The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-09-20
; The Hand Glass.
= BY Charles S. Hathaway.
Observation-Disclosures
p PoN the door was a sign con

ter O'Clock Saturday afternoon, and
alone, locked in the office. she had just
completed copying n score or more of
letters dictated to her shortly before
closing time by her employer
AS the result Of dlscournging inter
course with Il lot of aches and pains
in her shoulders and back Mary had
taken II position at an open window
ind being ten floors above the street
level, she looked out upon far reach
ing area Of the city's upper plateau.
What grimy. angular. hard sur
face It is." she thought, as she studied
the hills and valleys, the promonto-
ries and ravines of the aerial gcog
raphy, flecked here and there with
clouds of smoke and swift rushing
flights of silver white stream. Truly,
tired as I am, | feel II is good thing
am privileged to eat and sleep next
to the surface of the earth Down
there Is an abundance OF ugllncss OF
course. but the people are there, the
show windows. street cars and noises
are there, there it is companionable
while away up here the loneliness Is
appalling; even the flies and the dust
decline TO associate with us and
Then Miss Macklen started sudden
ly. and, giving vigorous scream,
seized the telephone receiver at her
side and rang up the central office.
Give me police headquarters, please"
she asked. and after brief wait:
Police headquarters? 1t is? Well.
LIT tn
floor, rear. of the Security Trust build
ing. Man there trying to commit sui
cdel For Gods sake, hurry or you'll
be too late"'
And then. so strangely potent is The
power of the horrible. Miss Macklen
again turned and was looking out of
the window. She saw nearly IL square
away, and standing in the top balcony
OF the Security Trust buildings rear
fire escape, q young man who, bare
headed and In shirt sleeves looked
carefully up and down the narrow
alley so far below him. then he moved
to the rail of the balcony. and, plnc-
ing both hands upon the rail. seemed
about to leap over to an awful death.
Again Miss Macklen voiced an appeal
ing shrek. but this time It was not
only deliberate and intentional, but 1t
carried quality of humanity that was
heart-rending, so eager was she to
attract the attention of the wOuld-be
suicide
But he was too far away. or, per-
haps, he purposely avoided needing
her 'If he would but look" she cried
as seizing u chair, she stepped upon
il and raised the window to its fun
height perhaps realization of the
fact that I am witness of his desper-
alton would cause him TO pause
Her effort. or something. she knew
not what. caused him to step across
the balcony and disappear through an
open window. ana for I'M instant she
felt relieved. The relaxation was only
for an lnstGnt, however for almost
Immediately he reappcarcd and this
time he carried rope Mary. certain
that she would faint, steadicd herself
by placing her hand on top Of the let
ter cabinet at one side of the win
dow. She saw the young man as he
Tied one end Of his rope securely to
the balcony post; she say him place
the other end of the rope around his
neck, look Of desperation covering
his face. and then she realized that
under her hand on the cabinet was n
small mirror, her own property.
Instantly she seized the mirror, and,
holding IL 80 tli..t she concentrated
thereon the long. slanting rays of the
declining sun, she threw II binding re-
Election full in the face of the man she
was trying to save.
He started violently, rubbeC iis eyes
and, looking straight NJ Mary, gave Il
ficndlsh smile, and. shaking his poor
head negatively, again resumed his
horribly deliberate preparations.
Again she threw shaft of over
whelming light full in his eyes, and
when the self-destroyer looked at her
in reply, she was violently gestlculat-
ing, begging him in pantomime to
come to her. But again that tiendlsh
smile and again refusal
At this juncture Mary saw man in
blue Uniform step out upon the plat
form, and, as she had received five
years Of thorough business training
Mary fell to the floor In u swlOn.
How long she remained unconscious
Mary did not know; but when-hlled
with vague impressions of repeated
calls on the telephone and of impa
tient knockings upon the office door
she revived sufficiently to support hel
body on one elbow, she heard voices in
the hallway.
Mary listened.
ITS "A fake all around. That's what
] think" was uttered In the deep voice
Of an angry man, and II continued
''The boy was to get n dollar for hang
ing In "A sling just under the end Of
the balcony long enough to tighter
mp single nut He probably finished
lhc job by this time and never
dreamed Of suicide"
But the hurry call was turned II
from this Office argued n seconC
voice
30, you're nuttyr' responded th'
original wise man Cant you see thi