The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1921-05-07

stepped on Il rotten HOor Dodfu, anu
his left leg crashed through so sud
denly he could not save himself. The
board sprang back. Peter weighed
around go pounds and had very fal
leg. The board had sprung Sideways
being free of the framework on that
end, and when 1t sprang back IL cul
into the flesh on all sides good and
| deep.
Peter soon discovered that pulling or
pushing only frightened the yise-like
grip on his leg. He could just rest his
toe on a rock under the barn.
He could not sit on the floor with
out increasing the pain. so he finally
conceived the idea Of sitting on the
dishpan after turning 1t upside down.
Finding himself helpless, he began
to study his problem as though there
were no possibility of deliyerance ex-
cept through his own wits. Looking
about for some stray tool to aid him
he discovered an old three-cornered
file In Il box of rubbish against the
wall, and also broke piece or the
bOAAOill VI u utltlOilSItu
kettle beside him. With these he tried
for an hour to saw himself free. but
with poor result
AT last he gave up this work and
settled himself on the dishpan. His
other leg was very much In the way
and ii was impossible to get II into IA
|scomfortable position. and the foot un.
der the barn had gone TO sleep"
To relieve his legs he reached an
old firkin. laid piece of board on
H. rested his arms on that. closed his
eyes and tried to doze the time away
until Mrs. Peters return. She could
not come over the steep hills for at
least two hours and Peter had lots
of time to think.
He remembered the time Mrs. Peter
started down the cellar stairs to res
cue kitten that had fallen through
hole In the corner of the kitchen
floor, and the unused stairs had given
way and she had fallen on her back
on the rocks at the bottom of the Gel.
lar. He also remembered that she had
fallen through the back hall floor, Just
as he had through the barn floor
several times-but had managed to
save herself.
Suddenly terrible truth pierced
through his torture. The wind had
been blowing gale through the
rough stone walls of the barn. He
had been shaking with cold, for he
had Intended to go directly back to
the house and had put on no outdoor
clothing.
His Ieg-if not hls whole body
would freeze.
He began desperately to saw with
the old file again and tried to tear OF
splinters of the hoard with his hands.
Soon the futility of this was evident
and again he sunk upon the dishpan.
II only he could be delivered
there would be no more rotten floor
boards on the place. Was this
nightmare or was he losing his mind?
Then he thought Of the boys In
France and tried to think he was bet
ter of than they. Then he saw his
swollen leg.
Soon 1t would be frozen-and soon
he would be frozen on Mrs. Peters
dishpan. Then he remembered thai
Mrs. Peter had to melt snow and Ice
In that dishpan to get water all win.
ter for the house and hens.
Perhaps she would get another man
who would bring the water and mend
the floors With great effort he got
up and tried to move little up and
GOWN on his toe. He wriggled his
other foot and stretched his arms and
looked down toward the open barn
door.
Surely-there was a little man stand
ing there. facing the road, on the
point Of departure.
1t did not take Peter long to yell
Come here!"
When the man reached him Peter
did not give him time to speak, but
said, go into the kitchen and be.
hind the stove you will find saw r.
the man soon sawed Peter out OF
the hole. 1t was all Peter could do
to hobble down to the house.
The man had come for a haircut but
postponed 1t for another day. Peter
was good barber but was too law
TO work at his trade except To earn
little tobacco money by accommodate.
ing the neighbors. He had turned
FARMER planning to work when he felt
like 1t.
But Peter considered his own safe.
ty and comfort whole lot and did
not forget his experience. SO he put
some new floors In the house and barn.
But Mrs. Peter never knew what in
uuced MIN to fix the water supply SC
II would run into the house.
II was vision Of himself--frozen