The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-06-16

ITO think of his walking over the
boiling, seething current"
uncle George looked, too, but did
not seem as deeply impressed as the
/ boys.
But" said one of the younger boys
remember some of the great heroes
| Phil. You mustn't forget about Wash
| ington, and Wellington, and Napoleon .
II don't think one of them did such
a wonderful thing as cross on that
rope. Do you, Uncle George?
There's young fellow at our school,
continued Phil, who is fond of trying
the same kind of daring exploits. If
there is a dangerous thing to do, he is
sure to Go it. I have seen him walk
! along the very edge of a roof of a
four-story building, and once he
crossed a bridge that was almost shat
tered to pieces by the ice, and every
one was warned that it could be
| crossed only at the risk Of ones life.
You ought to hear the boys cheer him
when he got over"
For what?' asked Uncle George.
why, because it was such a heroic
thing to do, of course, Uncle George!"
But what good did it do?"
well, none, 1 suppose, except to
show his pluck and nerve"
But what are pluck and nerve worth
plishment of some go0d?"
Phil did not seem to have any an
swer quite ready, but strained his eyes
anXiouSly to obtain a last glimpse of
the place where his hero had distin-
guished himself.
when 1 was a boy went on Uncle
George, Il met a boy who must have
been very like the schoolmate you tell
of, Phil. He was always fond of doing
anything which looked like holiness
or daring. But 1 remember a circum-
stance which cured him of taking fool
ish and unnecessary risks
Tell us about it, please, Uncle
George said Hugh.
"A party of US were out nutting one
day up among the Vermont mountains.
In the course of our rambles we came
to a place where a sheer precipice of
fifty feet, or more, went down to the
stony bed of a dried up stream. 1t
made me almost dizzy 60 look down,
but Jack Conway took pleasure in
showing how near to its edge he dared
to go.
party who had never been among the
mountains before, and who seemed
struck with terror at the sight of the
on! don't do itF he begged. You
will surely fall
Hot you're a little coward said
Jack, sneeringly. You stand twenty
feet off, and even then you're afraid.
You wouldn't dare venture within a
yard of this
yes, I would said Charley. TT
can't hurt me to come just a yard from
the edge. But l wouldn't go where you
Wouldn't, eh?' cried Jack Try
it now; it won't hurt you And he
made sudden effort to sieze hold of
Charley.
How it came about we never knew,
but as Charley lodged back, Jack
seemed to lose his balance. In mo-
ment he had disappeared from our
frightened gaze, and we heard a death
full cry; and then, we started into one
another's eyes none daring to look
after him, and we heard his voice
Help, boysl Quick, quick, or I
shall go down! Can't you reach me
with the roper
He had caught hold of small tree
not many feet below US, but was quite
unable to help himself.
az can't hold on long he despair
ingly cried.
mo help was near except such as we
could give him. In our bewilderment
we at first knew not what to do; but
presently a voice said: Tie the rope
around me, and I'll go and tie it around
him. and then you can draw us up
1T was Charley's voice. Some one
else said: viii the rope bear two|
1--WE did not know, but again came
despairing cry from Jack.
- Hurry said Charley, and we low
cred him over that depth, where death
seemed waiting at the bottom, with
only our feeble hands and the doubt
full rope to stand between it and those
.Charley's face was white, but he
never flinched. Soon we heard his
voice: I'm going to get into the tree
while you haul up Jack, and then you
must lower the rope for me. Now,
pull!
eve pulled with our might, and in
few moments Jack was drawn to
place of safety, where he fell in dead
faint. Then we waited for Charley,
almost fearing his brave hands might
fail him; but they did not, and the
cheers we gave him as we landed the
voung hero aroused Jack from his
swoon. / am sure the cheers were
with very heartfelt if I'M
spolIen thanksgiving to the Lord, whose
abundant mercy had interposed to pre-
vent our merrymaking being turned
into an awful tragedy. n