Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1881-07-02

| all the men. 1T was fortunate, Tor twice
he nearly lost his balance, and would
have fallen to the river below. His
hands we're cold and clammy, and his
head seemed on fire. They all stopped
on the ledge of the abutment in silence
while he measured thefree space between
the bridge and the masonry.
-Four inches"
Yes, sir. It's four inches too far
this way" ..#
"And the staging is down"
"That's so; and it will take two
weeks to put it up again"
'And take week more to move the
bridge, if it can be moved, for it's a
risky job anyway"
"And it viii cost two thousand dol
lars"
The remarks of the men completely
crushed him. Everything was lost
reputation, business, bride and happi-
ness. 1t was past belief he could have
made such mistake. 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 present position.
1t would have to be taken down and re-
built in IFS proper place, and it was use
less to lay tracks over condemned
bridge.
At eleven o'clock four heavy locomo-
tives arrived. They were to be used in
testing the bridge, but as the rails were
not laid nothing could be done. Atnoon
the officers of the bridge company and the
president of the road arrived on a special
engine. The truth could not be with
held, and for 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 mod
ern work. You my go, sir. We have
no further need of your services.
The next day was the Sabbath. For
the young man the night had been one
OF sleepless misery. and wretchedness.
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 happiness. There
stood the great bridge, a monument to
his stupendous folly and carelessness.
He had bridged the stream, and yet in
a moment all wasslost forever.
Only four inches-only four inches
from happiness. He repeated the words
mechanically rs he brushed through
the dewy grass and came to the river.
The sky was rosy overhead, but the sun
had not vet appeared above the hills.
The day promised to be fair, perhaps
warm, yet he shivered in the fresh breeze.
Even the water below looked cold and
chilly. Every rod and beam of the
bridge was glistening heavy with dew.
He went tothe bridge and stood with one
hand resting ON the iron looking over
where he might not cross. Not crea-
ture was stirring on the Chase farm.
His expected bride slept over there
with perhaps tears upon her pillow.
He had made a highway to her home, n
grand and noble road for the locomo-
tive, highway for nation, and yet he
could not cross the stream where he
had walked n barefoot boy i'll 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 had contracted, had shortened
under the influence of the fallen tenn
perature. Yesterday the day was warm
and fair. Now the world seemed pinched
and cold-like the bridge. 1t seemed
also as if his heart had shrunken under
the chill of bitter disappointment.
Suddenly there was a shout-a loud
cry of Joy and triumph. 1t echoed
among the hills, and startled the neigh
bors out of their early Sabbath rest.
Half a second later the young man was
tearing down the village road toward
the boarding house where the workmen
lodged, shouting and gesticulating Wild
ly as he ran. In reply to his calls a
dozen frowzy heads were thrust out of
the windows.
"Come down, men come down as
quickly. as you can. Hurry hurry
before the sun risesl Come help me
move the bridge into place"
"Poor lad, it's preyed on his mind.
He's crazy. Some one ought to take
him home.. The bridge won't be moved
this day month";"
These were the comments of the men
us lucy Cdu1c 0ut, IiIiAl Oiic5oCh, w SOC
what had happened. Some were for
taking the young man home to his
parents; but he only cried the more
vehemently, "Get your tools - cold
chisels and wedges, your files and ham,
mers. We can move the bridge to-day.
Hurry! men, hurry before the sun
strikes it."
"Oh, ay, lad" said old Jimmy Walsh,
more thorghtful than the rest; aye
mean the sun will move the bridge arter
we've iammed the free end
eyes. She's contracted now, for the
night was cool"
"Im with the lad. It's good Sab
bath days work, and we'd best help
him"
The men did not see how the thing
was to be done, yet they with one ac-
cord got their tools and set out for the
bridge. The story of the young mans
disappointment had spread, as such
news will, through the village, and the
men were well disposed to help one who
showed himself so earnest to help him
self.
When they arrived at the bridge the
sun was already up, though the bridge
itself lay in the cool shade of the woods.
There was yet time.
"Jam up the free end so that it can
not move, and then We'll cast off the
other end. Then, when the sun strikes
the bridge, it will expand, and some
/