Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1888-10-20
PHIL THORN'S BRIDGE.
BY II. s. KELLER.

''Wife, l wish We were rich" ,p
For what2' asked Mrs. Thora, as
she laid asilc her knitting.
"For PhiPs sake, the boy has groat
desire to rise in the world. He has al.
ready gone as far as he can in his stud
les at school. If l had the means l
would send him to an academy, have
him prepare for college, and thus meet
his ambitious aim," replied Mr.. Thorn.
~ agree with YOU hus band; but tho
farm is small, and tho mortgage not a
little lurdcn for US to carry. Eiuca-
ton is a great thing for person to
have. could wish no better wish for
our 10y than to sec him advanced as
rapidly as he desires. Bat / cannot see
the way clear to do it." I1
Just then a loud stamping of feet
sounded ia tho back entry. Tho door
opened, and ruddy-checked boy of
sixteen or seventeen years of age en-
tered. 1t was Phil, the subject of the
above conversation. Ole glance at his
bright, Intelligent fac, aad earnest
eyes would tell the observer that the
posscsso-, had he tho opportu nifty,
would some day reach an cnv.able DO
sition in the world. o..
Ii he had the opportunity-ah,
''Therc's the rut.
He was close student, deep thinker
and h d mastered the rudincrts thor
oughly---lut could 60 no further be-
cause of lack OF means. At tho dis
trict school he was knowa as the best
scholar; upon the playground as the fin
est balli't. Whatever he cssayed, be it
stu ly or play, he put his whole heart
iato the task; auA, by his earnest en-
beavers, won Leading position. e..
The farm was small, and the mort
gage heavy. Under such adverse cir
cumstarccs Phil was obliged to suffer a
not peasant restraint. Winter sped
along, and the days began to grow
gradually longer, telling of springs ap-
proach. Phi's spirit grew strangely
moved. A subtle something perhaps
that rev and WOE rrlul sense-told
him that the time was near at hand for
him to make his first grand attempt.
The one great dram OF his liFc-c ollege
held its magic before him; and,
when s.umbcr closed his eyclids, his
fancics wcro of commenccments, ora
lions and graduating hoaors.
Tho soft touch of balmy sprin .
touched the snow clad mount ms.
Little rils ard babb,ing brooks grew
iato rivers, and III he'd down the slol ea
helping to swell the great current OF
the valley s;rcam-:hc Mohawk.
do you think the Bird 20 will stand
it, fathcr9 asked Phil, as the two were
standing upon the river bank, watching
the great dumps of leo d. ash against
the piers and float under tho bridge.
Yes, l thiak SO, provided the river
ice all goes down before West Caladl
creek breaks up" ~ "
'And if notl'
"Thcn l fear the bridge will not
stand tho pressure. You see, Phil, that
small island just below the bridge dams
tho ice back. Ii it were only river ice,
that would g alualIy work down
stream; lut-ard l hope l may be
wrong-if the creek breaks up and
sends its ice iato the river, l fear the
bridge will be lifted from the pi,ra."
1t was a fac bridge, and had been
one OF the attractions belonging to liz
lie Falls. The good people of tho town
had watched its building, and had pct
ted it almost as thing OF life. II
wcathercd the great frcshct last spin;
it remains to be fecn whether or no il
will do as much now.
The &c: was piled high against tn.
island below the bridge. Tho sound
of the grinding, crunching ice, as il
churned about in its massivcreS3 ccu'd
be heard at great dista2cc.
Will, Phil ard his father are stand.
ing there upon the bank cycling the
bridge and ice, sound falls upon III;
cars of all-.-aud with fell i'm sort. Ii
sounds like the gradual sliding away o.
a mountain side. Everyone gathered
there upon the bank knows the mean.
ing of that sound. The creek ha'
broken up. Then, like great white
monster. whose chill jaws are parted t.
cngulf its prey thu ice from the ives
dashes, rolls, churns and tumbl,s in {
hcaving mass toward the doomed bridge.
A gust of col comes before it, as
though to tell the anxious watcher:
what TO wish wish against all power
Of reason to expect. The bridge can