Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1871-01-06

1t will be all right IN minute.
MAKE it less If you can," groaned
Stokes; "all the blood's got into my head.
orful. O, lor. what is to be done? Are
you out, sir Z"
mo, I'm not I'm fixed, Stokes. Tn
a dead man. if you move; am, indeed"
Stokes burst into tears, and howled
with all his might; and Mr.. Rowley
shouted great deal, and swore great
deal too. Stokes would have run for it
probably, for he was succumbing fast to
the dead weight above him, had not Mr..
Rowley held him by the throat with his
boots, and fixed him too. In another
moment I had sprung to my feet, ard
was rushing to the rescue.
I'm really very sorry, Mr.. Rowley;
can be of any assistance p
Assistance, you-you--young dev-!
Yes. you can, my dear child. Run for
ladder. and saw, or something, as quick
as lightning. to the house"
"Hi-hi !" shrieked Stokes, as
I prepared to obey Mr.. Rowley's COM
mands; ''don't run--come here, and let
me run, or bust up I must O, lor,
Master Huskisson, don't leave me any
longer-do come and take turn. He's
not so heavy when you're used to him
he isn't, indeed"
I saw the necessity of advancing to the
rescue at once, and so did Mr.. Rowley.
| was tall for my age and tolerably strong,
and I FASTENED to take the place of Mr..
Stokes, which I did with great caution on
all Sides Behold me at last bearing the
guardian of Clara on my shoulders, and
feeling terribly the weight Of my response
bility as be stood with his face to the tree,
still exercising bis ingenuity to get his
hand out of the trap.
Il hope I'm not too heavy for you,
Master Huskisson," he condescended to
say politely, for the sight of me was even
pleasant to witness.
''Not at all, )" was my cheerful answer.
You'll make yourself as light as you can
to oblige ME, rerhaps?''
I had not quite done growing, and man
is fragile during that process. MIR. Row
ley was very heavy, and Stokes was wrong
in his assertion-wickedly wrong.
That is all your fault. mind you. Hus-
kisson. This might have been my death,
he said reproachfully.
Yes, Mr.. Rowley, if I hadn't been in
the way was my happy rejoinder."
"Ah! but''-he looked round with diff
fculty. and found Stokes still there, max
ing every human effort to straighten his
back before flying on his mission. Course
it. Stokes, run for your life! don't stand
there, you wretched lunatic, another in
stant!"
Stokes ran away, and l was left as the
one support of Mr.. Rowley. Stokes bad
not been gone more than minute and q
half when I wished that be had remained
and shared the weight with me. tried
to keep firm, but the difficulty was i'm
mense.
.'Boy, you're giving! Don't shake so.
Keep yourself more against the tree"
Mr.. Rowley called down.
''All right. I'll do it for Clara's sake,
if it's possible; but if snap"
Then [ remembered that he had called
me wbipper-snapper; and so did he too,
| think. and was sorry.
20, you'll keep up." he said, offering
me every encouragement in his power
You're boy for seventeen, and I'm only
nine stone ten-not a great weight. I've
seen people in the circus do this kind of
thing for hours. you know"
1t was gross exaggeration, and | felt
it to be one. | was getting faint also.
l had undertaken too much and his Ian
guage. at times was still violent, as he
endeavored to extricate his hand
IF I should die, sir" said feebly.
Twill you please give my love to Clara :?
Tell her / did all could to bear up and
t. bear you up. o dear! did you say
nine stone ten Z"
II did"
g l should have thought you had been
ninety" | murmured.
. You're giviqg!" he roared again
with vehemence that me. Keep up
little longer. my dear boy. I can hear
them coming in the distance"
Which was another falsehood; but no
matter. Mr.. Rowley was not truthful
man. set myself firmly against the
tree, according to his instructions, but it
was of no avail My heels. in few
moro minutes. would slide gracefully away
with me. was certain, and the guardian
of my CLARA would be swinging about by
one arm, like an early Christian martyr.
His blood would be on my head. and SO
would be, if he came down with his whole
weig perhaps armless-on the top of
me.
keep upr' be cried in great fright
now. ..You shall see Clara when you
like. my boy. l will not say word a.
gainst the match any more. You're q
fine, strappiug. brave fellow. that you are
Ia young Hercules
.'Thank you. Mr. Rowley." l answer
ed aud his words did sustain me little,
and helped me to sustain him.
But was sliding, slowly but surely,
from under his feet, when assistance ar
rived; men with ladders, and saws. and
chiscls; and Clara too. wild with fright,
and with tears steaning down her cheeks.
20, my poor gardy!' she cried. 20,