The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1904-06-17

= men began 10 ascend
1t was Il Slow, weary climb beneath
l. Inc ScaIding sur; but step by step he
won his way upward. Ere long he
was at the foot Of the last ladder, fifty
teet from the top. Round By round he
aSceHded, until he had gone ten feet
Lheh something gave way above.
The ladder settled slightly, and its
top dropped straight out from the cliff
AS "edgwick felt himself falling back.
ward he inStinctively let 20 the rounds
and grasped with both hands at the
wire rope beside him, swinging him
SELF out Of the li0c Of the ladder as he
did so.
HIS presence Of mind and quickness
OIL action undoubtedly saved his life
a hundred feet below him there was q
heavy plunge in the pond, 4 suggestion
OF MS own probable fate had he been
i second slower.
For brief space he hung DANGLING
at arms length against The face Of the
| perpendicular wall. too Mortified to do
| anything but hold on for dear life
His broad-brimmed straw hat had
iaIIen Oft, and it scaled downward |
TINS way and that. until at last it came
10 rest on the surface of the wafer.
But presently the strain began TO tell |
on the bOtanist'S muscles. strong
though they were. Two feet above |
us hnger tips the rope ran through the
eye Of supporting rod. If he could
but raise his body and get up on this
par, he would for the time be COM
paratiVely safe.
III few seconds he stood, hot and
GREATNESS, on the slender piece of
steel. What should he do next?
tie looked up. 1t was more than
thirty feet to the roots of the tall grass
stalks that shook their tufted tons
along the edge of the quarry. He
turned his glance downward. The TOP
OF the first stairway was only five
yards below. 1t would be an easy
matter to swing himself down to the
safety those wooden steps afforded,
While to climb to the level of the
Held meant several minutes of hard
and painful work.
Once at the top. however he WAS
free to go where he pleased; but if he
descended and waited for his plight to
be discovered, he might have to remain l
hours in that rocky pit hatlcss under c
the brollIng sun.
'' SedgWlck's resolution was soon '
taken. He would scale the summit as S
soon as his arms could carry him Il
here. 4
Tue rods supporting the wire rome S
were ten feet apart, so the next above
he one on which he stood was about 6
yard and half over his head. There Ii
we're only two more between that and I
he top. Reaching as high as he could. v
ne botaniSt began TO "shin" the cable, Il
lie threw up his right hand for another S
rip. His fingers closed over a spot Ii
where the rotting canvas had left the p
wire strands bare. Il
The metal was burning hot Worse o
nan that. several needle-pointed wire. b
'hdS studded the otherwise smooth b.
urIace, and drew the blood wherever G
icy touched the skin. It was like
'raSping metallic singing nettle. If
lie TOOK light hold lie could not lift his
weight, while firm grasp meant cruel pC
aceration Of his hands. W
Sedgwick set his teeth and contract. ii
q bis grip. A man can afford TO I'm. pl
ergo some physical discomfort when pt
le is swinging over 4 hundred feet of 81
mpty air. 10
Once, twice, three times he renewed SO
lis Mold, raising himself until he could 81
'et one knee over the bar. When be re
lnally stood upon it the insides of his te
ahuS and fingers were bleeding CO. is
lously from dozens of minute pune. hi
areS. and the perspiration stood in al
lg drops on his face. His head to
hroObed painfully in the hot sun The NJ
ems and arteries seemed full to tho a,
olnt Of bursting. on
Decidedly, this was more than bn
sd bargained for. But the grass.roots
'ere now barely twenty feet above,
I'D he entertained no thought of turn. W,
lg back. RI
IL was now dead noon and fearfullv 81
OF. The hard hIuich ,,-b;4o ~ L.