Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-06-09
illage, and all evidently in

oluG Ol Gl6 Vlll1SC, a4O oil OfAuCAoiJ III ~
high state of excitement.
ssBoys. give me board'' They quickly
found the one the former message had
been written upon.
With the chalk the young man wrote in
large letters:
''Stand by the line to haul
Two boys held the board up, and the
party on the other bank waved their hats
to signify that they were ready. 1t took
but moment to fasten the kite string to
one of the pieces of rope, and then the
| board was displayed again.
sHaul."
Slowly and carefully they pulled on the
line, and in few moments the rope swung
in a gigantic loop from bank to bank.
Tue next move required some engineering
skill. Some advised one thing, some
another, and in multitude Of counselors
the business seemed in fair way to stop
| s'Now, look here! Whose farm is this?
1t 's'my dads. All right. The next fell
How that bothers me by talking must leave
1.-The place. Say, Mr.. Telegrapher, what's
the best way to unroll this cable without
getting into kink?"
The operator suggested a stick put
through the middle Of the coil and held by
a boy or man on each side. Then unroll il
while they hold it up.
Presently all was ready, and the board
was displayed once more:
"Haul slowly"
| A brief note was written on an envelope
and tied to the rope, and then the great
enterprise began. The rope frightened and
began to strain. Half dozen men had
hold of the end and began to walk away
from the river, while Hero's brother sup
ported it at the edge of the bluff. Hero
herself stood near, gazing anxiously al
these strange doings. She could not I'M
derstand how her Leander was to cross
but she felt sure he would, in some fashion
| "Let her turn easy Easy, now. DOM
hold back"
| Slowly the wire rope unrolled and crept
over the river. 1t hung down in a long
black loop, and nearly touched the river
below.
"Steady there! pay out slowly" said the
| telegraph man. "Don't let it touch the
water"
Now the end could be seen climbing the
opposite bank. Then there came cheer
The river was bridged.
The boy with the barn-door hangers re
turned, bringing with him large crowd
of people, including number of the de-
tanned railroad passengers and the post
master. The excitement was tremendous
A wire rope swinging in mid-air evidently
meant something, and there was the ut
most eagerness displayed in the work.
Leander became the hero of the hour
This was not singular. Did not his Her
wait for him. just beyond the river?
"Now, gentlemen, if you'll stand back
we'll rig this thing, and then the bridg
will be finished"
| The crowd pressed back, and waited il
silence to see what would be done next
They looked oyer the stream, and foun'
the party on the opposite side equally eX
cited and busy.
"Lend hand, boys. We must take TIN
cable over the first limb of that tree an
make her fast behind.
A dozen stout hands offered to help, ant
presently the cable was passed over tn
limb of the tree, while two men held it fast
They looked again over the river, and foun
that, according to the directions sen
them, the other party had taken their en-
Of the cable over a wooden tripod made Q
three fence rails dashed together, and ha
secured the end to a crowbar that ha
that had been driven into the ground.
''All ready there! Pull now!''
Slowly the great loop spread out till tn
cable seemed to De almost straight fro1
shore to shore. One bank was a little higl
er than the other, and the line made
slight descent in crossing. This had bee
expected, and the bridge builder relied O
this fall as a motive power in crossing tn
stream.
"Now fasten her safe, boys, and .th
things done" With the aid of some {
the loose rope they fastened the cable to
huge boulder behind the tree, and the
they gave three cheers for the finishe
work.
"My sakes!" cried small boy, "won
his hands burn the time he slides over!"
Some Of the other boys laughed, and th
whole company gathered around to sc
, what was to be done next. Placing til
barn-door hangers one before the other o
the wire rope, just at the head of the bluff
where it happened to be in reach, the youn
builder proceeded to tie the wicker cha
to them in such way that it's weight kel
the wheels of the hangers securely balance
on top Of the wire cable
Suddenly the whole thing dawned upo
the assembled multitude. Shouts of SUI
prise and delight at the skill and ingenuit
, of the enterprise, and eager questions as
when the bridge would be opened, can
, from every lip. A gentleman pressed TO
: ward and said:
''Do you intend to operate this bridg
: sir?"
Q eyes, sir. Pm going over as the chai
e is secure"
t "I'll give you ten dollars to let me
first"
y Cant do it, sir. Pm going myself?"
t s'Y es, but you could come after me.''
s'Guess not. How could [ get the C;
o back?"
''I'll make it thirty dollars-ffty."
e'No. sir; Pm going first"
9 s'Can't you send the car back to me?"
: s'No. Don't you see it's up hill? II
9 car will go down easy, but there's no &c
ting her back. Besides, L can't stop. G
e an engagement, you know, on the 9th
Il side"
), Chow will you go back yourself?"
ooh I dnn1t cara TO I'm oninr over