The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-01-05

..
dead man if you move am indeed"
Stokes burst into tears, and howled
with all his might; and Mr. Rowley
saoIted great deal, and swore a 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 had sprung to my feet, and was
rushing to the rescue.
81 am really very sorry, Dir. Rowley
can | be of any assistance 2"
Assistance, ,yOu-you-young dew
Yes, you can, my dear child. Run for a
ladder, and a saw, or something, as quick
as lightning to the house,
"Hi-he-hollo !" slIrieked Stokes, as
prepared TO obey Mr.. Rowley's COM
mands; ''don't run come hers, and let
me run, or bust up I must Oh, lor,
Master Huskisson, don't leave me any
loDger-do come and take turn. He's
| no, SO heavy when you're used to him
he isn't indeed"
| saw the necessity of advancing to
the rescue at once, and SO did MIR. Rows
ley. | was tall for nv age and tolera-
bly, strong, and | hastened to take the
place of Mr.. Stokes, which | 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 responsibility as he stood
| with his face to the tree, still exercising
his ingenuity to get his hand out of the
trap.
Il hope I'm not too heavy for you,
Master Huskinsson," he condescended to
say, politely, for the sight of NE was
even pleasant to witness.
''Not at all, was my cheerful answer.
You'll make yourself as light as you
can to oblige me, perhaps p
| had not quite done growing, and
man is fragile during that process. Mr..
Rowlsy WAS very heavy, and Stokes was
wrong in lis assertion-wicked ediy wrong,
This is all your fault, mind you,
Huskisson. This might have been my
DEATH" he said reproachfully.
Eyes, Mr. Rowley, if--I hadn't been in
the way" was my happy rejoinder.
"Ah! but" be looked round with
difficulty, and found Stokes still there,
making 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 lunalic,
another instant -
Stokes ran away, and was left as the
one support OF AR. Row!ey. Stokes had
| not been gone more than minute and
a half, when | wished that he hid re-
manned and shared the weight with me.
I tried to keep firm, but the diff -'ty was
immense.
''Boy. yon're givingi D9n't shake
So Keep yourself more against the
| tree Ar. Rowley called down.
''All right. I'll DO it for Clara's sake,
if it's possible bat if snap"
Then | remembered that he had called
me a whiPpar snapper; and so did he,
! too, think, and was sorry.
ooh, you'll keep np.'' he said, offering
me every encouragement IN his power.
you're big boy for seventeen, and
I'm only nine stone ten-not a great
weight. I've seen people in a circus do
this Kind of thing for hours, you know"
1t was gross exaggeration, and | felt
it to be one. / was getting faint also
[ had undertaken too much and his
language at times was still violent, as he
endsavored to extricste his hand.
''lf l should die, SIR | said. feebly
"will you please give my love to Clara ?
/, Tell her did all | could to bear up
and to bear you. Oh, dear! Did you
say nine stone ten g
II did,
Il sbou!d have thought you had been
ninety" | murmured.
"You're giving !" he roared again,
with a vehemence that revived me.
keep up little longer, my dear boy.
I can hear them coming in the distance"
Which was another talsehood but no
matter Mr. Rowley was not a truthful
man. set myself firmly against the tree,
according to his Instructions, but 1t was
of no avail. My heels, in few more min
utes, would slide gracefully away from
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 he, if he came down with his
whole weight-perhaps armless ON the
top of me.
.sKeep up I" he cried, in great fright
now. sYou shall see Clara when you
like, my boy. | will not say a word
against the match any more. You're
fine strapping, brave fellow, that you are
"a young Hercules y
'.Thank you, Mr.. Rowley," answered;
and his words did sustain Ue little, and
| heIned me to Sustain him.
But | was sliding, slowly but surely,
from. under his feet when assistance ar
riyed-men with ladders and saws and
chises and Clara, too, wild with fright,
and with tears streaming down her cheeks.
ooh, nay poor gardy!" she cried. ''Oh,
you wicked Aiphonse! it's all your