Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1900-06-21
DOWN THE MOUNTAIN
A BOWLDER THAT WAS STARTED
ROLLING JUST FOR FUN.


Act That Barely Escaped Resulting
In n TrnGedy-A Lucky Bound Into
the Air.
more than 90 years ago." said the
senator In reminiscent mood, L was
doing clerical stunts at Hamilton, New
and having about as enjoyable an eA-
,stence as | have ever known, before
mr. 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
so combining that 1 could not get away
ON mountain walks pretty frequently,
and one day l 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 De-
yond.
81 had a particular object in view,
and with my dog l wandered along up
the mountain, which was without Yege-
tation except furry thicket in places,
and the surface was covered Win
rocks of various sizes from footDal
to a haystack. After awhile, for some
thing better to do, l began to roll the
stones down the mountain side, and 1t
rapidly developed into most exciting
snort. for the mountain was steep ana
the rocks went down with n whoop
and a hurrah that stirred the blood
to watch them as 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 II
in that way, and kept on.
Naturally enough, my success with
the smaller stones made me ambitious,
and | essayed something larger. 1t
was a dandy, too, great big, round
bowlder that would have weighed
ton If it weighed a pound. 1t was
lob to get it started, but by pulling
the rocks from under 1t on the lower
side and loosening it up all around l
got it 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 a steep place about 80 feet
down the HILL and 1t leaped out like
FESTIVE horse from the post, and away
it went, bounding n dozen feet into the
air and jumping over gullies and rocks
as if 1t were rubber. About GOO feet
down, when it was going at tremen-
dous speed, 1t leaped so feet into the
air, and l was just going to let Off
whoop when l saw a y 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
freighters, and it was driven by old
Jerry Simpson, one OF the best known
teamsters in the mountains. 1t simply
paralyZed le. 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. l 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 as he could run. would
have run. too but my legs refused to
act, and | stood fast and watched the
great rock go tumbling down toward
| its victims | hadn't long TO wait, or
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 It's way down into
the ravine below.
"Then ! recovered my wits, and,
knowing that what I had been doing
was entirely ineXcusable, 1 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 in all right without having any
questions asked where had been, and
that evening | went over to the post
office, which was n general loafnG
place, and there found Jerry telling OF
his wonderful escape.
"Derned eff l didn't thinkcit wuz a
haystack comm down the HILL he
said. with somethn alive in It
"Have you any idea who rolled it
! down. | asked innOcently.
"In course | hain't. Eff / hadn't
been in SIGH a hurry and left my Win
chester in the wagon, I'd "a found out
mighty quick, fer seen him~run, and
he had dog with him.
81 was a little nervous, butI kept on
asking questions.
"What did you have iniyour wag
ons| l said.
Dynamite. Four tons Nv it
"Good Lordr l exclaimed. There
wouldn't have been much left of that
team, would there?
"cNor me. neither reckon hesaid
shaking his head.
"What did you think Of as'you were
running up the road?
"'Not much Nv anything, l guess
but mostly eff they wuz goin to be able
to git enough Nv Jerry Simpson meat
out of that mule meat to have n funer
nj with
81 don't know where Jerry isrnow,'
concluded the senator; dead. sup
pose. but | never told him who: rolled
that rock down the hill, nor did / evel
tell anybody in that town who did it
because 1t came altogether too near be
ing n tragedy for it ever to be con
sidered a joke."-New York Sun.
pnpered With Bonds.