The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-11-20
] found that there was certain difficult
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formed the extremity OF the. town at q
spot where its channel was narrowed to
distance of three quarters of a mile.
The unfinished bridge was constructed of
piles firmly driven into the bed Of the
river, from which rose hugh piers of tim
Der to the height of about forty feet.
Along these were massive balks, destined
to support the platform Of the bridge,
whilst each pier was strengthened and
supported by its neighbor by arrange
ment of cross beams ana ties.
When reached the bank of the river
with my guide, Evan Rolands, I found
that there was considerable hiatus be-
tween the shore and the nearest pier
ABOUT hundred yards. Evan, however;
was prepared with plan for reaching it.
A friend CT his was the master of the lit
tie sloop, the Gam Jones, (which was ~
ing in the tiny brook above. He and his
mate were on board of her, and they had
got their little dingy with them. Evan
would borrow the boat and drop down
with the stream and deposit me at the
foot Of the nearest pier.
"But why not ferry me right oyer9''
asked. -~aas~.- .~---.-~-e.-.-.
"Not possible" said Evan; ethers are
shadows and quicksands at the other side,
which at this time of tide are dangerous.
We made our way along the road
which overlooked the estuary, till we
came to the little harbor. Evan had no
difficulty in borrowing the dingy, and we
were soon adoat and shooting quickly
down the stream.
It was almost dark now, for, although
the sun was not yet down, the storm that
was gathering in the horizon obscured bis
light. Great volumes of cloud and vapor
were driven up before the wind, which
howled and moaned Internationally as
blast succeeded blast, and died away
again. The wind and tide in opposition
made the water pretty rough, and our
boat danced up and down in g very lively
way. Presently the black skeleton Of
the bridge doomed up as through the
mist, and Evan dexterously brought up
his boat in the little eddy that was form
ed by the abutments of the pier, and
then he called to me to jump from the
stern Of the dingy on to- cross piece
that formed sort Of platform, a foot or
so from the waters edge. .... ,......
jumped and landed safely on the
balk, and then found that my way up
wards was by climbing the. nearest pier,
across which were nailed rough, irregu-
lar slaves. which constituted what is call
ed workman's ladder. had no inten-
ton of undertaking any acrobatic feats,
and the idea of climbing up to that gid
dy height by such rough unreliable sup
ports was distasteful enough. wouldn' t
try it. [ would 90 back in the boat TO
dry land once more. But the boat had
spun away on the tide, and was now far
out of ear-shot, or, indeed, eye-shot either.
There stood, then, in the midst of rush
ing, raging sea, upon balk Of timber,
embracing huge black pier, the head of
which was lost in the gloom and mist
overhead. couldn't stay here; I must
get across the bridge at all hazards, and
my only way was upward. a.,@
went up slowly, step by step, testing
each frail splintered stave, ere trust my
weight to it. More than one broke away
in my hands and fell into the sea below.
But when reached the top thought all
danger would soon be over. I should
ind q firm, secure PLATFORM rail, OF at
When cane to the top of the pier I
saw stretched out before me beam, sus.
pended, as it seemed in mid-air, narrow
beam-more like a rope it seemed to me
stretched over this wild abyss Of raging
Waves--that, and nothing else. There
were footprints in the narrow ridge of
timber; it was not more than two feet
wide at the broadest, and the sight of
them gave courage. Men had passed be-
fore me; / would pass, too. And So,
without giving myself a moment more to
think, stepped, and the moment when
letting go with my hands I stood upon
that topmost round of the ladder and
balanced myself for an instant as placed
my loot upon the plank-rha moment in
which seemed to CULVER and sway to
and fro, high upon this giddy perch, be-
yond the ken OF any human eye--a mo-
ment of dizzy terror, of strange, whirling
thoughts, of instincts to cast myself head
long into the sea, was in sensation
as any ordinary week of placid being; and
yet it came and Went like any other mo-
| ment, and stood erect upon the beam
and began nv periIous way. -n
! l heard the wind afar off, believing
among the breakers on the bar. heard
it screeeching and bowling on the flats.
lielt momepts calm, the strange un-
natural hush, and then the rush and leap
ct the storm asst hurdled by me- Dash
ing the salt spray into my eyes, it came,
Selling all the loose corners Of my appar-
el, and cracking them like whip lashes,
carrying away my feeble breath in its
wild course, but leaving mc-yes, thank
God-leaving me still balanced upon nv
plank. ...
The gust had cleared the mist for a
space, and could see now before. me.
though indistinctively enough, but
could see that there was only another
ength of unprotected balk; beyond that
was broad safe platform of timber,
stretched from peir to pier. Oh, to feel
that lltaform safe under my feet trav-
ersed the balk almost on run. must
reach safely before there came another
gust of that fierce wind.
heard it coming, but I was almost
home-yes, home, for that rough, unshel-
tered pletform, on this rude night, seemed
like home to me. Twas stepping firm
ly and quickly along suddenly cbasm
seemed to open under my feet-a horri.
bic chasm. The beam on which stood
/ came suddenly to an end for some eiUht