Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-07-06
BUTLER, PA, FRIDAY, JULY 6, 1888

1
blue silk banner, headed the Holloway
party. She was dressed in a white
! frock, and although the wreath in her
hair was designed by ths village mil
liner, so stubbornly lovely is child
hood that the small creature, wide
eyed and serious with the Importance
OF the occasion. looked like some holy
martyr child stepped out from an old
picture. Even the Doddites remark
ed her beauty, and Ed. Tully, in pure
jealousy, directed the horn-blower:
"Toot up now, first Glass;"
But the Holloway merrymakers
had a surprise in reserve. y dozen
gaiIy dressed goods, aud a dozen
young fellows with knots of ribbon
in their hats, struck up the "Red,
White, and Blue" Schoolrnaster
Godfrey whipped out flute, boy
welded an accordion powerfully. ald
stalwart youth beat large tin ket-
tie with superb effect.
Dave Brown, of the opposition,
turned purple with rage, and yelled
down the line of his command: "Sing,
yer fools why don't yer sing 2" But
as this had not been laid down in the
program, people only looked at each
other sheepishly, and nobody liked
to begin. The whole Holloway line
was now one great choir. Every body
sang at the top of his lungs. Godfrey
mounted astride the barrel of root beer
which was made fast upon buck
board wagon, led off the tunes with
his shrill flute, while the colors Of
freedom streamed from his hat, and
his heart rose high in triumph and
pride.
On went the rival armies, exactly
abreast until, just before reaching
Clapp's River, that white mare took
notion to show her mettle. So the
Dodd pro cession was delayed, and
fully dozen yards ahead of its van
little Mabel put her foot upon the first
plank of Clapp's Bridge. Over this
bridge was the only way of reaching
Clapp's Hill, and the structure was
hardly wide enough to take in the
rival columns abreast Finding his
party so far in advance, Godfrey,
from his perch on the beer barrel,
yelled: We've got the right of way.
Hurrah !"
mo, yer haint," answered Dave
Brown, urging his friend forward.
"Say !" shouted Godfrey, as the
excited enemy neared him, keep
back, won't you? don't believe in
this bridge much"
"Yah!" howled Brown in fury.
"Y Yah! No you don't! and encour-
aged his army with: Don't let Hol.
loway's folks beat US" Don't give
in, boys" and other battle-cres
keep back !" cried Godfrey again
"The old bridge is rotten"
"Think we're green, don't yer?"
Dave flung the defiant answer, and
with squirt the tagging company
came alongside. The white mare
kicked and trampled bravely, the
horn blared, the young men Of the
opposing factions eibowed each other,
the girls exchanged, "Oh you horrid
thing" and such feminine small,
shot. The buck board and the barrel
had reached the centre of the bridge; |
the ice-cream cart struggled along to
the same point, and desperately tried |
to pass; the wheels Of the two vehi- |
cles became locked. Godfrey shout.
ed, Brown jeered, the people pressed
madly forward, and suddenly-hark!
strange, cracking sound, then
sickening, swaying motion, a crash,
aud-Clappe's Bridge with its burden
of humanity has given way.
There are wild cries, vain strug-
giles, selfish graspings that dragged
those at the edges into the pit which
had opened; another and another
support fell in, until both gallant
companies lay in the shallow river
bed. Except in the channel, which
had swift current, but was at this
season only few feet wide, the wa
ter was hardly knee deep. Then the
bridge was luckily very low one;
SO, though bedraggled, SCARED and
bruised, the people soon stood up in
great numbers, and began running
about and calling for their friends and
relations. The CHEEKY answers,
Here we are!" and "All right ~
came faster and faster, and no one
was so efficient in helping as big
Dave Brown, who had done most
toward causing the disaster At last
he climbed out OF the water with
Abby, and her first cry was "Mabel!
where's Mabel?"
Somebody had seen the child go
down in the crash, carrying with her
the banner; but though men and
boys did wander among the timbers,
and though every one else was ac-
counted for, there was no trace OF lit
tie Mabel.
The distracted father came rushing
to the spot, and plunged into the
narrow channel. He risked his life
madly; he raised every fallen beam
in the search; and after hours of
vain labor he crawled up the bank,
so white, so despairingly, that peo-
pie, in very awe of such grief fell
back. Abby alone came to him, say
ing, between bitter sobs:
"You trusted her to me, Oh! can
you ever forgive me 2"
my poor Abby !" said the doctor,
tender and kind even in all his great
sorrow And as the mournful train
moved away from the fatal spot, Alb
by clung to his arm.
The two ministers coming to meet
their congregations, Mr.. Dodd
wrung Mr.. Holloway's hand
and said, "My poor people
have not understood me; never
dreamed of this wicked rivalry"
Mr.. Holloway returned. earnestly,
"Over this innocent child's body:
when that cruel river gives it up, we
must join hands, and teach plainly
that brotherly love stands as the first
article in our belief"
But, oh! what was to heal the
fathers broken heart? With a poor
weeping girl clinging to him, the
stricken man bent his steps toward
the desolate home. With vacant,
unseeing eyes he slowly passed by
ooaL g. -, III, 10 Il n1,rI, no Mill ha