sidered a joke."-New York Sun.
" Hair Trigger Language.
IS Ese you finally proposed?" said b
s. .chum.
"Well, to tell the TRUTH returned Il
X thoughtful youth, II really didn't Ano
II that I proposed, but she accepted m
~ so I guess that settles 1t. I tell "