Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-02


their aprons, half afraid ~ look, and yet
spelIbousd with the fascination Of excitement
ard fear little Nike was unconscious Of
the attention be was ettracti.g, and no te-
NOR shook bis fingers or agiIated MS toes as
they were thurss into crannies between the
chunks Of blue stone. He had covered nearly
half the distance to the ground when the ce-
ment conpany's bell rang, and bis father
came along the road above him on bis home
ward way. The crowd on the road below at
tracted Mr. Firms attention. and looking
over the railing he saw bis bog hanging be-
tween earth and heaven Mr. Finn was q
strong man, ''barrin' tn rheumatic but
when he saw the rocks underneath MS son.
and realized that loose stone Meant coffin
and tie services Of the priest, blur came
over the landscape, his face blanched, AID
his teeth snapped togather so hard that the
stern Of the Guilty pipe between them was
crushed and the bowl shot past Mickey head
and was smashed on the ROCKS below, scatter
ing fiery sparAs around. Mr. Finn groped
blindly around for minute as If he had been
stricken with blindness Then he darted
down the hill Like an elk In the mountains.
His head was thrown back and be covered the
ground in great leaps Els dinner pail fell
from his hand and went rafting over the
wall The crowd cried IN half suppressed
whisper, as they saw TIE flying figure coming
with streaming hair and set Ups "Hers
comes the by's fat{ler!'
In less than half minute Mr.. Finn stood
on the pie Of loose rocks underneath his boy.
The confused murIner OF voices which greeted
his fathers approach attracted the attention
of little Nike He turned his head and saw
tie crowd watching him That one swift
glance showed him the prayerful attitudes
and the pallid faces Of the men and women
ard the frightened glances Of the little chill
dren. a great fear fell upon him and the
top Of the wall seemed to his strained vision
TO loom & thousand feet above him, and the
rocks below hin reached up their serrated
edges ike Alpine ridges TO rlangle him The
ominous silence, too, oppressed him ike
funeral pail, end the voice OF the yellow bird
singing in the tree only fifty feet away fell
on his ear like the notes OF the golden harrs
his mother had told him were played On by
angels beyond the clouds. His lip trembled
and ha began to whimper, just as he had
done after q whipping, ard shrank closer and
closer 10 the wall. A big tear stole down his
tanned cheek and fell upon the upturned face
Of MS father, who shivered as though a bolt
from a crossbow had struck him at the con-
tact. A groan slipped from Mr.. Firms lips
and was echoed from the crowd below.
At this critical time Mr.. Finn reached up
ward his brawny arms, aching to receive a
living burden, and from MS Ups faItered these
words:
NOW Mickey, put yer tut IN tn crack
below. Aye, that's tn lad! Now, hang on
b.r 81 fr1 oG,-tf
A piece Of stone dislocated by the boy fell
upon the rocks. A sludder ran through the
crowd. Then the climbers foot slipped, and
a half suppressed .'AhI' broke iuvoluntarily
from parted lips in the road But Mickey
did not fall His body swayed outward, and
by lucky chance he q ain secured his foot
ing. Mr.. Finn lowered his hand ut intervals
to cross his breast, and his lips moved, but
his eyes never LETT the form OF his boy, which
was yet twenty feet above him
Mickey, brave lad stiffen yerseIl" said
be- LUX cut, now. Work yer toe well in!
All, bal Now re hav I'll Dig in wild yer
nailsp
Slowly and carefully the inquisitive toe
felt its way along the face Of the wall until
it met o crack, and never did child show
the affection for its mother which Mick
showed for the wall But as he made his
way slowly downward he was gradually get
ting weaker. The excitement was beginning
to sap his strength. He was now within
twelve feet OF his father. The twilight was
rapidly falling, and the wall was draped in
shadows The darkness hid the cracks He
rested his toes on projecting piece CT stone;
there was swapping sound, brief glimpse
of arms wildly tossing, 8 cry OF terror from
the crowd, and Uhe boy shot outward and
downward But Mr. Finn was watching,
and as the BODY of his son came down head
first he seized it as the eagle clutches the tiss
when the osprey has dropped it. 4 cheer
rent the air and went echolng over the hill,
for the boy was in his fathers arms.
Mr.. Finn folded his boy close down against
his hickory shirt, and smile irradiated his
swarthy face such as comes only in those
moments when the human soul is stirred by
the passion Of Joy The crowd pressed
closely around to catch glimpse OF the little
hero, aud Jack Doolau said IL an awesEuck
whisper:
Are ye much hurried, Micbey!'
''On'y me nose is skinned was the reply.
And up the Old Point road the little pro-
cession went, the children running eagerly
ahead, and the elderly persons walking So
berry behind and commenting gravely upon
the special providence which lowered over
the most venturesone boy on Cooney Island
When the excitement mad died away that
evening and Mickey had scraped out tie mo-
lasses pail, he stole out Of the gate into the
roed, and all bis youthful comrades eazed Cd
him with the awe with which Nspolson was
regarded by his soldiers
The goats were driven home by Jack Doc
lan.-Eruest Jarrold IN New York Evening
Sun