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

1eilOWS IN monday AZURE n1aluenS III tteiT
best gear, and mothers with their little
ones about them-all stood silent and
waiting. Upon the porch Of the tavern
were the governor, the select-men, the
ciergymen of the parish, the doctor and all
the magistrates and lawyers of the neigh
borhood. When Reuben appeared on the
tave, steps, hum ran through the crowd.
The governor came forward and took
Reuben by the hand. 'Young man." he
said, 81 wish you we'll"
The selectmen and other dgnitaries
murmured words Of encouragement. Reu-
ben bowed gravely, without word. Then
he took his stand upon the ground, his
heels against the lower step. BY his side
stood Daniel, holding hammer and some
pegs. Reuben looked straight before him,
and then turned his head toward Anne
and his mother, who stood little on one
side. Both tue women we're pale, but they
smiled as he looked at them.
Then said the goverro
Jump"
At the word, Reuben drew long breath,
bent bis knees and sprang, 1t was good
ly jump And then another and another,
and another, until he had counted ten.
Daniel, with his hammer and his pegs, ran
by his side and The governor and the Sc
lectmen, and the upper ends Of the long
lines Of townsfolks, closed in behind him.
But Anne and his mother were nearest to
him. at the tenth jump Reuben stopped
and Daniel drove down a peg at the toe
- L, e.
wiped his face with his handkerchief, aud
looked behind him. He said nothing, but
in minute or two he put his left toe
against the peg, which Daniel then pulled
up.
Then jumped Reuben again, once twice,
| three times, four, five, six times, and stop
ped to rest. The governor came to him
and said
"Don't hurry, Reuben. Take your
time
And Daniel brought him a drink OF water
| in tin cup. Then he jumped six jumps
more, and after a rest, during which his
mother and Anne came to him with pleas
ant words of encouragement, he made eight
more jumps.
''Now," said Daniel, '.iump three times
more and I'll drive down peg, and you
can take n good rest. Then you will have
jumped just half way"
So Reuben gave three mighty jumps,
and then sat down on big stone by the
side Of the road and took rest.
There was great excitement among the
townsfolk now. He had jumped half his
jumps-had he jumped half the distance ?
| The governor and tho magistrates mingled
in the thckest of the crowd, as much ex-
| cited and anxious as any one. Even Annie
| and Reuben's mother watched two men
who had long cord, with which they
! measured the ground, but Daniel never
| left the spot where he had driven the peg
which marked half of Rcuben's work.
| There were men in town that day who
would have set that peg back had the op-
oitunity been given them.
| The men had measured the ground. Reu
ben had not jumped half the distance !!
Full five feet were lacking. Anne said
| with tremulous voice, "Do not tell him -
| but Reuben's mother said, 81 will tell him.
| Ho must know lie must jump better"
So sho went and told him. Loud was the
| talk and many the opinions among the
! townspeople. Some said that he could
easily make it up. He need add but two
! inches to each of his remaining jumps and
| he would make up the deficiency. But
others said he could not make longer
jumps.
| Then Reuben came and took his stand
at the peg.
Reuben now made ten tremendous jumps
and then he rested. Then he made ten
more and took longer rest. He rested SO
long that the people became impatient and
shouted for him to go on. Very few now
I believed that he could cover the distance
in sixty-six jumps, and those who doubted
him were not backward in saying SO.
When he arose from the ground where he
had been sitting, Anne followed him, and
as he took his stand by the peg, she said
softly, so that only he could hear:
oReuben, if you do it in thirteen more
jumps, will say no more about delay"
"You mean that ?' he said. ''Iou will
marry me as soon as I please?''
Eyes, Reuben" answered Anne.
Then our jumper clenched tightly his
hands, and his eyes flashed. He gave five
jumps greater than any ho had made yet.
The crowd cheered. ''He'll do it, yet, !"
the people said. Then he rested littlo
and jumped again and again, until he had
jumped seven times and then Daniel put
his hand Oh his shoulder, and cried:
sStop, That is sixty five ~
Sixty-ffve! IT. was true. There was but
one more jump to make, and he stood
twenty feet from tho pump!
Twenty feet in a single Jump! And yet
Reuben, without a word, prepared to jump.
"Stop ~ said Daniel again, ''you can't
do it ~
81 know I can't" whispered Reuben
/ l. To haua the SfrenOfh to