The Opelousas courier., 1888-01-21
A NOBLE REVENGE.
BY JENNIE D. BURTON.

Winter was here and with its iciest
throe sheeted everything by a fall of
sleet; the north wind held its sway, and
tore with bitter gusts through the storm
driven streets. Steps and pavements
were traps for the unwary; telegraph
and telephone wires were down; even
staunch poles had been snapped sheer
off between the weight of the ice and
the force of the wind. But the sun
came out the next morning clear and
bright, flashing IN Rainbow tints on a
crystal world; and a lineman who was
out on the roof of a seven-story building,
creeping down towards the ave after a
refractory wire, caught the dazzle in his
eyes, slipped and fell, but made a des-
perate clutch with his numbed hands at
the eavestrough, and hung suspended
by that frail support which might give
way any instant beneath his weight.
People in the street below cried out
as they caught sight of his p%erilous
position.
"Oh, he'll be down in q minute"
"He can't draw himself up, for see,
it's breaking away now.n
mo, it holds yet. Can't something
be done for him
While they gazed upward, dazed
with horror and feeling the utter help
Fssness of any effort to reach him in
time, q second lineman appeare6 ON the
roof, sent there, it would seem, to assist
tho other. It only required al instant
to take in the situation-the cracking,
swaying eavcs-trough, the desperately
gripping hands, the CHASTITY set face of
the doomed man, who swung " that
deadly abyss.
Save him! Save himiw came up from
the street below.
Only the meaning i the cry reacB &c
the man on the roof, 10 loud and stsue
was the wind which blew there. bever
answered as if he had heard it:
ssI1l try. 'Taint. no diff renee TOT me
if It's Steve Brady. Mly-be as We'lI
BOTH go down; but I reckon we've bot
ekil chances. =
He was busy fastening a rope % the
nearest chimney as he spoke. It was not
q long rope, but it would reach beyond
the edge of the roof, and he R,ade a
moose in the end Of it, which he placed
around his body beneath the arms; then
taking a coil Of wire which he carried
for Gepairing purposes from his pouch,
be piled it to the rope q few feet farther
up, and dropping upon hands and knees,
made bis way 10 the caves.
Hold fast, steye,n be called, en-
couragingly; I'm comm to help re.
Hang on till 1 get a turn of the wire
around you-good Lordl man; don't
you wriggfe, Or you're q gone one in
spite Of rRe
But in the same breath with the warn
ing there was q convulsive effort On the
part of tho suspended man, the parting
caves trough slipped from his rigid fin
gers, he was topping backward, falling
into space, the earth, the sky, the face
of the man above him al blending in
one chaotic picture before his despairing
sight, vet he did not fall; the arm 81
John Harmon, who had slipped like !
fash over the edge, was about him hold;
ing him up, while he adjured
ssGet q hold, get q hold, for God's
sake. Hyou valIy your life and mine,
keep yolr wits about you, Steve Brady,
Nov, then, climb Up the rope. TIL beal
the strain, I think, and you can get Of
the roof from my shoulders. ssteady;so.'
There was i moment Of suspense, The
strands 81 the s~training rope we're cut
ting on the edge Of the States, but tht
wire which John bad Piled to il higher
up divided the weight and enabled frs
one, then the other 10 climb TO the roof.
They stood there painting with exer-
ton, looking into each Others eyes.
q N ny life to ron, 7 said Brady,
sbut / wish + didn't. I wish III
dropped down into the street afore
owed il 10 you.
The cause u The enmity betWeer
thena The usual caase-only 3 girl
Not even 4 prct.y girl as the world sav
her, but the i on whom each of thes'
men had set bis heart. Therewis some
ding " EIa eoaaette q Az, u eIse sha
had hat VT leafned her own lsaiad, fol
slaa had given encouragement to each,
IL be thought ., which amounted |.
the same.
Tas bitsernszs ~ feeling that, out !
es.nmen gratitado, ha eagh stans