River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-08-15


except Mayor MacDew, who seemed
devoid of nerves and perfectly con-
tented.
Stacy had just remarked: "I'm
'feard the stairs has played puck with
Mr.. Matklem's polite acceptance"
when that aspirant's head came
through the hatchway on top of the
stair tower. He was CHASTITY pale.
We could see him trembling as he tot
tered to the ladder and laid hands on
a rung.
Behind him came young George
Stacy, looking very serious, and then
frowning fiercely up at two or three
who were grinning at Maeklem's plight
and chatting him.
George told me afterward that he
had tried to dissuade Macklem from
coming up out of the stair tower, for
the higher he mounted the palmer was
his fright. "But of course he was my
fathers guest George explained,
'and l could not stop him by force.
He would come on--he said he had
| promised, and MacDew would laugh
| if he backed out. / was sorry for the
little man, and when / heard those two
! jeering at him, felt like going up and
kicking them off the chimney"
Maeklem's grasp on the rung seemed
to steady him for few moments, and
he came slowly up, hand over hand and
| foot past foot, well out over the aayss.
But he was in ashocking state of fear.
His face was clammy with a cold
| sweat, he seemed not to respire, his
white lips were fixed wide in a deeth-
! like grin that showed the gold filings
of his teeth, and his eyes were tight
| shut and wrinkled, as if he were striv-
ing to close them more completely lest
he should by chance glance down.
/ Clearly he might collapse at any mo-
ment, and yet he came slowly CULVER
| ing up the slanting ladder.
by the powers, he's brave mani"
whispered old Stacy, sincerely.
Then he called down encouragingly:
you're doing fine, Mr.. Macklem,
and there's what'll do YOU good up
here waiting!"
George" old Stacy called to his
SON, who had begun TO ascend, you
had better be coming up right close
after Mr.. Macklem, close, so as 10 give
him boost at the top!" But the old
mans real purpose was that his strong
son should catch Macklem instantly if
the man collapsed. If he should fall
backward from the height of six feet
above Georges broad shoulders, the
young man might be hurled down with
his fathers guest.
AS Macklem felt the ladder tremble
under young Stacy's quickened move--
ment he stopped with an inarticulate
cry, as if believing that the ladder had
given way; but when George called
out: 'I'm coming up closer after you,
Mr.. Macklem!" he seemed to under
stand, and clutched for new rung
above him.
Old Stacy and all of US were as pale
as Macklem when at last he put his
hand on the coping in reaching for one
rHng more.
"Well done, Sort said old John.
"Just put up both your hands and
I'll help you up by the shoulders"
He was afraid to take hold of Mack
lem without such warning, for the
strained nerves might break down at
an unexpected touch.
But Macklem kept his lower hand on
the rung, and spoke. if speaking that
could be called which was little more
| than a motion of ashen lips.
Put an oyster in my mouth" his
lips whispered.
He gulped it down with difficulty.
Now I've lunched with you as 1 said
I would" and suddenly he put one
foot down as il to retreat.
The sole of his boot came hard on
George Stacy's left hand At this con-
tact with something unexpected
Macklem's strength gave way, and he
fell in dead faint.
His face fell forward and his legs
sprawled down in George Stacy's
front; he slipped down over the rungs
until the youth damned the limp fig
ure against the ladder by pushing his
own body forward.
Old Stacy gave a loud cry, fearing
his son must go down, too, and he
made movement as if to help him by
\ getting on the ladder. which might not
have borne the addition of his heavy
frame. But we held the contractor
back for an instant, and then it was
all over. George seized Macklem
about the waist with his mighty left
arm, and easily backed down the lad
| der with him.
He laid Macklem on the roof of the
stair tower and hurried away for some
stimulant.
When he returned with the remedy.
the party had all descended from the
/ chimney-top.
1t was fully Is minutes before the
stimulant and the tanning of his face
and chatting of his hands revived the
merchant Then, like the famous
consular of Rome" the first words he
spoke were of the fight:
Didn't 1 keep my word with you,
Stacy?"
Faith, you did, them" cried old
John. "And a holder deed / never
! saw. Only il wasn't necessary. Be-