The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-18

proval.
Yes! Let the big bully try the cable
himself Yes, let him try it hinself.
Robbie hushed them, and they hud-
| died together to make their plans.
One evening at o'clock Billy came
out of the grocery store and locked the
door behind him. The gas lights were
dim in the dusty street, and the air
was hot and sitting, but in the next
block brilliant electric lights cut the
| cool shadows of the park and danced
upon the ripping waters, and the park
band was piayings soothing strains.
1 Billy drew a long breath of relief The
days work was done. 1t had been a
/ long day. All his work days were long.
They began with taking down the
shutters at o'clock in the morning,
and ended with sweeping out the store
/ at s o'clock at night Billy was tired
and he was sullen. All day long he had
| been trudging the hot streets in his
rusty clothes, carrying his heavy
1 basket to one back door or another.
while the other fellows went rollicking
to school in their natty suits ana gay
neckties.
Bill strolled down the street to the
park He shrank from the dazzling
F.! lights into shady spot and threw him.
self down on the cool grass. He had
no chums, his home was small and
crowded, he often lay there until nearly
midnight. listening to the music and
watching the silent stream of wheel
men, and sleeping.
Tonight however, scarcely had he
closed his eyes and caught the gay
measure of the music, when down
upon him dropped the whole gang of
kids. No use for him to try to shout or
struggle. He was pinioned as fiat as
coon's skin. Boys were sitting all over
him. His head was pressed to the
ground and a kid sat on his head. Kids
sat in rows on his back, his legs, his
arms He was as helpless as shelled
oyster They secured his hands be-
hind him, tied a thick bandage over his
mouth and fastened stout rope
around his waist. Then they let him
get up. But there was no chance to
RIM They were clinging to him as
thick as bees to dripping honeycomb.
They hustled him to the street and
threw him down under the shade of a
great elm.
People who noticed the hudale of
painting youngsters remembered the
mysterious night, and passed on with
a smile.
The boys were waiting for cable car
to pass and for a policeman TO PASS
around the corner.
Suppose" whispered John Swan,
suppose he should get run down and
killed, like Jack was"
A wave of CONSERVATION moved the
crowd. Nobody had thought of that.
But Bill broke the spell of indecision
by a spasmodic and determined at
tempt to escape. He understood now
what the kids were up to.
No you DON'T" cried Harold Brown,
Ii "a
going to see how you like it your
self"
yes" cried the crowd. hes going
to see how he likes it himself"
Him run over and killed." cried
Connie Waite. DO you suppose any
one would run over such a big lummax
as he is?"
"Tain't but two miles to the power
house. Any one could run that" SAID
Bonnie Phoenix.
Course they could"
Hush up, kids; get ready" said
Robbie Owen. Come on, big Brownie
The car had passed and the boys
dragged Bill into the street. lie
wouldn't walk, so they had to drag him
full length through the dust. But J
when Robbie and Harold dropped the
rope into the cable slit he bounded TO
his feet and thrashed around like a |
mad bull. But the little fellows We're
too many for him; they held him on
the track Every boy in the crowd was |
an expert at fastening tin cans to the |
cable. and Robbie and Harold did not |
blunder at their job. In a minute the |
stout rope was securely caught ard |
away went Bill. The crowd of small |
boys broke and faded into the night.
III.
On one side of the power house the |
speed of the cable never exceeds eight |
miles an hour on the other side ii runs |
much faster. Bill was attached to the |
swifter cable. Many a time he he d /
tried to catch car going at full speed. |