St. Tammany farmer., 1901-09-07

| But he was in shocking state OF fear.
His face was clammy with cold
sweat, he seemed not to respire, his
white lips were fixed wide in death
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 quiver-
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.. Mack1em,
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 to give
him boost at the top!" But the old
mans real purpose was that his strong
son should catch Macklem instantly il
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 a 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
rung more.
"Well done, sor!" 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 said
I would" and suddenly he put ono
foot down as if 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 jammed the limp fig
ure against the ladder by pushing his
own body forward.
Old Stacy gave 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, duA easily OdShSo AO"A eAS lou
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.
It was fully Is minutes before the
stimulant and the tanning of his face
and chafing of his hands revived the
merchant. Then, like the famous
"consular of Rome" the first words he
spoke were Of the fight:
''Didn't I keep my word with you,
Stacy?"
"Faith, you did, then!" cried old
John. "And bolder deed l never
saw. Only it wasn't necessary. Be-
dad, I'm ashamed of me foolish prank
in tempting you up, Mr.. Macklem. It
it wasn't for my boy being better
man than his father, tits murderer
I'd feel meself this minute. Faith, it's
a strong sowl we've got in that little
wake body! II It wasn't so senseless
of We to insist on ascending for the
sake of wan oysther, dunno but I'd
call ye hero"
The affair illustrates one thing
worth remembering in days when
newspapers make fresh set of heroes
every time armed men do anything in
dicating normal human courage: At
Stacy's chimney-party nervous, sed-
entary, small man encountered what
was to him an immense danger, and
fought his own fear till he tainted, all
from a not despicable desire to keep
an engagement even though the en-
gagement was entered into from pet
ty vanity, jealousy and ambition
Youths Companion.