Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-06-09
s'No; the rope might break. Ever
pound tells. and I'm yerv lipht.''

/
pound tells, and I'm very light
''Nonsense!" cried the stranger who
wished to cross. ''The rope will bear two
like you"
"Well, how much does the bag weight"
"Only two pounds"
Gail right; I'll take it. Ready now!
Go!
Go he did. The car. drawn onward by
the weight of the load, shot over the river
with the speed of the wind. The rope bent
under the weight, and the two crowds
gathered on the banks held their breath
in alarm. Then it began to slacken it's
speed. The rope under the strain made
loop again, and suddenly the intrepid voy-
ager stopped in mid-air, perhaps a hundred
feet from the shore. A wild shout of dis
may went up from the people. The navi-
gator looked up at the slender rope above
his head ond down at the roaring river,
sixty feet below. In despair he. gazed at
the shore. Where was his Hero now?
Alas! in dead faint on the ground be-
] hind the people. Some one found her, and
all turned to see what had happened, and
left the luckless voyager to swing slowly
backwards and forwards on the wind, and
utterly out of reach.
The situation Was desperate. Why had
he not drawn the cable tighter? If it had
been properly secured, this dreadful ac-
cident would not have occurred. The
people on the banks ran hither and thither
! in helpless confusion. Those nearest to
him were busy with the poor child, whose
nerves had been shattered by the accident,
and the young man himself was neg
lected.
Presently they took the young woman
home, and then they turned to see what
could be done to rescue him After some
! little delay rope was procured, and an eff
fort was made to throw it to him. He
failed to catch it, though it touched his
! chair twice. Still they kept on, and at last
he secured it. A dozen stout fellows be-
gan to pull on it, and the car slowly and
gently rolled ashore, amidst the cheers and
shouts of the assembled populace. Twenty
hands were reached out to pull him in, and
he landed in the midst of frantic COM
pany of mon and boys. Would the bridge
be open for travel? Could he not take a
message back? The conductor of the ex-
press train wanted his passengers taken
across, The expressrhan had a trunk Of
valuables that must be taken over some
how.
A big man in travelling suit passed
through the crowd and seized his hand just
as he stepped out Of the car:
''Did you build that bridge?"
s'Yes, sir"
every bright idea. I once saw one just
like it in Japan"
eyes, sir; | saw the picture of one on a
Japanese fan. That's what made me think
of It,"
''You should put up another wire if you
want to 60 back"
II don't want to-. I have come across
to stay"
Thereupon the young man began 10 I'M
fasten the chair as if to take 1t away.
"Hold on bit! What will you take for
the bridge?
''Don't want to sell. Besides Pm busy
now"
"Do you want to make fortune?"
eyes, but I can't stop. Busy to-day.
Besides, they're waiting for me-"
The man was importunate, and even the
people gathered about murmured as if in
remonstrance.
|. 'Look you, young man. That bridge of
yours is worth thousand dollars to the
man who knows how to work it.''
''That's SO, that's so,'' said the people.
"The other bridges cannot be rebuilt in
a'month, and all the railroad travel, the
mails, and light freight will have to cross
our cable" vs.
eyes," replied the young man, impa.
tiently; ''but have no time to attend to
it-at least not to-day"
Here the crowd suddenly parted, and on
the arm of her aged father appeared the
blushing Hero. They shook hands hear
lilly, and if it had not been for the pres
ence Of the assembled company, it is be.
lieved they would have kissed each other
ooh, told them you would come ]
was sure of it, but [ didn't think you'd
fy.'
"Of course. I said I should be on time
and here I am. It's almost time, sup
pose.''
"Ye s, very nearly"
The stranger became still more importu
: nate.
> Look here, young man, mean bust.
:. ness. If you're in such particular hurry
+ give me your terms, and I'll buy you out. D
! sWell, stranger, you wait an hour and
I'll talk with you"
, mo; the whole business of the road is
blocked, and we must have another wire
r. up and more cars at once. Come! I'm
the vice-president of the railroad, and yor
can trust me-"
"What does he want?" whispered Hero
''He wants to buy the wire .bridge.''
"Does he? Well, make him give goo(
, price. 1t may help to furnish that spare
r room; besides, I want little larger stove. ,
The young man thought moment, anl
o then he said, slowly, as if Offering grea
favor
II don't know much about such mat
tiers, Mr.. President, but I'll sell half in
I terest in my bridge and right to land ca
bles on our farm for five hundred dollars
and III agree to run the bridge myself"
ooh, you don't know n UGH about sucl
matters You are keen for one so young
e However, I'll take you up,
J. sAll right, sir. We must have four ca
vt bles and a dozen cars alone. 1 was think
II ing of it when 1 got stuck. I guess it will
be good speculation"
"Heres my hand on it. Can YOU bepil