Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1906-06-23

head, and she strove to help him, hu
his weight was too sleat for her Il
move,
Presently the engineer multeret
brokenly:
"stela, is that your went up OF
the roof-atout four o'clock-to tight
en- the whistle valve, Blowing hard
my head went quoer-I slipped ant
fell down to the platform. Must have
crawled inslde-all remember"
His daughter put his overcoat undel
his head, and bathed the cash between
the matted hair. she could on'y whls
per through her tears:
you're all right now, daddy. III
take care of you"
O'COnnell was silent for a moment
and then made a mighty struggle to
raise himself, but sank back with a
hoarse cry of fear:
"The sharples haven't been through
yet! Who'll turn the drawp
She sprang to the window with
strength revived, and looked down the
harbor The driving rain had lifted,
and the angry sunset broke through
the curtaining clouds. There was light
enough for her to catch a glimpse of
tossing bits Of sail, hardly to be told
from the ragged breakers on the sky
line. She had not played on this
bridge through five years to learn moth
ing of the ways of sharpies and their
shippers. The fleet vas driving home
before the gale, carrying no more than
rags of canvas, trusting that the
bridge would swing in time to let them
through. If 1t die MT? She knew
that these open boats would swamp If
they were forced to come aro 1t In such
sea as this.
Stella shuddered and loolei down
at her helpless father. The agony in
his eyes told her that he. too, realized
the crIsls. open the draftsw he NUT
tered. "Steam's got low"
She toiled at the furnace doors and
hampers as she had seen him do so
often. Turning toward him, breath
less, for further instructions, Stella
saw that his hea6 had fallen back.
He was again unconscious. Whatever
was done, she must do aIone. The
pointer on the steam gage hickered
and began to move upward, ever so
slowly.
She went to the seaward window.
The sharJ.es were rushing toward her
as If they were winged. They leaped
into sight anC then were swallowed
between the Keeling combers. If they
drove straight at the closed bridge and
it failed to open, it meant wreck and
and many lives lost, an awful
weller of helpless men and broken
boats.
Stella turned the steam pipe valve.
She cried aloud with joy when the
steam Missed into the pistons, and then
she tngged at the starting lever. The
great cog wheels of the turning gear
began to move, like :. sulen giant In
he closing dusk, the storm swept shar-
Dies were lunging toward the bridge,
hardly quarter of mile away. She
losed her eyes for an instant in pant
ng little prayer, and the draw trem-
lied as it obeyed the master call of
he engine.
She feared to hear the crash of
mapping masts and the cries of drown
ng men. Yes, the draw was swinging.
The clamped the lever down, and
a moment to press her face
gainst the pane. The fleeing oyster
nen were trying to huff off little as |
hey saw the draw move slower than |
sual. The deep laden sharpies waved |
wildly, and Stella caught her breath |
4 laboring gasps. Would they make
/? Would the draw ever open?
Then the long arm of the bridge
pened black gap Of water. the fore
aest sIlRrpIe scraped past by mar
readth, and the others tore after it
Ike frightened, living things. Stella
,atched the gap close, and when the
raw was again in line with the road
yay, she shut off the steam and
topped the engine. A moment later
here was q laundering knock on the
DOR, and, sheepish arC repentant,
Dung Jackson came in with the storm.
Il told your dad I'd be down at
vo O'clock" he faltered. "And 1 got
} playing crlbbage AID clean forgot
till just now. Is he killed."
The culprit bent over the engineer
nd atoned Tor his sins by shouting
he best of news:
mo bones broken, Stella, and his
cad is as sound as nut, even If he
as got an awful crack on the outside
( 1t! This is all l can find, ard I'm
natural born doctor. You stay here
yhile l go down to the dock after a
,agon. I'll be back in fifteen min"
ties, and We'll have home in a jiffy.
ay, Pm scared to think what he'll
ay to me Wien lie comes to. Here,
ont slump down and cry that way.
he worst is ever. But that's just like
Vn,th'g CopnnorniOn