The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-19

"And 1t will cost two thousand COLLARS.
The remarks of the men completely
crushed him. Everything was lost-repu-
tation, business, bride and happiness. 1t
was past belief he could make such mis-
take An error of one minute, of only four
inches in length, had ruined his whole
prospects in life The men refused to go
on with their work The railroad people
would never accept the bridge in its pres
ent position. 1t would have to be taken
down and rebuilt in its proper place, and it
was useless to lay tracks over a condemned
bridge
At eleven O'Clock four heavy locomotives
arrived They were to be used in testing
the bridges, but as the rails were not laid
nothing could be done. At noon the Off
GERS of the bridge company and the presi-
dent of the road arrived on special engine
The truth could not be withheld, and for a
few moments there were some pretty sharp
words on both sides The young man had
nothing to say He had made mistake,
Mistakes are not permitted in modern
work. You may go, sir. We have no fur
ther need of your services.
The next day was the Sabbath. For
the young man the night had been one OF
sleepless misery and wretehedness. At
four O'Clock he rose and went out in the
sweet, cool air of the morning. TO look once
more over the impossible river that forever
separated him from his long-wished-for hap
piness. There stood the great bridge, a
monument TO his stupendous folly and
earelessness. He had bridged the stream
and vet in moment all was lost forever
Only four inches-Only four inches from
happiness He repeated the words me
chanically as he brushed through the dewy
grass and came to the river. The sky wa.
rosy overhead. but the sun had not yet ap.
peared above the hills. The day promised
to be fair, perhaps warm, Yet he shiyered
in the fresh breeze Even the water below
looked cold and chilly Every nod and
beam Of the bridge was glistening heavy
with dew He went to the bridge and
stood with one hand resting on the irou
looking over where he might not eross
Not creature was stirring oa the Chase
farm His expected bride slept over there
with perhaps tears upon her pillow. He
had made highway to her home, grand
and noble road for the locomotive, high
way for nation, and vet he could not eros,
the stream where he had walked a barefoo;
boy in the golden water among the amber
pebbles.
How cold the iron. He looked down
upon the steel rollers on which the bridge
rested. They had turned part way over
since the day before The bridge bad cpn-
tracted. had shortened under the influence
Of the fallen temperature. Yesterday the
day was warm and fair Now the world
seemed pinched and cold--liko the hridre
II seemed also as if bis heart had shrunken
under the chill Of bitter disappointment
Suddenly there was shoui--a loud CRY
Of JOY and triumph Il echoed among the
hills. and startled the neighbors cut o.
their early Sabbath rest Half second
later the Young man was tearing down the
village rad toward the boarding house
where the workmen lodged, shouting and
gcs,iculaiiug wildly a. he ran, In reply 70
his calls dozen druwTy heads were thrust
out Of the windows
Come down. mem come down as quick
" as you can. Hurry hurry before ths
sun riises Come help me move the bridge
into place "
Poor lad, It's preyed ou his mind,
He's crazy. Some one ought 20 take him
home The bridge won't BE- moved this
day month.
These were the comments Of the men a.
they came out, half dressed, 10 see Whist
had happened. Some we're for taking the
Young man home 70 his parents, but he
only cried the more vchcmently, Get your
tools--cold-chisels and wedges, your files
and hammers We can move the bridge
to-day. Hurry men. hurry before the
sun strikes II.
oh, sy, lad. said old Jimmy Walsh,
more shoaghtful than the ret; '.ye mean
the sun viii move the bridge arteF we've
lammed the free end.
''Yes She's contracted nov, for the
night was cool, y
I'm with the lad It's good Sabbath
DAYS work, and we'd best help him.
The men did not see how the thing was
TO be done, yet they with one accord got
their tools and set out for the bridge. The
story Of the young mans disappointment
had spread, as such news viii, through the
village, and the men were well disposed to
help one who showed himself 20 earnest 10
help himself
When they arrived at the bridge the sun
was already np, though the bridge itself
bay in the cool shade of the woods There
was yet time.
jam up the free end 50 that it cannot
move. and then we n east of the other end.
Then when the sun strikes the bridge, it
viii expand, and something win have to
give way"
In less than half an hour the space be
tween the free end Of the bridge and the
masonry was filed with solid blocks of iron,
driven in hard and fast with wedges. Now,
though the bridge was on rulers, to allow
il to move forward and backward as If ex-
panded or contracted In the changing tenn
perature of day and night, il was prevented
from moving; and when the fierce heat Of
TIE HNanuAN SUI StAbuH hh ~ NhN EtNAA
masses Of iron must give. or move in
some ether direction. Ii must expand as
soon as the sun struck it; and as the teal
perature rose, it would spring upward in
the centre. or tear itself to pieces under the
tremendous power of the placid sunbeams.
The moment the free end of the bridge had
been damned, or stopped from moving in
that direction, the entire party crossed the
bridge, aud began to cut away the fasten=
ings that secured it to the masonry.
The noise of the labor startled the Sab
bath air, and both the Chases and the Law
sons came out to see what was going on.
Farmer Chase was shocked at the desecra-
ton of the Sabbath, but the young man
only replied The road is all finished but
this bridge. II must be opened, The
people want it. Besides, must show l
can move the bridge, or my reputation is
gone forever, and my business is ruined.
As for the reward, she never lost faith
in her lover. She admitted he had made
a most objectionable blunder, yet she had
faith that he would extricate himself with
honor and credit. She found him working
on the bridge in a sort of feverish anxiety,
pale. excited and harassed. She drew him
away from his work for moment.
':You have eaten nothing. You must
rest. and work more carefully, or YOU may