The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1911-01-22
SiiCkenin&
Excape From Deth by Hank Dew.
berry Who Thort His Last Hour
Had Came and Conducted His.
self Accordin, but as It Hap
pend, Hank Sill Lives

Hank Dewberry says he can't go to
sleep at nights for thinking of the aw-
full narrer excape he had from instant
death on Thursday of last week, the
memory OF which has made Hank so
nervous that he fears he is going into
decline.
Hold 'Quigley. who is getting out
lumber on Sawridge Mountain. which
he is hauling to Gootchic Pond. made
arrangements with Hank to help him
for few days. Hank don't like to
work any too we'll at anything, but be-
ing as he was outen money and could
mt keep hisself in tobacco, he consent
ed to help Hold and had been giving
satisfaction up until this turrible thing
happened.
Last Thursday morning Hold and
Hank took the OK team up on the
side of the mountain and loaded the
sled with six big heavy spruce logs.
Hold then put drag on the sled and
told Hank to get up on top of the
load and take it down to the foot of
the mountain. Hank, he didn't seem
any too anxious to do this, being as
it is nearly mile OF awful steep road,
but he couldn't think OF any very good
excuse, SO he climbed on top of the
load, give the oxes a prod and started.
Hank counted on the drag holding the
sled back, so that it would descend the
mountain without danger to hisself, but
when he done this, he counted on too
much, becuz the oxes hadn't any more
than started until blamed if the drag
didn't break and the sled started.
At first the oxes tried to hold the
sled back and both of them, stuck their
dew-claws into the road until they set
down, but do you suppose two of the
strongest oxes that ever was could
hold heavy load like thisl No. The
sledful of logs which was gaining We
locity every minute pushed them right
ahead of it. and when they seen that
they couldn't hold back the load, intel
ligent beasts that they be, they sprang
into a run as fast as they could 60. in
order to keep ahead of the sled.
Imagine Hanks predicament, if you
can, gentle reader, all this time. There
he was asettin on top of them logs,
with his hat gone. and his hair stand
ing on end, and his eyes bigger than
saucers and hangin on for dear life to
the chain which bound the logs to-
gether and as pale as death into the
bargain. Hank didn't know but what
every next second might be his last.
He says that the thorts which flashed
through his mind while he set there
on top of that sled took in everything
that he had ever did in sinful way as
far back as he could remember. Hank
said he tried to pray but he was 50
excited and nervous and jounced
around so that he couldn't seem to
think of anything partickler to say.
One place the road turned kind Of
sharp and when Hank saw this curve
ahead, he said he jest closed his eyes
and trusted to providence. When the
sled struck the curve over it went and
Hank who was on top was throwed
about 50 feet and lit in the snow on
top OF a big pile Of brush which give
some under him and thus saved his
miserable life.
The chain which held the logs, broke,
and they rolled helter-skelter down the
mountain side. As for the oxes they
vas throwed heals over head and all
ileaeed up 90 that II took hour Of
hard work to get them stsaightened
- NV x.s :. -