The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-06-15

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flats, where h g
ducks and the little Dugans wade and
sun themselves all the summertime.
The railroad bridge, which is viaduct
more than a mile log, carries the track
across the valley Jar aboyethe shining
water, and often the high arches in
the distance are hidden from the little
Dugans by the blie smoke that drifts
thinly down the valley from the mills
where Mr.. Dugan works. In the
morning the little Dugans carry his
dinner-pail as far as the end OF the
bridge, which gives him a short cut
to the mills, although he defes the
railway company's rules when he re-
sorts 10 IL.
At the end of the bridge Dugan al
ways sends his children back to the
cabin, for the bank goes down in very
precipitous fashion 10 the river bed
from the high abutments. But Johnny
Dugan, the eldest boy, often ventures
on the bridge to throw stones at the
blue glass insulators on the last tele-
graph h-pole-the top of that pole is
almost on n level with tie track on
the bridge, and its base Is eighty feet
below, close by the stone abutment.
Johnny feels brave to stand where he
can glance down the tall white pole
TO where the Dugan ducks are pad
ding in the puddles and his own
small tracks are visible in the ad-
jacent mud.
Johnny Dugan and the Barry boys
had spent many pleasant hours, one
April day, throwing stones at the in.
sulalors, when they were caught in the
act by big Ed Conlin, the telegraph
company's lineman, the man of won
derful spurs and leg straps. No doubt
they would have noticed his approach
and escaped recognition, as usual, had
they not been lost in admiration Of
Jimmy Barry, who had at last sue
ceeded in breaking one of the insula-
tors. Ed Conlin promptly called on
Mrs. Barry, who "blarneyed" him
wisely, and then on Mrs. Dugan, who
happened TO be in an irate mood. and
so gave him the rough side of her
tongue and ordered him off the place.
Then Ed vowed that if be ever found
Johnny Dugan on the bridge he would
throw him into the Dugan duckpond: ::
after which nothing hut enmity could
rule between the Dugans and Western
Union. And rule il did until one
May morning after heavy rain.
The rain had made the gully along
the track roaring torrent of muddy
water. The river itself, from previous
freshets, was high over the fats. And
Johnny was on the end of the bridge,
pelting the insulators and keeping an
eye on all roads by which any section
hand or linemsn might approach
Such was the situation when some
thing went wrong with the telegraph
pole that had suffered 50 many as
saults. It suddenly.fell toward the
bridge, so that the top red cross-arm
was close to the ends Of the ties. There
the wires held it. Johnny peered
down and made out that the earth had
been washed away from the base of
the pole by the steam from the ditch.
Two of the wires had broken under the
strain.
"Hi, kids" cried johnny TO his
mates, who were hunting for car. seals
among the cinders. Eve can get the
glasses!"
The others came up to inspect, but
the humming wire and the great
white pole that extended from their
feet to the Hat below awed them.
Johnny alone was undaunted; greed
possessed him wholly as soon as he
saw that the top row of insulators
were loose and free of wire. -"
Huh, you kids afraid" cried he.
''I'm going to get the whole row."
johnny secured q short board and
carefully laid IL from the bridge 70
the cross-arm Of the telegraph. pole.
he tried his weight on the bosrl and
then slid ont until be could grasp the
pole with his legs and arms. Then lie
reached for the glass insulators.
Hi, Johnny, the sectionmeB are
coming" sang out Jimmy Barry.
As Johnny made hasty swing
around the pole 70 get back to tho
bridge, his fright at being discovered
vanished in greater terror, for the
telcgraph.pole lurcled, another wire
snapped, ard the big stick swung out
uutil it hung at an angle OF sixty de-
gTees toward the river, with Johnny
olinging desperately 70 the cross-arm,
eighty feet from the swirling brown
water ard twenty feet from his fright.
enod companions on the bridge As
the pole stopped cereering, Johnny
gave one frightened glance downward
and then turned a white, frcckled face
toward tue bridge.
Run. fellersl" be sbOuted weakly,
anil up The track the trio 6ew.
Ed Conlin and one cf tue section
men were coming down The track.
looking for tho cause OF Western
Unions trouble, and whea he cav the
boys hurrying away, lie suspected
them
Get out" he shouted. IF I catch
you here again. I'll" Bot just
then he saw Johnny Dugan far out IN
the trcmulous pole
How'd be get thers?" sAid the
staring sectionman.
Big FL Conlin dill not stop % cz-
plain. IN three bounds he reached
the bridge, lolked dowu. and saw the
;reacLerOt.s rater sviIiing around the
base o. tic pole. How long wOuld il
teurfu rrrfcItg