Amador ledger., 1900-07-13


More than 20 years ago." said the
senator in reminiscent mood, II was
loing clerical stunts at Hamilton, Nev.,
and having about as enjoyable an ex-
lstence as 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
all around me made my life about as
good as life ought to be this side of
the pearly portals. My work was not
30 conflning that could not get away
On mountain walks pretty frequently,
and one day l 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 a gap into the valley be-
yond.
'T had particular object in view,
and with my dog l 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 haystack. After awhile, for some
thing better to do, began to roll the
stones down the, mountain side, and 1t
rapidly developed into a most exciting
sport, for the mountain was steep and
the rocks went down with a 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 1t
In that way. and kept on.
Naturally enough, my success with
the smaller stones made me ambitious.
and essayed- something larger. 1t
was dandy, TOO. great big. round
bowlder that would have weighed
ton If 1t weighed pound. 1t was a
job to get It started. but by pulling
the rocks from under 1t on the lower
side and looseping 1t up all around !
got 1t going at last and stood back to
enjoy its progress down the mountain
1t went slowly at first. as If In doubt.
but it struck steep place about 80 feet
down the hill. and 1t leaped out like a
restive horse from the post. and away
1t went, bounding dozen feet into the
air and jumping over gullies and rocks
as IL It were rubber. About 600 feet
down, when 1t was going at tremen-
dous speed. it leaped so feet into the
air, and | was Just going to let off q
whoop when l saw II mule team lE
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
freighters, and It was driven by old
Jerry Simpson, one of the best known
teamsters in the mountains. 1t simply
paralyzed 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 road was
rough and narrow. stood speechless,
scared white, but the driver had seen
the rock coming, and, dropping off
the saddle mule, he broke back up the
road as hard as he could run. l would
have run, too, but my legs refused to
act, and l stood fast and watched the
great rock 60 tumbling down toward
It's victims. 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 ravine below.
| 'fThen I recovered my wits, and,
knowing that what had been doing
was entirely inexcusable, skinned off
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 10 all right without having any
questions asked where ! had been, and
that evening went over to the post
office, which was q general loading
place. and there found Jerry telling of
his wonderful escape.
"'Derned ef didn't think 1t wuz a
haystack comm down the hill,' he
said. with somethin alive In IT.
Have you any idea who rolled It
DOWN.. I asked innocently.
!" Tn course hain't.i Eff I hadn't
been In sich hurry and left my Win
chester in the wagon, I'd "a found out
mighty quick, fer I seen him run, and
he had dog with him.
II was little nervous, but kept on
asking questions.
"'What did you have in your wag-
ons7' I said. ~
Dynamite. -Four tons Nv it.
"'Good Lordp I exclaimed. There
wouldn't have been much left of that
team, wonld thsres'
----Nor me, neither reckon he said,
shaking his head.
"'What did you think of as you were
running up the roadf
Not much nv anything, guess,
but mostly ef they wuz goin to be able
to git enough nv Jerry Simpson meat
out Of that mule meat to have a funer-
nj with
IT don't know where Jerry is now,"
concluded the senator; dead. I sup
pose, but never told him who oiled
that rock down the hill, nor did l ever
tell anybody in that town who did 1t,
because It came altogether too near be-
ing a tragedy for 1t ever to be con-
sidered joke."-New York Sun.