Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-17

dreadful situation before he came to suffer
from the contemplation of her awful posi-
ton.
She made the round of observation and
threw up her arms in despair as she came
back to where she had sat with folded
hands. But this time she did not sit down
in that same spot. She walked far out on
the Lions Head; far out So far that hel
foot Law half way over the perpendicular
ledge and 10000 people caught their breath
in the boats below.
Here she sat down, undid the cord about
her body, tied it tightly about sharp little
uplifted point of rock; tied it tight and tried
it by pulling hard and strong.
And then her hands began to work and
to weave as if they had been spiders
hands. Her strong, heavy dress, already In
shreds above the knee, was SHREDDED and
twisted into cord almost before the people
below realized her desperate resolution.
But when they did discover her purpose q
moment later, what shout of cheer, OF
hope, of heart!
And now she lifted her knife to the glo-
rious stream of black hair.
She wove her hair into her costly, rich
ladder with such dexterity and speed that
in a little time her shapely head was en-
tirely shorn.
Garment after garment disappeared. The
last garment, the last shred was gone.
The girl arose, and stood there moment
as God had made her.
Her long, thin cord was coiled in her right
hand. And there was but one thought, and
prayer among men. Was it strong? and was
it long? Would the rope reach the troubled
foamy waters and the sea lions below? Had
her fingers been adroit and cunning at their
work, and would the rope endure her
weight?
Ships of war of all nations sent their best
boats and crews to see if by some good for
tune they might be of possible service to the
brave girl. Gallant Stuart Taylor, the
naval officer of the port of San Francisco,
was there. In brief, all San Francisco was
there, at least in heart and desire to help.
Tall as an Indian, straight as an arrow,
the girl stood for second above the tremb-
ling sea and roaring sea lions and foam
white rocks, and seemed at last to hesitate
in her desperate purpose. Suddenly, as If
her heart had impelled her, she turned her
head away toward the sombre submits of
Redwood Park and Mount Diablo. She
shaded her eyes with her lifted hand and
looked long and earnestly.
What was she thinking of now. Her
days of happy childhood? The family
group gathered about the door waiting her
return? Her strong, silent, daring and
enduring father, so much like herself?
What could have been her thoughts?
Then after time her eyes fell downward
little and fingered about the Golden Gate.
She started suddenly and clutched once
more in her right hand the long, coiled cord.
What could have startled her and nerved
her so suddenly to her desperate task?
There was little sail plunging down
from out the Golden Gate at all speed; as
if the huge man at the helm half guessed
that this gathering of ships was signal of
trouble to him or his.
No; she would not let HIM suffer; not
while she lived. She would end it all now
and at once.
Tightening, testing the cord once more
and for the last time taking care that no
sharp rock should come in contact with its
precious THREADS and fbers she grasped it
tightly in both hands and hastily let herself
down over the beetling ledge.
Would it hold her? Land her safely in
the surf and surge below? Was it long
enough and was it surely strong enough?
Boats started forward; a thousand stout
hearted men stood to their oars. Every prov
was turned pointing to the Lions Head
ready to leap forward to the rescue.
Down. downl down! Every man held his
breath! Down! down! down. Forty feetl
Fifty! One hundredl One hundred and
fifty feetl Only 90 feet more and the foamy,
troubled rocks and the sea lions below will
receive heri .-.
But what is the matter? Why pause there
suspended in the air by that thin and in
visible cord? An empty hand reaches out
helplessly in the air in sign that all is over.
The rope is exhausted. Men stand as if
stunned and struck dumb.
The girl makes the sign of the cross and
men that never prayed before are praying
now. Those that would disdain to pray for
their own lives are praying for this poor
girl. Tears are in every eye and in every
utterance.
Her both hands now clutch close and hard
to the cord, as if she breads to die.
Her bosom heaves heavily; her feet
are locked close together. Oh if the
water was but water beneath her, instead of
stone and foam and roaring old lions of the
seal
Oh, but to be able to drop down into the
sea 20, 80 feet out flom the base of the prec-
ipice!
Suddenly it seems as if the tall, slim form
hanging so helpless up there IN the air be-
gins to move, to sway, to swing; first lit
tie, as If the sea winds had come up, wonder
ing, from the sea and had begun to buffet
her about.
But mol 1t is not the clustering and in
substantial wind that is slowly moving her
to and frol 10 and frol to and frol from wall
to sea.
Her long, 1.-THE limbs are alive, sinuous,
eloquent with actionl
To and frol to and fro! Faster! fasterl
Ten feet out toward the open seal Fifteen!
Twentyi Thirtyl And away! like beauti-
full rainbow falling out of heaven from its
own splendor, the graceful and audacious
girl, with divine audacity, leaves the rope
behind her, and, as if coming down to us
on the arms of rainbow, darts feet first
into the open sea where yellow sail with
the swittest keel and the stoutest heart in
all the land or on all the seas is waiting to
receive her.
There was q deathly silence for long; so
long it seemed. But when at last a giant
form leaned and gathered slim and ex-
hausted form from the folds of the sea and
his daughter round with love and
as with mantle; such shout!
The great ships thundered their satisfaction;
and told the anxious city that the girl was
safe at last in her fathers arms.
CONCLUDED NEXT SUNDAY.
Copyright, 1889. bv Joaquin Miller.
A Boon Companion.