Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1890-08-08
LAPORTE. PA, FRIDAY, AUGUST 8. 1890.
pleasant than otherwise. The lineman

pleasant than otherwise. The lineman
was in desperate mood.
What next occurred, though, was not
the result of recklessness. How did it
happen9 The lineman could not have
told them then or after.
He neared the lowest crosspiece and
threw his right leg over it. The grasp
of his hands might have been un-
Willingly weak one, for the lowering
of his body as he hoisted his leg over
powered it.
His hands slipped, with a stinging SEN
sation, and his head began to reel. He
was falling-falling in awful truth, as
he had once seemed to fall in night
mare; and in half a minute he lay sense
less and motionless on the green grass of
the roadside.
1t was to the lineman like the scheme
of a sarcastic fate that the first sound he
should hear, on regaining consciousness,
should be the loud voice of Mr.. Bald
win.
"Hellor Fiducia's cousin was shout
ing. "Just as l told you! He's coming
to already, clipper as you please!"
"You call that chippcra" Fiducia's
agitated tones demanded.
She was rubbing the linesman's fore
head with camphor. He saw that the
lamp on the table was lighted.
"Wal, he amt hurt bad; that's the
point" said Abner. "It's that tunk on
his head knocked him under"
"He'll come round," said Mr.. Bald.
win, cheerfully. "You've been keeled
over for half an hour" he remarked to
the lineman. "You can be thankful you
are here. A man going along there in
wagon saw you lying there dead-that's
what he reckoned-and picked you up
and brought you back, knowing this was
where you was putting up. Land alive!
You might a laid there all night. Eunice!
l do believe that girls sniveling.
Eunice, march yourself here! Your fell
ler's all right-right as a trigger"
Fiducia demonstrated; but Eunice
came.
That was all the lineman was conscious
of.
Was it by preconcertion2 Abner and
Fiducia and Mr.. Baldwin somehow got
out of the room-Fiducia gracefully,
Abner awkwardly, the fat grocer lum-
beringly; and the lineman was alone with
Eunice.
In spite of his Jared lameness he sat
up-sat up and groped for Eunices
hands. Yes, Eunice had been crying.
"Eunice," said the lineman, "let me
hod your hand just this moment, while
IL tell you. 1t was my own fauiL get
ting my head bumped, and deserved it,
was just coward, Eunice. / wasn't
man enough to face what l knew I'd have
to face. l didn't want to come back
here and see you-and him together. l
didn't feel as though l could STAN it. So
l went to working on tnat pole and fell
down, just as I'd ought to. Therel l
wish you well, Eunice. He's good
man and he's rich, and-and you'll be
happy. | know you will. There, l
won't say no more. l was kind o. des-
pcrate, Eunice; but l want trying to
kill mysely. No, I-I'lllive right along!"
Though she was crying again, Eunice
did not take her hands away. They
seemed to nestle in the linemans.
W haO w yOu iucatu. SIG CTlCu, NAH
Indignantly. "Do you mean Silas Bald
win?"
"Why, yes" the lineman stammered.
"Silas Baldwin," said Eunice, with
amazed eyes on the linemans upturned
face. 'l've known him all my life.
He's about forty, Silas is, and he's a
married man, but his wife's off visiting
her folks in Illinois. He runs over here
oftener now It he's all alone"
Then Eunico removed her hands to
wipe her tears.
"Wal, +" the lineman gasped, dazed,
humiliated, strangely happy, "I've been
a tarnal fool"
The lineman got well, though it was
discovered that he had fractured one of
his ribs. He said he was glad of it; he
took it for a Judgment upon him. Besides,
being nursed to recovery by Eunice was
far from being an unpleasant state of
affairs.
He and Eunice were married as soon
as ever he was able to be, and Sammy
and Molly, in high feather, stood up with |
them.
The tall, silver lamp, presented by FL |
ducia's cousin, Silas Baldwin, and his |
wife, was the finest of the wedding pres