The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-05-20
end FAST to one of the roof trusses.

sat down, allowing his feet to dangle
over the end of the board.
Although it bent in a manner most
frightful to the onlookers, who were
filling the street below, Knocker knew
the plank was of yellow pine, and
would bear five times his weight.
A moment later the crowds atta1-
ton was attracted toward the street
corner below.
Knocker also looked in that direc-
ton, and saw the leading band swing
ing round the corner into the street.
Close behind came a company OF per-
haps a hundred men, dressed in gray
caps and blouses. Knocker at once
recognized them as the iron workers
who had just completed the erection
of the Claypool Building.
The boys recent disappointment
was instantly forgotten as he became
filled with enthusiasm at the sight OF
this company leading all others in the
parade. These sunburned men from
the Claypool Building would have re-
joiced an old erection boss; to Knn"'--
er each one OF them was hero. The
boy, forgetting where he was, began %
spring up and down on his airy seat,
keeping time to the music of the Dano
as he waved his hat and cheered.
But all at once, when the band was
directly underneath and the Ciaypooi
company half square away, Knocker
became aware that something was
wrong with his seat. Letting go ms
hat, the boy bent over and clutchsd
the end of the Board with both hands.
When the plank came to rest. knock
er found his end had sunk down three
feat below the edge Of the building;
and although he had ceased to spring
up and down, it still continued to sink.
Like snail it crawled past the angle
OF twenty, then thirty degrees. while
the boy sat clutching the board In
horror
He realized what was happening. IN
his excitement in tying down the other
end of the plank. Knocker had used'
instead of the square hitch he had IN
tended, the terrible granny. Slowly
but surely it was giving way.
AT last the boy opened his eyes IN
relief to find the board had come to
standsti.l. He remembered tnat IN
one end of the lashing he had used
there was a hard knot. Thinking this
knot had travera1 up to the granny,
and that the iatter was now as safe as
square hitch, Knocker began to
suuirm back up the plank. But THIS
proved an indiscreet move, and al
most fatal one.
The granny had not been stopped by
the hard knot but merely by frayed
edge on the rope Hardly had the boy
made his first move when this pulled
through, and the plank gave little
lurch downward
Knocker had all but overbalanced,
and saved himself barely by again
clutching the end of the knot. 1t
seemed then as if Knocker had ruined
his only chance for life. The plank
slowed down again to its former move
ment. but it continued to sink under
the boys weight.
Below, the parade came to a halt. all
but the leading band, which. uncon-
scious of the pending catastrophe,
went marching gaily up the street.
All other eyes were gazing at the
helpless boy. AS the plank passed the
thirtieth degree and seemed fairly to
stand on end, some turned away their
faces, unable to watch longer.
Among the iron workers were men
who had witnessed some fearful falls
and terrible accidents. but even they
were rendered helpless at the sight of
their youthful friend in such posi-
ton.
There was one exception, however.
A big man. with courage and determin-
alton showing in his clear blue eye
and square jaw, sprang from the ranks
and pushed his way swiftly through
the crowd. A moment later he reach
ed the high board fence which shut
in the Claypool Building from the
street. With agility that would have
done credit to sailor, Big Jim scaled
the fence and disappeared inside the
enclosure.
Meanwhile, with each instant
Knocker found his position harder to
maintain splinters from the pine board
pierced his hands cruelty, but the boy
only set his jaws and gripped the
| harder.
He knew he had one chance left. III
the hard knot came in contact with the
granny before the board reached
sliding position, he might be saved.
There seemed little hope OF that,
(, however. for the plank had already
passed the forty-fifth degree. Knock
er's weight on the end would have
started it sliding down that had 1t
not rested in slight indentation in
the pine, caused by the rough iron on
the edge of the building.
Then a slight CULVER ran through
the plank. Under other circumstances
Knocker would not have noticed it;
but under the high-strung condition Of