The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1876-03-10

NO, SdiO bdtiiei, Wdit. lou eau 90
better if you bave failed"
The good Daniel could not believe in his
friends failure. If he would only wait and
think, something Nigh. be done. He did
not know what. Wild thoughts came into
bis mind of a vaulting- pole, springing-
ed. Such things would not be allowed, of
course. But still he said, "wait.''
The turmoil among the people was ter
rible. They pressed around Reuben they
shouted, and they laughed, and were an
cry.
"Go on, "said some one. 'sHe has failed,''
said the Tories. "Not yet, said his friends.
Anne and Reuben's mother stood behind
him pale and motiouless and they said
not word. Then the governor pressed
his way through the crowd, and he said to
Reuben:
Young man, you cannot jump that"
81 know it," said Reuben, ''but will do
my bcst.''
"Aud that you cannot do" replied the
governor, "for you are trembling and
tired"
The governor walked to the pump
platform aud mounted upon it.
"Hear ~ he cried, aud all the people
were silent. "The day has rapidly past"
said the governor, ''and it is supper time.
Even now hear old Mother Kemper ring
ing the bell of the squire. We cannot al
low our sports to interfere with our domes-
tic plans. Therefore the final jump Of
Reuben Salton is postponed until to morrow
ing"
Slowly and discontentedly the crowd dis.
perscd, while Reuben, leading on his moth
ers arm, slowly walked Eomeward.
The people were noisy and disputing.
The tories of Upper Milford were i'll es
pecial glee. The patriots were depressed.
All now were gone but the faithful Daniel
He waited BY the peg that he had driven
where Reuben last stood, and he drove it
down tightly iuto the ground. The tories
must not set it back in the night. CAL
though" he thought, with a Sigh, Chow
gladly would I set it forward" But he
was faithful, and he drove it down tight.
Daniel did not rest we'll He dreamed
many dream of tory raids upon the peg.
and of Reuben, with grasphopper legs,
making the one wild bound that was need
ed. In the dim and early gray of the
morning, he arose and went down to see if
the peg had been moved.
AS he neared the town pump, he saw, in
the uncertain light, the figures of two per-
sons moving about the place.
.'nar' lie cried, ''they're at it p and he
ran at the top of his speed toward them.
The pcg was all right. Ho felt for the
heads of the tiny and secret pegs he had
driven on each side of the large one, to
mark it's position. They were there. Moth
ing had been disturbed. And then he
looked at the two men. They were at
work, and, as he looked at them, his eyes
dilated, his hair rose on end, his legs tremb-
led beneath him. He advanced step.
"Whas-wLat ?'' lie stammered.
cave, good neighbor," said the elder
man, ''aye, and ye're surprised, may be, to
see us here so early. But we must cen fin
ish our work this morning, forwe are tobe in
East Milford by high noon. An we but
reached here from Upper Milford an houl
siuce.''
s.Look ye - cried Daniel. "You've-
you've had no breakfast"
"Not we,' SAID the man. "We'vo scarce
earned that yet"
eLook ye ~ stammered Daniel, ego you
TOTO the aforementioned get some
breakfast. I'll pay the score-and-and
-, o,l .f al y,oV
all. Go yea short half hour will make
no difference. Go now ~
cam ven pay the score?'' asked the
man.
AYE, will that" cried Daniel tremb
ling.
"Thcn will we CO." replied the man.
Daniel stopped not another minute, but
madly dashed away. He ran, he bounded
he hurled himself along. Hereached Reu
ben's house and thundered with hand and
foot at the door up went window, and
out came Reuben's head.
"Reuben," yelled Daniel. ''Come out
Put on your breeches, quick, and come
Come and make your jump! They've
moved the pump
"a worthy young man y quoth the elder
pump p-man.
"Aye, an an honest one, hope" said
the other s'aud wen 60 straightway to the
tavern before he repents him of his prom
ise.''
"Aye," said the other, tTt was short
pump and easier raised than had thought.
Well just leave it now. It's well perchance
that we did not get here yesterday, for
heard last night they'd had jumping race
or some wild sport here, and main great
crowd-an' little work we could have done.
Come on"
And they went, and on the ground they
left the pump, lying with its lower end over
the well, from which, for needful repairs,
they had raised it with a windlass, anc its