Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1898-06-01

sand there was over in one cJrner OF
the roof, and we'd set it over the cover
OF the scuttle to hold il down. / d ne
it as fast as I could, and when we had
the barrel there ard about fixed, the
crazy husband came slashing up with
his Ratchet. As luck would have it
the sand fell in on him aud knocked
him off the ladder below, and the bar
rel got stuck in the hole, so the little
woman and me had minute to think,
and she done the thinking.
"Are you afraidi' says She"
Some says I, nodding toward the
scuttle hole.,'
"I mean of me?' says she smiling"
"'Not much, says l."
"'Are you strong?' says she."
"'That's part of my act says L.
"But not against crazy man with a
Ratchet" says ], wondering what she
would do next and about how long it
| would be till the crazy man was on
| deck with his tomahawk cleaning In
the air.
"'Then, says she, "grab hold OF me
right quick and carry me across the
rope over to Mrs. Peck's house SOS my
husband won't get at me with that ak.
"She had more nerve in a minute
than 1 had 10 week, but when she
said that, my professional pride come
to me, and without any more talk I
reached for my balancing pole, and
STOPPING down SO he could get ON my
back, which she didn't lie We J much.
I made quick run fr the end of the
rope Just as the o.azy Ia aud came
out Of the scutt through the barrel
and tumbled down on the roof half
smothered with sand. I told her to
hold tight and do the prayin' for both
Of us, and thought could get her
through safe. I don't know how I
ever got on the rope with her on my
back, for that wasn't the way my pro-
fession done business, but got there,
and as I shot out with the woman
clirg ing to me the people in the streets
below set up such a yell as I never
heard before, and I come near losing
my balance, for l knew, as they didn't,
why this feature that wasn't on the
bills was being showed.
"The crowd yelled about twice, and
then all of a sudden got so still 1 could
hear the little woman's heart beat.
Anyway, thought could, but maybe
it was my own. I knew when they
were done that the crowd had seen the
man on the roof with the Ratchet, and
recognized him, for ell the people in |
the town knew the kind Of fellow he
was. At the same time the crowd got
still something came to me telling me
to nerve myself, for the crazy man
would cut the rope and drop mo and
my load in the street, to be crushed
into shapeless mass, and I came near
letting go and dropping before 1 WAS
dropped. / couldn't see what was 60
ing on behind me, and all the little
woman knew she was whispering to
me to go ahead, because We were safe
il I only kept my path. I didn't know
whether she thought about the man
with the Ratchet or not. Likely she
did. It wasn't her to mention it,
though, under them circumstances.
"While was thinking about him
cutting the rope I was getting along it
toward the safe end as fast as l
could, the little woman hanging on till
,he nearly choked me, but it didn't
hurt, and was standing it beautiful.
It's funny how q man will find pleasure
in life where there's so much in sight
hat amt, and I nearly forgot the man
With the Ratchet thinking alb ut the
title woman's arms holding cnt) my
heck as the one hope Of her life. But
I was only for q second then ! felt Q
Jar on the rope and I choked and
,raced myself, for was sure the crazy
nan was beginning to cut, and I knew
hat three or four ticks would be
'nough. waited for the second jar,
,ut it didn't come, and in lis place
,ame spring TO the rope, rs if q
Weight had been taken off of it, follow.
d by q swishiug sound and dull thrd
N the sidewalk 80 feet below us. At
he the same time the GRO ID sent up
,roan as if every person in it was hurt.
didn't know for sure what had hap
ened. but / guessed that the crazy
am lilo r,ocf anv crazv naroor or a |