Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-09-21
The Mysterious AxInan.
..:ssze>>SlsS>zlHfszslzs>lS
loriginulI

pNncIHnlp III tEc WOOu lying bc.WccH
he Scaridalcs and the IlrchoG'S and
ZEN then the decision of the court
al The ownership Of the timber on the
property uncertain. The Scarsdnlcs
';alncd the land. n title TO which would
In law include the timber. but KIr
chofr had at one time held bill OF
sale for the wood, ami when the de
clslon came the KirchoR ngainst whom
II WAS rendered declared that no Scars
dale should ever curry away II stick OF
wood from the property. He died soon
after making the threat, and Thomas
Scnrsdnlc considered TINT lie might
take pcaccnblc possession of both land
and timber However. there was no
occasion TO cut the wood, ana no move
wns made TO do so for many years
Indeed the property remained MS II
was till Howard Scnrsdalc DE-, &c en-.
gagged TO Elsie Kirchor. Then howard
concluded 10 build house for himself
and the girl he was TO marry In the
center OF the woods Before beginning
lie sold the timber to make why for
the house to n man who was to take II
away.
The first tree cut down fell on one
of tho mon engaged In the work and
killed him. Then when It had been
sawed into logs aud they were being
removed from the property n chain
broke. log rolled down on n man. and
another life WINS sacrificed. Some
body spoke of the threat OF the Klr-
chonf who had lost the suit. and that
ended for the time any attempt to
remove the timber. for no one would
undertake the job.
One night Elsie Kirchon. who occu-
pied the family home OH the west edge
OF tho wood, being awake, heard the
sound Of nm nx which she fnncicd came
from the spot whore her ilnncc had
purchased to build their nest. Tho next
dry abe told Howard OF the circum-
stance. Howard insisted that she must
have been mistaken. No one had been
chopping In the wood He made per
sonnl examination. which confirmed
what he had said But elsie remained
firm In maintaining that she had heard
an aSmnn Mt work. Howard told her
that she would soon hear nxmcn. for
he had succeeded I'm securing n new
away tho timber.
Tho next day the body OF man was
carried by Elsie Kirchon's house. The
bearers set the bier down in front OF
the house tn rest, md Elsie shrinking
~ went out, leaned on the gate and
asked whit Ind been the cause of
death. She was Informed that n tree
that had been partly feled by tho first
gang OF men employed to cut the TIM
Der had fallen on the man and killed
him. He WINS 60 have been the fore
man OF the new gang thnt Howard
Scarsdalc had employed
Tho girl paled, gasped and went into
tho house. She sent Immediately for
her lover and implorcd him tn take no
further action In making the required
clearing. Scnrsdnle considered tho
deaths simply n chapter OF accidents,
hut he found Elsie in such turmoil
OF emotion that to calm her he prom
iscd her that the whole matter should
he indefinitely deferred.
Autumn >.as coming on, and he con-
Guided to keep his promise TIL The next
spring, when he would have the Job
done without saying anything to Elsie
about It, Perhaps lie could get her to
cccdcd In doing this. elsie went In
May TO visit friend. but she had
scarcely settled herself In her friends
house when she experienced an irro-
slstlble desire to return This she did
the next day, reaching her homo at
bedtime.
Howard had his men ready 10 enter
upon the work of making the clearing
the next morning. Before breakfast
he received message from Elsie that
she WINS mt home and she wished him
TO come to her. Thinking she had been
taken Ill. lie went to her Immediately.
Without explaining her sudden return
she asked quickly:
"Arc you going to cut the wood;"
Howard tried for awhile to cquivo-
cate, but. seeing that she would have
nothing hut the truth, confessed.
stop 1t ut once" she said cxcitedly.
go and forbid the men TO strike n
blow. Last night heard the axman
again. oh. do go and stop them"
While they were speaking there was
crash in the wood
TOO late" gasped Elsie
Howard. impressed with something.
he knew not what, started TO go to
the wood. Elsie held him In n tight
embrace. Hearing shouting. he tore
himself away. When he renched tho
point from which the voices camo he
found Tint the men had been at work
long enough to fell tree with rotted
core. 1t had fallen prcmnturcly on one
of the men. and the others were try
Ing TO pry II up SO that they could get
him out. When they succeeded lie was
dead.