Year: 1860

years ago. The facts are almost literally
related as follows:


My brother Hiram liked the business
of carrying the mail better than did; and
so | went to work in new clearing had
commenced, about mile and half from
home, and not quite so far from the house
of my brother-in-aw. [ used to stay at
one place as often AS at the other. 1t was
a bad arrangement, as, in case of accident,
neither family would be alarmed, or 90 to
lock out for me, if | should not come
course of the winter, as you shall directly
see.


There had fallen one of our old fashion
ed New York SHOWS, crusted hard enough
to bear man. | was getting on famous
ly with my clearing, getting ready to build
a house in the spring. | was ambitious,
and worked early and late, going without
my dinner some days, when the bread and
meat had brought in my pocket was fro
zen SO hard that | could not masticate it
without taking up too much of my time.
One day it was intensely cold, with the
prospect of storm that might hinder my
work the next day, and SO [ worked on
as long as could see, and after twilight
felled tree, which, in its descent,
lodged against another. | could not bear
the idea Of leaving the job half finished |
mounted the almost PROSTATE body to cut
a limb to let it down.


The pole of the tree forked about forty
feet up, into two equal parts with large
projecting limbs from both. 1t was one
of those had to cut away to bring the
tree to the ground. In my haste perhaps
was not so careful as should have been !;
at any rate the first blow eased the loIl.:ss
ment, so that the tree began to settle, and
| was just going to jump off, when the fork
split, and AS it did SO one foot dropped in
TO the space so that could not ex ricate
it for the moment, but felt 10 alarm, for
| knew that | could cut aw the tree in
a minute, or perhaps draw my foot out of
the boot, as the pressure was not very Sc
we're. At the first blow Of the axe the
tree took another start rolled over, and
1 the split closed with all the force Of its
giant strength crushing my foot till the
very bones were tlattenel, and there |
hung suspended, just able to touch the tips
of my fingers in the snow, with nothing to
rest upon for moment-the air at zero
and growing colier-the nearest house a
mile away, no friends to feel alarmed a:
my absence, for each one would suppose
me safe with the other.


My axe, in its fall, rested upon the snow
crust abou: ten feet off. If | could only
get that, | might yet save myself. did
not think how | was to cut myself ose
from the body of that great tree, suspend
ed head down, and suffering from tie rush
Of disordered blood but | thought in that
keen blade my only Hope of life was fixed.
Just forward OF me grew a slim bush,
which thought if could obtain, [ couli
form into hook by twisting the limbs to
s,e..her, ana draw :Le axe within my
reach.


Although the bush was out of my reach,
at last succeeded in getting hold of it
by mans of loop which | made by ty-
ing my suspenders together. then drew
it toward me and cut it off with my pock
ct knife-one of that sort known as " Bar
| low knives" having a single blade about
two and half inches long and three
eighths of an inch wide, with equal width
all its length, set in a handle of peculiar
form, balf It's length iron and half horn or
bone. | succeeded admirably in fashion
! ing my hook, and almost felt the hand. e
within my grasp, 50 certain was / of sue
cess. From the tree that imprisoned me
the ground descended rapidly for a dozen
rods or more to little creek. My axe
Law on the brow of the hill The first
movement made toward twisting the
loop of my stick around the handle of the
axe, SO as to draw it within my reach,
loosened it from its icy rest and away it
went down the hill, crushing through the
little frost-bitten bushes down upon the
ice of the creek, to little fall of few
rods below and over that into the unfrozen
pool, with a gurgling sound as if it fell in
to the water, that seemed to send chill
through every vein and artery of my whole
body.


still had my knife. True, it was a
rough su,1c"ical instrument, but hope and
the love of life gave me strengh to climb
up by my fastened leg and cut away the
boot and stocking, and then with that
knife unjointed my ankle and fell to the
ground-my left leg footsss, bleeding
stump. The intensity of the cold saved
me from bleeding to death. | tore off a
part Of my coat, and with my handkerchief
and suspenders managed to bind my leg
with handful of snow, and started to
crawl home. succeeded in getting with
in sight of the house, and then my strength
utterly failed me.


| tried my voice in vain, but l could
make no one hear. | exerted myself once
more, and crawled toward the road that |
knew Hiram must come It was a pain
ful task, for beside my exhsustation from
loss of blood, | was perishing with cold.
Just then heard my brothers stage horn,
and the jingle Of the bells coming down
the hill. | strained my voice to the ut
most pitch, but he did not, could not hear;
| but there was another friend who did hear.
Old Hunter, the noble old dog, had insist
ed on accompanying this trip, and brother
said, "Let him go; who knows what
good may come of it" Good did come
| of II for his ear was quicker than HIram's ;