The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-05-04

My you. Sroane0 Oplethorpe;
tits suicide to jump from this height.
II makes me dizzy 10 think OF IT,"
Proctor was as cool as the proverb-
al cucum Der, and talked TO Us as calm
~ as IL discussing business scheme in
my private Office.
Its "A case Of roast or jump" said
he. as we came together for "A final con
ference, that's the whole thing in
nutshell. The only redeemiDg feature
in the case is that each OF us can choose
the way il suits him best to die. Per-
sonally il makes little difference to me.
Death by fire isn't really so horrible as
it appears, and as for jumping you will
lose consciousness long before you
reach the ground. After all, my case
is much worse than yours, gentlemen.
Your families will be well provided for,
but God only knows what will become
Of my wife and children when I'm
gone"
''Sce here, young man." Oglethorpe
exclaimed. grasping Tom by the arm,
IL can't be roasted i'm this hell-hole
like rat. and 10 jump is still worse.
Why, man alive, Id give million dol
lars--a million, do you hear?-to be
landed safely on the ground.'
| ! glanced at Tom-for an instant
forgetting our perilous situation
and noted that. unmindful OF Ogle'
thorpe, he was gazing intently to one
side; then My his face Lighted up
with CLEAN OF hope.
"All right. ! accept the contract
No time now for any business formal
tiles. Shake hands on it. You witness
this, Mr.. Burrows" said he, noddini
his head in my direction, at the INT
time extending his hand to Oglethorpe
They hastily grasped each Others
hand. and ! bore witness OF the strang
est business transaction on record.
That's as binding as If drawn up b!
a regiment of lawyers" exclaimed
Oglethorpe when the simple ceremon.
was completed. Then he added: IN,
word is good for that amount, neve
fear, if 1 get cut of this place alive.
Pushing the millionaire aside rough
ly. Proctor ran to a case OF drawer
under the counter q few feet away
On the upper drawer was tackled
white card which bore the simple le
gend: ..Eish lines" 1t was only tn
work of second to pull the drawe
out and select "A heavy. strong line
about the size used in codfishing. In
drawer underneath was labeled "Sinl
ers." and from this he grabbed lea
sinkcr. which he deftly fastened to tn
end IF the line. From the wall he TOT
down a sign which read: mo smokin
allowcd;' on the back OF this card !
wrote in plain letters: Hitch on
rope, quick.
: Making the card fast TO the liz
near The lead he rushed TO the windo
followed by Oglethorpe and myself.
Vewatched he descent of that whit
4 messenger with breathless interest. *
! our lives we're in the balance and tin
e was precious. Three souls hanging
i a cod line and piece OF common ever
day cardboard.
i man on the ladder seized the ca
+ and read its message. Waving his har
upward to signify that he understood
@ he ran nimbly down the ladder, dart'
, across the street TO "A ladder truck. al
e with the help of comrade selzcu
h coil of rope. which they flung on y
ground directly under our window.
n To prevent the line from chair
l. on the stone trimming under the WI
dow sill. Proctor leaned far out,sa
a and carefully obeyed the command
A. "haul.'
2. This is kind Of fish worth IFS
Ic ing for" cried he. with enthusiast
=. ..sort of a goldfish. hey. Mr.. Og
r thorpe? All. my beauty. now I've
YOU FAST" he exclaimed. as the e
q of the rope slipped into his hands.
"a believe that Tom had been TO
a couple of voyages when youngest
~ and evidently the old sailor instin
!, returned the moment he got hold
N that rope.
lie vanLcd it in over the window
hand over hand till il fairy hunm'
When the last fathom fell at our f'
!, Tom grabbed il and with a quick tu
- of the hands tied loop. which
think sailors call q 'bowlinc.' 81
ming this bowline over Mr.. Oglethorp
!, !. head and down to the hips, he 81
:. to him, tersely: "Now, then. J
" Oglcthorpe, you're to sit in this be
:, line: hold onto the rope with dea
. grin. Don't be afraid; you cant
- out il YOU try. Mr.. Burrows an'
!" will lower you down. and all you NJ
nc to do il to keep yourself away IT.
en- the building with your feet. !
- may bark your shins. but that's no
e. ing. Lively now, there's not =
Al ment to lose!'
nd After few more Instructions
70 no little urging, the man OF MOI
pc. laboriously crawled over the sill:
'st Stacked away on the rope and
head disappeared from view. We
WI a turn Of the rope around ste
OF pipc and had no difficulty in hold
Oglcthorpc's weight, although
ne was heavy man.
ur Presently we heard q tremend
he cheer from the crowd below. WI
~ 4