The San Mateo item. (San Mateo City, Putnam County, Fla) 189?-19??, 1911-05-27
CIimbing-and Climbing
By M. J. PHILLIPS
IcoDyright 1911, b. Associated Literary Prsss.l

Are you a sport7"
DO you mean, am going to climb
that pole. too?"
That's what / mean"
Having been born with some
sense" replied Peter. Il am not. Be-
cause you and Calvin made fools OF
yourselves is no reason ! should"
Whitcomb laughed boisterously. II
always thought you lacked sand" he
said. Later, Whitcomb and Calvin
Brest walked home with Jessie.
Peter Price did not seem to notice
any change in attitude toward him.
He attended the village merrymak-
ings as usual and kept as near Jessie
as possible, fetching and carrying for
her and anticipating her wishes. AS
for Brest and Whitcomb, they en-.
joyed to the full the fame their ex.
plot brought.
They all attended the first picnic OF
the year on Snake Island, so called
because of It's peculiar shape and the
fact that II terminated In a blum two
hundred feet high which looked like
the uplifted head of serpent. The
island was in Silver lake, perhaps a
mile from shore.
The boat landing was on a narrow
strip of beach beneath the head of
the serpent To get to the top OF the
bluff, II was necessary to walk for a
thousand yards along the beach to
spot where the precipice began to
subside and a path wound upward.
The day was beautiful with all the
warmth Of summer When the dozen
young people reached the top they sat
down on the new grass TO rest after
the climb, and to enjoy the sweep Of
sparkling water and wooded shore
spread out before them.
A sudden scream OF fear cut
through their light-hearted converse.
ton and brought them to the edge OF
the blum Below on the beach was a
sight that for the moment struck
them dumb with horror.
Two of their party. Mr.. and Mrs
Dan Pomeroy, had Just landed and
drawn their rowboat into the cluster
of other small craft Barely had they
stepped ashore when the huge. black
bearded figure OF a man darted from
a clump of underbrush with club up
raised. Mrs. Pomeroy had screamed
at sight OF him.
The group above saw the next act
In the tragedy. Pomeroy advanced
bravely. but the club swept downward
through the guard of his arms and
struck. him on the head. He dropped,
and shrek on shrek burst from his
wife.
That's the maniac who nearly kill
ed his keeper at Fairview asylum yes
terday and got away They tele-
phoned me HIS description" gasped
Patterson, editor Of the village paper.
"oh. what shall We dol" moaned
Jessie Dane. "see. he's going TO grab
Edna!" She turned to the white
faced young men "oh. run. run!"
Peter Price slipped OF his coat and
shoes. mo time" he said swiftly.
Shed DO killed before we could get
down the path. I'm going this way"
He stepped down onto a ledge OF rock
on the perpendicular face of the cliff
Living foot had never pressed the
face OF Snake Island chm before. II
seemed a sheer drop OF ten score feet
from the grass roots 20 the sand. But
here were lodges and shelves which
handgrips and footholds.
however precarious.
Price worked his way downward.
He dared not look, for when he did |
his head swan dizzily. He CROPPED
With his feet. already stocklngless.
.orn and bleeding from the Jagged
rock. and found support somehow.
Hand under hand be crawled over the |