Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-04-23


every working day to fetch and carry
over the girders and crosspieces, as
the great cantilever bridge grew, foot
by foot, out over the ravine. Bolts,
TOOLS water and what not he took
nimbly from place to place at the call
hours were spent in perilous places,
high in the air, where q misstep meant
death.
Nobody knew who he was and only
the foreman knew where he came
from. The men of the gang called
him "Johnsons kid" johnson, the
brusque, gigantic foreman, called him
plain kid" and, curiously, seemed to
value the dumb affection and loyalty
the waif gave him. The foreman was
ready enough to respond with his fists
when the kid needed protection from
often; but show Of tenderness was
far from him.
The kids regard for johnson was
past the understanding of the gang.
In the sight of the men, who hated
him for his abusive tongue, the fore
man had no traits to win love. 1t was
commonly put down to queer twist
in the boys nature that he should care
for Johnson. AS matter of fact, this
affection had its source in a happen
ing of two years before, when the
White Rock Bridge was built over one
nf 1.ix tn, hn fn,.
west, and the kid was new at the work
1t was there, one day, when he was
walking a twelve-inch girder two hun
dred and seven feet above the river,
that the kid lost his presence of mind
for the first and last time.
This loss of courage. or self-posses-
sion, may come upon any bridge
builder, no matter how used to high
places. 1t is uraccountable and comes
suddenly. Generally it puts an end
to the mans career Either lie falls
to his death, or, SO iedfful is the
shock, he can never again summon
courage to venture out on the
structure.
On this occasion the kid had dropped
his pail of water and sunk to the
girder. He lay fiat on his stomach,
gripping the iron with his arms and
knees. His case was desperate. Ter
ror of the space below had utterly
overcome him. 1t seemed inevitable
that he should faint of sheer fear, and
tumble through two hundred and
seven feet of space to the river. His
arms were fast becoming nerveless.
1t was johnson who perceived the
boys predicament. He was quick to
act, and his experience made him fer
tile in eXpedients. Calmly, and
whistling, he walked along q parallel
girder to where the kid lay, just out
Of reach. Then, for as long as he
dared, he looked up and down the
river, humming the chorus of an old
song. He observed his near presence
and self-possession seemed to quiet
the lads terror.
Here, kid" said the foreman
quietly, get to land an tell Bill Ole
son to hurry up with them rivets
And say he added, sharply, don't
you lose any time about itr'
The boy did not move. 1t was eyi.
dent, however. that the firm familiar
command had steadieG him some
what.
Hear me!' roared the foreman.
Get mp, when tell you Hurry them
rivets up. now, and he lively"
Then the boy got to his feet. While.
pale and shaking he made his way
over fifty feet of narrow foothold, the
foreman kept roaring his command to
make haste. When the boy reached
the platform Of the abutment he fell
IN n faint; but the foreman was there
TO catch him, and carried him the rest
of the way to the bluff.
1t was for this that the kid loved
johnson. 1t was for what occurred
the next day that johnson came as
near to loving the kid as he could
come, perhaps, to loving anything.
In the noon hour, which is the time
Tor skylarking, the boy climbed the
outmost upright bent on proving his
courage, that he might put a stop to
| - A'it ihtu Olct ana IOr all
Ihere was an eighteen-inch plate
| flVeted securely to the top of the up-
right. Upon this he clambered. per.
severing against the warning cries of
the men, who had gathered to watch
| him. Then he stood erect. looked ot
the sky and the river and all around
| and danced a breakdown.
"What'd you do that for?' the fore
man asked him angrily, when he had
come down. "Eh? What'd Won do
that fool thing for? Don't you know
any better!"
My feet was cold, boss" said the
KID, with a twinkle in his eyes.
Say, kid" exclaimed johnson
moved for once to enthusiasm, "you
stick to me and I'll stand by You,
Understand? You stick to me-"
In this way it came about that the
foreman and the kid travelled East
IN company; and when johnson was
put 10 work on the big cantilever Mt
Rocky Gorge, they We're still together.
Where l go you can come" the
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