Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-06-09
shouted at her. She raised her hand to hel
ear, to signify that she did not understand
CHANG the thing. Give me a board.

SuUlGcu dU uoI. iollo IdloCu lOl HfalIU w 49,
ear, to signify that she did not understand.
Chang the thing. Give me- board"
He quickly tore one from, a fence near
by, and with a piece Of chalk that happily
he found in his pocket he wrote thereon
these remarkable words:
"Wait for me-"
She nodded her head, and then wrapped
her cloak closer about her to signify she
would wait hundred years, if he would
come to her. A moment after he burst IN
upon his venerable mother, and nearly be-
reft her of the few senses a'kind Providence
had left her by asking for a pot of paste.
cit is postponed %
ssNo, mother; it's to-day. Now do hur-
ry up that paste"
Then away he flew to- the barn, ana
taking the universal tool, the convenient
jackknife, he began to whittle at two long
| slender sticks as only Yankee can. A
! bit Of wire and some string secured the
! sticks together, and a kite began to be
evolved. Then back to the kitchen. where
are with two newspapers and the material
pot of paste. he knelt upon the floor to fin
ish the machine. How long it did take
for the thing to dry He made the old
stove roar, and nearly burned the kite to a
| cinder in his haste to dry it. Twice he
looked out of the window, and wondered
| if she fingered still. Then the sun came
out, and it began to clear away. He hoped
the wind would hold fair just little long
er. :.
GA ball Of Irvine, mother, if you please. :"
ssPoor boy!" she murmured, as she de-
parted "the disappointment is too much
for him. He's losing his mind. Law sakes
| his father never went round making kites
and things for chit like her. He knowed
He knoWed too much"
The moment she saw that kite, she
sprang down from her rail fence throne
with cry of delight.
"What a boy He is coming; he is COM
ing to me.'
How, she couldn't imagine. Of course
he would not fly over on the kite. Still,
he would come, and the kite was, in some
fashion, to be the bridge. He waved his
hand to her, and then, having written
something on the back of the kite, he pro-
ceeded to fly the same. No children ever
watched their flying toys with greater in
terest. Higher and higher it rose on the
air. Now he began to ''pay out'' the line.
It hung high over her head, and she
clapped her hands and laughed III almost
| childish pleasure. Suddenly it ducked its
| head, and, turning tail, it began to fall in
| unseemly futterings. It was coming down
she ran eagerly to catch it, and in mo-
| ment she had it fast, and the slender string
hung in great loop over the river.
'sWas there ever such boy? All what's
! this? Writing sFasten the string to the
bank. Gail your brother, and bring a
crowbar and some strong rope"
She secured the precious string to big
stone, and, waving her hat to him, she
turned away toward her home. He, on
his side, made the line fast to a tree, and
then went hastily over the fields toward
his fathers barn. Finding his father
there, he asked him to put the horse in the
light job wagon.
"What for?"
''I'm thinking of going over the river
''Be you crazy? How cam
3sHold on, father. Don't call me insane
just yet. Get the horse, please. for Pm il
haste. Besides, you ought to be getting
ready"
SNOW look here. How's me and mother
to cross the river with both bridges down?'
''Well, mebby there'll be new bridge
fore night.
A moment after the young man brought
a. light wicker chair from the house, and
placing it in the wagon, he drove hastil.
away.
'sSen yer that 'ere coil Of wire rope.
7Wa'al, there's, nigh on to four hundred
feet in it. It's worth more'n twenty-five
dollars"
ssAll right Here's your money. Lift
it right into the wagon. And four hank
Of quarterback rope. How much will tina
be?'
EeTwo dollars, I guess. Say, what b.
you going to do with all that stuff? Ant
say, heard the news? The express train
is IN, and all the passengers is awaitin' OF
the banks, and the hotel is jam full Aw
full times these! Mails all stopped, too
Postmaster and the telegraph mans nearl.
| took crazy"
/ He waited to hear no more, and turnet
his horse through the main street ant
started for home. AS he passed the post
office. he saw the master at the door, ant
evidently in a. high state of excitement
He pulled up and asked what was tn
matter.
seSome fellows flowed a kite over th
river, and's going to sling letters and
Lashing his horse to fury, he dashe
through the village and down the Ian
leading to his fathers farm.
Were all his hopes to be thus ruined
A kite in March was not common sight
Of course all the boys and idlers had flocke
to see what it meant. A number of ther
had gathered at the bank, and stood gal
ing at the slender thread spanning tn
river with evident interest. AS he drov
up he saw young man stoop as if to Gu
the line. In despair he cried out:
ssHere, stranger! Let that line alone
The man turned to see who spoke, bu
kept hold Of the string.
sThat is my line, and I'll thank you
leave it alone"
ST shall not hurt it. I was only lookin
to see if. I couldn't use it to pull VIII
over the river. I'm the telegraph opera
tor, and all my wires went down with til
bridge"
"Well, you must hold on bit. Let m
! attend to my affairs, and then you may pt
r over all the wires you like. Say, boy