Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-11-05
An Experience l Never Repeated.

(By Hubert PRESCOTT
1t was about the middle of July,
one summer vacation, when a gang
of us boys headed for Bear creek.
OF course, we did not go there for
anything special, just so we were on
the move and stirring up something.
Perhaps to catch turtles, go swim
ing, or fall in and get wet. 1t is not
so much fun for the one who falls
in the water as it is for the ones who
are there to see him fall in.
There was little old shanty built
on the opposite side of the creek
which had been vacant for some
time. The inhabitants of this shanty
had stretched a cable across the
creek and fastened it to a tree on
either side. An iron rod was fast
ened, hanging vertically to a pully
which ran on the Gable. On the end
of this rod was piece of two by four
about two feet long, fixed so one
could sit on it and the pulley would
take them across the creek.
We came to this place and the boys
took their turns going across, and
was last, but for the fun and honor
| decided that | would walk across
the cable hand over hand. got
about half way across when my new
hat fell off and down into the water
| was in despair as / watched it float
down stream and gradually sink be-
meath the surface. AS for the cap
it was about the most valueless piece
of property | ever had because
rarely wore hat anyway, but it was
my folks. | didn't have any time t
fool, so | labored on my way across
When | was about two-thirds o
the way my arms began to ache anC
my fingers to weaken. | hung a lit
tie while with the spectators watch
ing me with intense interest | called
: for them to send down the pulley 81
| could get on, but it was too late
. was hanging by the tips of my fin
gers. / looked at the water below
to see the distance | had to drop.
. imagined everything from a broker
bone to a sprained ankle, although
didn't think of the doctor bills. M.
strength gave out and | dropped int
= the water, which was about two ant
a half feet deep. l got good duck
ing but came out all right.
!. After the other boys had finished
laughing we went in search of m,
e cap in hopes that we would find /
hooked on a snag, but it was a fruit
= less effort.
AS we were going down stream w
came to a garbage pile. 1t had til
: cans. bottles and everything on
could imagine. We would send tn
tin cans down the stream and see HOY
many we could sink with rocks.
/ large bottle was set afloat. We al
whanged away at it but missed il
| was disgusted because | could no
k hit it, it was so big and close.
took six or eight steps into the waite
II and whanged at 1t and at the sam
time slipped on the bedrock and go
d wet again. did not feel bad abou
II because it did not get me very wet
for l could not have been much wet
y ter than l was before fell in tn
second time.
N IL we had not felt that somethin
would happen before we went to tn
lie creek we would not have gone, there
fore we got just what we were aftel
I got wet, lost my hat. and receive
scolding when l reached home.
n. these things had not occurred | woul
have had something else very similal
so 1t didn't make any particular dii
ference. except that | had to sta
p- home the rest of the week
Hubert Prescott, the writer of tn
s. above original story. is a freshman |
k. his work in English at the hig
school)