The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1901-08-21


"Deary mel l should be afraid he'd
break his neck" said Mrs. Millwaite.
IL 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 n
fence makes me almost dizZyw
Your father was sailor" said
Cornwiler land his father was top
man In the navy under old Commodore
Preble. Toms inherited their climb
from you"
IL suppose q sixteen-year-old boy is
more trouble than fourteen-year
girl said Mrs. Millwaite. MY Clara's
q comfort"
whenever Toms wanted" began
Mrs. Cornwiler.
"a good strong boy is wanted pretty
often in n new country" interrupted
her husband. Sometimes it gets tire
some to him."
whenever Toms wanted" persist
ed Mrs. Cornwiler. "he generally has
to be found in tree-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
nge."
While this discussion was going on
indoors, Tom was going of outdoors
Mrs. Millwaites visit gave him
chance TO go fishing. He put hook
and line in his pocket, intending to
cut fish.pole on the way, and trust
ing to find fat. white bait-grubs in old
logs. He owned a sharp, one-hand
hatchet, which he thrust under his
buckskin belt.
A quarter of a mile from the river
he came to a familiar tree-stub. 1t
had been a forest giant, but some
storm had broken of 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 hatchet-head.
To his surprise 1t sounded hollow--a
mere shell. He was Immediately curl
Gus to know If 1t was hollow all the
way up, and the only way to ascertain
was to climb it.
A more uninviting 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 a thicket 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 un raising
the hoop by quick jerks.
The tree was hollow. Tom sat on
the edge with his feet dangling out
side, as steady of nerve as If upon the
ground. When his curiosity was sat
isfied he slipped off the loop to retie
1t more to suit him. An incautious
movement broke bit of the edge, and
disturbed his balance. He made n
violent move to recover himself. More
edge crumbled inward. and down he
went inside, head and heels together,
like shut jack-knife. One hand held
|
back, hips and legs scraped down the
long tube, carrying fragments Of rot
ten wood and a dusty cloud.
Tom struck on n 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 nosebleedlng copiously, and the
dust and blood hindered the recovery
of his breath, Although 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 lacerations.
When, ut last, he began to try to
move. he found himself wedged 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 pricked 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 Will
his hands. ut the same time pressing II
away all around with his body. This
exertion caused greater ache. but he
persisted resolutely. By and by he got
his hatchet out of his belt, and
struck 1t, after dozen efforts. so firm
ly into the wooden wall that he could
hang his weight to it with one hand
while he worked the debris under hin
with the other. He gradually enlarged
his space sufficiently to allow the
bending Of his knees. After that hi
J was not long in getting his body vi
and feet down, SO as to sit crampet
Oh one hip. with both feet nearly level
Exertion, pain, and the pressure O.
returning circulation made his pulls,
throb and his head swim. and b,
lapsed into semi-unconsciousnes Hoy
long this lasted he knew not. but wheI
he began to struggle again he was II
black darkness. A few stars shon