Daily camera., 1901-09-28
Tofts Coff,$wiler's
4 4 Tumble 4 4
By l. g. B.tas.
BELIEVE that boy ha. climbed
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

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ssY BELIEVE that boy has climbed
every tree In the township
leastwise the worst ones" said Mrs
Cornwiler.
"Deary mel should be afraid he'd
break his neck" said Mrs. Nillwaite
II don't ses where hs got IT," said
Mrs. Cornwiler.
Ee got It from you, that's plain.
said Mr.. Cornwiler. boldly.
From mel Why. just climbing .
fence makes me almost dixsyi"
"Your father was . sailor" said
Cornwiler, "snd his father was top.
man in the navy under old Commo'
dore Prsbls. Toms inherited thei,
climb from you"
While this discussion was going on
indoors Tom was going Oh outdoors
Ars. Aillwaits's visit gave him q
chsacs to 20 fishing. He put hool
and line in his pocket. intending to
cut . 6shpole on the way, and trust
ing to And fat. white bait grubs In
old logs. He owned sharp one-hand
hatchet. which he thrust under his
buckskin belt.
A quarter OF . mile from the river
he came to . familiar tree-stub. 1t
had bsen . forest giant. but some
storm had broken on its top. leav-
ing its great trunk 80 feet high. For
est lres had consumed the fallen top
and deeply charred the huge trunk.
Tom struck II with his hatchet head.
To his surprise II sounded hollow
. mere shell. He WAS immediately
curious to know II IL was hollow all
the way up. and the only way to A.
certsin was TO climb Il.
A moro uninviting stub to climb
could not be found. II was very
grimy. and too smooth and large to
be clasped BY either arms or legs;
but Tom sought thicket and cut the
largest tough withe he could and.
He wrapped this about the stub and
fastened its two ends securely to his
belt With strips Of strong bark. max
ing . hoop somewhat larger than the
tree. Leaning well back. he walked
his noccasined toes right up. rails
Ing the hoop by quick 5erks.
The tree was hollow. Tom sat on
the edge. With his feet dangling out
side. - steady Of nerve a. II upon
the ground. When his curiosity was
satisfied he slipped OF the hoop to
rstie Il more to suit him. An incau.
tious movement broke . bit Of the
edge and disturbed his balance. He
made . violent move to recover him
self. More edge crumbled inward.
and down he went inside. head and
heels together. like . shut jackknife.
One hand held to the hoop. pulling il
after him. Head, back. hips and legs
scrsped down the long tube. carrying
fragments OF rotten wood and .
dusty cloud
Ton struck on . deep. soft pile Of
debriA into which his doubled-up
body plunged breast and knee-deep.
The conclusion shocked him breath
less and set his nose bleeding eopi-
ously and ths dust and blood him
dered the recovery Of his breath. Al
though he was not quite unconscious.
It WAS long before he stirred The
back Of his head had been severely
raked and rotten wood was ground
into all his lacerationa.
When At last he began TO try TO
move he found himself wedged in.
VANITY be wiggled; he could hardly
stir. and could neither hft himself
nor gss his iegs down. His hips. back
and all the muscles Of his legs ached
and prickied intolersbly from strain
and checked circulation.
He could not resist crying; but. be-
ing . lad Of good courage, endurance
and resource. he seou began . sys-
tematic effort for release. packing
the loose debris down - firmly as he
could With his handA at the same
time pressing Il away all around with
his body. This exertion caused great
er sche. but he persisted resolutely.
BY and by be got his hstchet out Of
his belt and struck II, after . dozen
efforts. 80 firmly into the wooden
wall that he could hang his weight
to it with one hand while he worked
the debris under him with the other.
He gradually enlarged his space suf-
hciently to allow the bending Of his
knees. After that he was not long
in getting his body up and feet down.
80 az to sit cramped on one hip, with
both feet nearly level.
Exertion, pain and the pressure Of
returning circulation made his pulses
throb and his head swim. and he
lspsed into semiconsciousness. How
long this lasted he knew not, but
when he began 70 struggle again he
WAS in black darkness. A few stars
shone calmly down his wooden we'll,
but be could work only BY feeling
about with his hands. He felt ex-
hausted, hungry and weak. but he
kept on working until he managed to
stand erect. Then, after feebly kick
ing and pushing debris 70 all up the
hole where he had bsen. he curled
himself ~ comfortably - he could
and slept . blessed though troubled
sleep,
After long time 10 stretched out.
His sore heels hit one wall. his sore
head the other. This time the pain
reused him to . renewed sense Of his
situation. He eat up, stih lame al
over. weak. gnawsd by hunger and
thirst. but still undismayed and r.
sourceful. A little thought and
trial convinced him that. weak and
sore ~ he was, II would Be . vain
waste Of strength to try 70 climb up
the dimcult inside Of his prison.
There's always more than one way
70 skin . cat." he reflected. "i'vs got
to get out Of this somehow; that's
all thsre 10 to It," He ran . thumb
over ths edge Of his hatcAst. pretty
sharp yst. Too Light 70 chop easy.
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