Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-06-04

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seventy yards beneath us, ard esrh. for
additsrcnl safety, was attached 10 the
steePle hy lie tine running under Lis
arms.
Jack had not spoken q word fer nearly
an boar, bat thauxhf nothing Of thss. a.
we were working against tire sna tbs
darkness was beeisning already 10 Green
ever the say. fon kaow whl~n you'rc
working 81 that height. rpuoxe,i a. 4
werr from 81 the world and wish nethlnx
bms sslencs about and around yoa. re
q gkicst nosSs sends a sheek through a
ban. however strong his nerves mar he.
You can igBzgias. then. how startled 1
wsE ~ben. al at once. heard a loud
shrisk Of laughter almost. as IL seemed.
az my very ear. There was soaethsnr
nncasny shans 4. too. thar set sny heart
thunypsng aud nay Eesh creeping as they
have ever Done before or hare slnce.
When the iaagh ceased and sslence
cane again IS ~ awful relief. said:
What's che Joke. Jack1 Deaf keep II
TO YOURSELF
4Iokc" he said. Il shoasd think II
vorld be Joke. ! was fanryiax you
shooting Down ike a ssons 70 tho psse-
nept down there and shat Rcth wvuid
think when she saw the pseces.'s
"whst a rummy hdesF' s1xwere<i
with affected eooincss. fhosxh nay heart
was beating faster than ever ard se<rr~s
as IL II wnsid seHocsts ne. Bat I'm
going down q little slower than thse 40
scun as I've anHshsa this bic Of wurk.
Bat pull yoarxeif together. Jack. and gws
ysur gold en-. and then wsl soon bs down
there on cor two legs"
No. sirl- be shouted. TIN roing TO
have q race with you 20 the bottom. and
whoever gets there frse Rash can have.
Corae onl Now for jump fogesh~rrs
As be SAID this be cxaned his rsck
round the corner Of the stseple to get q
lock at nae. asd a single glance at his
Wild eyes showed me that the man was
ravinx mad ard that I WAS alone Ia mid
air with a maniac who hated me and
would certainly kiii ne Il he could
was powerles@s IL called for hsip,
might be heard. bot who could come to
my assistance. poised as was al such a
giday height above the weird? And in a
single rnonasus might be Ia the throes
OF LIE ard death struggle with mar
quite as ssgoax as myself ssa made ten
times stronSer BY madness.
He was slowly and surely working
round toward me. and there was not a
rucuseus to waste. sopeshinS mnst be
done quickly. and everything depended on
keeping cool. In . moment had eGsed
the hitch Of the iiae around my band and
was swung aroanJ 10 meet him. Before
be bad iiase TO protect himself I had
seized him By the throat aud bad forced
him a0wn on the saddle board.
But IL was oEiy Tor a moment. for,
49, I xsr 18th qNaaa q
ehlid's compared wish his With a
wreneh be vas free and had flung bis
powerful arms asound my chest and was
sqaerzing the veTy lie out Of ne.
10 vAin | struggled IS we swung back
ward and forward against the face Of the
ssa~pls. tried to call oat. bat my voice
stock In my throat thy eyes felt as l;
they were being forced out Of nay bead.
aud my breath came in eonvelxiye Easps.
All the tine. auaid the harrible silence,
srokea anly hy the creakinS Of the repSs
and the grating Of the saddles against the
s,eepls. his eyes were elaring into saise
and bis bot breath was on my face.
felt my ssnses rapidly leaFing ue
when ny hand by aceSdsnt struck my
toolbox. sad iaxtinctively. a. IL we're.
cluiched wrench. With a last effort ]
raised ny hand. struck him with al my
remsinlug strength fpM on the temple
aaA thea I remembered 90 Faoze.
when came 20 myself. | was lying in
bed and Rnth's eyes were booking down
en- me with Just such q hook 10 them as
m angel might have. bus she SAID no
word. aud sank into Inconsistencies
again
IL was weeks before was about again
or beard what happened after all became
darn about me 90 the top % the steeple.
IL seems the struggle had baes seen by
the people Gu the street below. Al ex-
cited crowd had gathered, bus they could
do nothsaS bat look Ead wonder an1 wait
They had seen tae strike Jack and fail
hack senselsss 10 the saddle ss his arms
released ne. anJ thea. 20 their horror
they had seen him slip OF his platform
aud drop like a stone. Febouuding 81 tbs
steeple aad falling with shattered bead
GA the stone pavement 81 their feet lie
usust bare slipped bis life Ess in the
struggle. ba, luckily mine saved use. aud
with greet dlfsiesity ! wEs safely lowered
down and carried hoase.
Well, there's little more to tell. They
buried poor Jack, and three mouths later
the wedding bells were ringiag FOR me
and the sweetest bride that ever brought
a man from the gates OF death back 10 a
life that has been ali sunshine. London
Tii-Bits.