Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1901-08-10

tom CORNWILER'S TUMBLE

BY l.. T. Bates.


leastwise, the worst ones" said
Mrs. CorlssAer.
"Deury me! / should be afraid he'd
break his neck" said Mrs. Millwalte.
II don't see where he got It," said
Mrs. Cornwiler, boldly.
He got it from you, that's plain
said Mr.. Cornwiler, boldly.
From me! Why. just climbing 4
fence makes me almost dizzy!
"Iour father was sailor" said
Colnwiler, and his father was top
man in the navy under old Commodore
prehlp. Toms inherited their climb
FROM YOU
Il suppose Il sixteen ycnr-old boy Is
more trouble than fourtecn-yea
girl,' said Mrs. Millwaite. MY Clara )
Il Comfort.'
"Whcucvcr Toms wanted" began
Mrs. Conwiler
"A good strong boy is wanted pretty
often in new country" interrupted
her husband. sometimes it gets tire
some 10 him.
whenever Toms wanted" persist
ed slrs. Cornwiler, "he generally has
to be found in a ,rce-top. 1t wears out
his clothes dreadfully."
THAT Is a bother" said Mrs. Mill
waite. Now Clara wears her dresses
longer than any other schoolgirl Of her
age"
While this discussion was going On
indoors, Tom WAS going off outdoors.
Mrs Millwaitc's visit gave him Il
chance TO go fishing. lie put hook
and line in his pocket, intending 10
cut ish-pole OIL the way, and trust
ing 10 find fat. white bait-grubs in Old
logs. He owned sharp one-hand
Ratchet, which he thrust under his
Duckskiu belt.
\ quarter Of mile from the river
he came to familiar trpe-stub. 1t
had been forest giant, but some
storm had broken off its top, leaving
its great trunk thirty feet high. For
est fires had consumed the fallen top,
and deeply charred the huge trunk.
Tom struck it with his hatchct-hcad.
10 his surprise it sounded hollow-a
mcA shell. He was Immediately curl.
Gus TO know IL it was hollow all the
way up, and the only way to ascertain
was to climb it.
A more lminyiting stub to climb
could not be found. 1t was very
grimy, and TOO smooth and large to be
clasped by either arms or legs; but
Tom sought thcket and cut the
longest tough withe he could find.
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 moccasined toes right up. raising
the hoop by quick jerks.
The tree was hollow. Tom sat on
the edge with his feet dangling out
side, rs steady Of nerve rs If upon the
ground. When his curiosity was sat
istied he slipped off the loop to retle
1t more to suit him. An incautious
movepe4 broke bit OF the edge, and
disturbed his balance. He made n
violent move to recover himself. More
edge crumblch inward, and down he
went inside, head and heels together,
like shut jack-knife. One hand held
TO the hoop, pulling it after him. Head.
back, hips and legs scraped down the
long tube, carrying fragments Of rot
ten wood and a dusty cloud.
Tom struck on a deep, soft pile of de-
bris, into which his doubled-up body
plunged breast and knee-deep. The
concussion shocked him breathless and
set his nosebleeding copiously, and the
dust and blood hndcred the recovery
of his breath. Although he was not
quite unconscious, 1t was long before
he stirred. The back of his head had
been severely raked, and rotten wood
was ground into all his decorations.
When, at last, he began to try to
move, lie found himself wedgcd in.
Vainly he wriggled; he could hardly
stir, and could neither lift himself nor
get his legs down. His hips, back.
and all the muscles Of his legs ached
and prickcd intolerably from Strain
and checked circulation.
He could not resist crying; but being
lad of good courage, endurance and
resource, he soon began n systematic
effort for release, packing the loose
debris down as firmly as he could with
his hands at the same time pressing 1t
away all around with his body. This
eXerlion caused greater ache, but he
persisted resolutcly. BY and by he got
his hatchct out Of his belt, and
struck 1t, after dozen efforts, so firm
ly into the wooden wall that he could
hang his weight to 1t with one hand,
while he worked the debris under him
with the other. He gradually enlarged
his space sufficiently to allow the
bending of his knees. After that he
was not long in getting his body up
md feet down, so as to sit cramped
on one hip, with both feet nearly level
Exertion, phin and the pressure OF
returning circulation made his pulse
throb and his head swim. and he
lapsed into semi Inconsistencies. How
long this lasted he knew not, but when
lie began to struggle again he was in
black darkness. \ few stars shone
calmly down his wooden well, but he
could work only by feeling about with
and weak. but he kept on working till
he managed to stand erect Then.
after fcebly kicking and pushing de-
bris to fill up the hole where he had
been, he curled himself as comfortable
as he could, and slept blessed though
troubled sleep.
He dreamed that he heard rife
shot, and that Ban was barking eXcit.
cdly and his father hallooing. But his
sleep was so profound that n dream
could not rouse him.
After long time he 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 sat up stitf. lame all
over, weak. gnawed by hunger and