Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-06-09


girl threw a bunch of kisses at Golson.
The color had returned to his face with
unnatural intensity, and the look Of absorb.
ing anxiety had passed away. His chest
was broader and his eyes brighter. He
simply smiled at Zoe, and did not even
applaud her.
The shouting below continued. The
men made no preparations to remove the
rope, but Golson started for the ladder.
"She's comm back" said one of the
men.
Golson stopped as if he had been shot
through the brain. The hard, ANXIOUS look
returned, and the desthly pallor came back
all in an instant.
a didn't know that" he said, calmly
and resignedly. He resumed his old posi-
ton, and watched the girl with intense In
terest-wIth gaze in which were concen-
trated his soul aud her heart and mind and
Strength look in which was expressed
the profoundest feelings of strong ma
ture.
Zoe rested moment, and again stepped
upon the rope. She had proceeded about
ten feet, when one of the men remarked:
''She's scared
Golson noticed it; We all saw it. Her
teeth was SO tightly compressed that in the
dazzling light We could see ridges in her
checks. Her nostrils were expanded, and
she stared fixedly ahead Of the rope. Her
breathing was short, and tremor appeared
in her arms and knees. Instead of her
usually erect carriage, there was a percep-
tible leaning forward. When she had made
but dozen steps she stopped and appeared
to be in doubt. She then apparently made
an effort to walk backward, but was evil
IDENTIFY afraid to undertake it. She stopped
again, mustered her courage, threw aquick
dangerous journey. The rope trembled
and swayed under her feet, and in this way
caught swinging motion that tries the
nerve Of the most experlence1 balsncers.
When she had reached the middle 1t was
impossible to proceed. She might have
crossed safely, but the fire on our side was
exhausted. She had walked more slowly
than usually, and the fire was consumed too
soon. She could not see the rope distinctly
enough. She stood still for several sec
onds. The light behind her continued to
burn, but it was of no assistance to her
and Immediately afterward II was also ex-
hausted. We could distinctly see the poor
frightened girl by the light from below, but
her face was obscured. The crowd sent
up hisscs and groans. The rope-walker at
tempted to take another step. She succeed
ed. She tried q second and failed. Her
foot suddenly slipped, but she was active
and alert. and caught upon her knee. Her
fright increased, and in the terrible excite
ment Of the moment she dropped the pole.
Il struck the rope, balanced a moment, and
slipped OF upon the ground below. There
was great scattering, and the crowd
realized that the young girl was falling.
Every sound was hushed. The child
steadied herself wildly and instinctively a
moment with her arms as she knelt on the
rope, and then fell.
Golson's appearance was painful and
pitiable. Great cords stood out upon his
face, which was overspread by an agony of
.lr-, lie lol
ridges and knots and his hands assumed
the appearance OF an eagles claws. He
gazed at the the rope where the girl had
moment ago stood. She had causat by the
right hand, and hung suspended over tie
cobbles. in another moment she grasped
the rape with the other hand, and hung
perfectly sill. Golson waited but few
seconds, when he saw that the fright had
taken the strength from her arms, and that
she could not ciiL.b upon the rore. He
dashed of his h.t, AM grasped the rope
with both hands, snd threw one leg across
1t. He crawled along carefully, that the
shaking might not cause the girl to lose her
hold. The crowd watched him in breath
.ess silence. The rope swung lower under
the double weight and the fastenlngs
creaked and groaned.
''Hold fast, my child" we could hear
him say to the fainting girl. 'Hold on, for
Gods sake, and will save you!'
She raised her head and looked at him for
a moment, and then dropped it again be-
tween her arms. He approached her slowly
and painfully, for he was stranger to the
situation, and was afraid OF shaking her
of. At length hereached her. He whis-
pered something to her, and she looked
him full in the face. He allowed his right
knee TO remain across the rope, threw his
right arm over it at the elbow, and twisted
the right hand around underneath to secure
a firm hold, and passed his left arm around
the girls waist. The strength OF six men
was in those supply limbs and clean-cut
muscles. He drew her toward him. She
released her hold, her head dropped, and
abe tainted
"Pay out the at tie college end" he
His feet were in that direction. 1t re-
quired four of us to let it out. 1t slipped
over the parapet slowly, and the suspended
pair began to be lowered
"Pay it out !" be shouted again.
We let it 90 more rapidly, and he and
his swosning charge were against the build
ing across the street. He let himself slide
gradually down until he reached the side
walk. where he was met by the manager.
The latter took the girl to her home.
The crowd gathered around him with
wild shouts, but he slipped away, and met
us at the door Of the college.
"Where is that scoundrel who said she
was sulkingl" he demanded, with an angry
look.
We pointed him out.
Golson walked up to MIN, explained his
business and gave him stinging blow in
the face that sent him rolling in the gutter.
met the dear old fellow on California