Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1902-10-04

| 'i''S biNt ilol u
least one incident that they
Will remember to the last day of their
lives.
The experience may have lasted n
day, an hour or but moment, yet il
impressed itself indelibly upon their
| minds.
Rider Haggard, says the Phladel.
| phia Press, is now leading rs peaceful
and unromantic a life as the mildest-
| minded man could wish to. Yet he can
tell two stories of thrilling adventures
that are as curdling as some of the
tales he publishes.
The one incident of his life with
which he connects his narrowest es.
cape from death happened in South
Africa, over Il quarter of century
ago.
Haggard was master of the Trans
yaal High Court, and in this capacity
he was sent on mission to distant
mountainous district which was thick
ly infested with mutinous and blood
thirsty natives.
Before he started on his journey he
was Informed that he would be way
laid and killed.
There Were two roads by which he
might travel to his destination, and
by good luck he CHANGED to choose the
way of safety.
On the other road a band of natives
was lying in wait for him, resolved to
torture and kill his entire party.
The suspense of that night journey,
when at any turning he might meet
death face to face, can scarcely be pic
tured, but Mr.. Haggard recalls every
moment Of it with a reminiscent shud-
der.
Mary Anderson, now Nine. Navarro,
can recall terrible episode of her
early childhood in Kentucky, which,
by almost a miracle, just escaped being
tragedy. r
One night, during her fathers alb
sence from home, two burglars, who
had already committed several MUIR
ders, broke into the house and, Selling
the child, threatened to xii! her unless
her mother would deliver up all her
money and valuables. n.
A moments hesitation would have
precipitated the tragedy; but the
mother saved the situation and her
child by promptly handing everything
Of value over to the burglars.
Bennett Burleigh, an intrepid war
correspondent, whose work for English
papers during the Civil War gave him
great reputation, numbers among his
experiences that of one night which he
says is as fresh in his mind as if it had
been but yesterday.
He was taken prisoner by the Fed
eral troops and lay under sentence of
death in the prison at Fort Delaware.
He resolved on escape.
After considering many plans he re-
solved on the most desperate.
Underneath the floor of his cell was
a sewer which ran directly into the
Delaware.
For days he worked on this plan,
hating half the time in deadly fear
lest the guards should hear him.
But at length the floor was ready
for raising and the night Of the at
tempt was at hand.
When darkness had fallen he raised |
the floor. dropped beneath 1t into the
sewer and was carried, more dead than
alive, into the river.
He swan for hours in the cold and |
darkness of night and finally landed
safely near Salem, N. J.
Miss Helen Terry had an equally ex.
citing but more painful experience
when, as child of seven, she was
playing the part of Puck in "a Mid
summer Nights Dream at Manches.
ter.
AT the conclusion Of the play she was
raised through the trapdoor seated on
a. mushroom to make the closing
speech, and on this occasion the door,
closing too soon, imprisoned one of her |
feet
She filled the house with her shrieks.
and 1t was some time before her in.
jured foot was released.
Curiously enough, Miss Nellie Farren
had very similar experience. /
"1n my very first engagement" she
relates, when I was only seven years
of age, an 'orrible accident happened
to me. sn
Il was playing the part of one of
the little genii of the ring in Aladdin
was packed in a small box and had to
disappear through trapdoor.
unfortunately the door did not
work properly and l was precipitated
into deep cellar
Everybody thought must be killed
and the delight of my Mortified mother
who witnessed the accident, may be
imagined when, from the deeps below
the stage, she heard my small voice
cry. It's all right, mammie; rs not
much hurt"
A Hero of the st. Pierre Disaster.