Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-02-20

water : edge.
jumped, and landed safely on the balk
and then found that my way upwards wa,
by climbing the nearest pier, across which
were nailed rough irregular slaves which
constituted what is called n workman's lad
der. ! bad no intention of undertaking any
acrobatic feats, and the idea of climbing ~
to that eiddy height by such rough, unre-
liable supports was distasteful enough.
wouldn't try it. | would % back in the
boat to dry land once more. But the boat
had span ont of earshot, or indeed eycshot
either. There | stood. then, in the midst ol
a rushing, raging sea, upon 4 halk Of timber
embracing huge black pier, the head OF
which was lost in the gloom and mist over
head. couldn't stay here | must get
across the bridge at all hazards, and my
ouly way was upward.
Up went slowly, step by step, testing
each frail Splntered staye ere trusted my
weight to it. More than one broke away in
my hands. and fell into the sea below. Bat
when | reached the top, thought. then all
thi- danger would be over. should find a
firm. secure platlorm-a rail, cr, at lcl-t, z
rope for the hand
When / came 10 the top of the pier, ! saw
a~ it seemed. in mid-air narrow BEAM
most like rope. it seemed to me-Stretched
over this wild abyss of raging waycs-tlat
and nothing else. There We're footprints in
! the narrow ridge of timhcr-it was not more
! than two feet at the broadcSt-and the sight
Of them gave me courage. Men had passed
over here before me; would pass too.
And 50. without giving myself moment
more to think. stepped and the moment
when letting 20 with my hands, stood
/ uron that topmost round of the ladder, and
| balanced myself for an instant, a- | placed
| myself upon the plank-that moment in
which seemed to quivcr. and sway to and
irn- high up on this giddy perch. beyond
| thc ken Of any human cve-tllat moment oi
terror. of strange wailing thoughts, of in
-tiuct- % cast myself hcadl1ng into the sea.
was In sensation MS any ordinary week of
| placid being and vet il came cand went like
any other moment. and | stood erect upon
the beam. and began my perilous way.
heard the wind far of. believing among
| the breakers ON the bar; ! heard it ~cree.h-
ing and h1wiing over the flats. I felt mo-
mcnt'- calm. the Strlnr. unnatural hush.
and thcn'thc rush and leap of the storm. it
hurilcd hv me. Da~hinL the salt spray into
my ewes. it came. Selling all the loose cor
uer~ of my apparel, and cracking them
like whip-laShc~, CARRYING away my feeble
breath in IL wild course, but leaving me
YES, thank God-lcayin- me still balanced
on my plank
The gust had cleared the mist for space.
and could now see before me. though nliS-
tinr,lv enough. hut could see that there
wa- only another length of unprotected balk
beyond that was broad. sale platform Of
timber. stretched from pier o. pier. oh. t.
feel that nlatlorn sale under my feet ]
trlver-ed the halk almost at % run. must
reach safety before there capcanothcr llswoi
that fierce wind.
heard il comin- now ont was almost
bomc-vos home for thar rou-h. un.beltcr-
ci ,,la-(,r7n an tbis rule nirl,r seemed IiI..
n home IN me wa. s-enfin,, firmly and
of,i4l,lv olopr S,lJen'v !, cba.,n seemed q,
a,cn nndcr nv rc.f-a horrible rla-m. The
I'm, Nv, ,rb;'i, st..,j came .r5,lenlv q, ap
end Far .,n,e oi,,bt laet II bad been emf
,,,,, and tbcrc WA. pa+bip.. r, holm me
o,f,r hi. dreadful -sn Witho,r v;p--. IL
,,.-. ;,,,,,-.illc >. ,.a-s
An home left me know that +, retrac,
NV .tcr- WA. imros.iblc To- me. Even III
bei started .b,ild he no better off than
here and the bonele--nes- of the position
,rca alrncI INV crt-v nc-,, One, more
tc,r1 tt. ,,.i,l r;.;,,- .r5 L,rrf;,,, ,l,p.
towards me world c'in,-t, m. n. lons
~. c,rll knoll down 9n tl,e wei Sim
nerr pl1nk. cjaspcI IL with nv arms. sat a.
ride n The Gust came I'M fierce and
.-r,u,. ra.-el over me one. ,n,r.-onc,
more Shared me
ButI fclt could NOT survive another -uc',
attach / should he blown away like n leaf.
And VET tber, v-.,- r.' bo,,.. of ,.ea,,e-nonc
If was onlv n onc.tion of moment. how lone.
Win sriflaninr limbs caulJ cIino to tI.i-
r,u~b beam then n plun.-e into darkne--
Sin had tirnc tn think What wcrrulv
thonrht., 4 hclplc,s sense of cruelty. Of
the horrible uufeclinsuc~S and mali.-nitv of