The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-05-03

gripping the wood with my fingers, too
dazed for thought. Then looked
cautiously over into tAe abyss. Far
below l could see a tumble of splintered
timbers. like heap Of broken jack
straws, with the header sticking
straight up out Of their center.
Il shuddered as l thought of what
wcNld now be lying under that mass
had the catastrophe occurred five min
utes before, when the ladders were fill
ed with men. Then, as | raised my
eyes from the pit, saw something
that made me turn cold.
'The falling header had taken out
the middle of the scaffolding, leaving
only the side planks on which the
horses stood. The shock had moved
one Of these planks two or three inch
es, so that leg of the horse upon it
Just overhung the edge, A little more
and the horse would topple into the
shaft, taking its support from the
board on which I sat and hurting me
down to frightful death.
Il was practically glued to my place.
II tried to reach either horse, the
chanches were that l should jar the leg
clear. MY only safety consisted in
keeping absolutely quiet.
in front rose the steel wall, with
the dolly hanging against it. The
smooth metal offered no handhold.
Could I have stood upright and been
sure of firm footing, l might have
risked leap to the beams of the next
floor; but any attempt to gain my
feet on that ticklish board would in
vite the very disaster l dreaded.
Il knew that | had been seen and
my peril understood The building
was ON crowded business street,
and the crash of the falling beam had
attracted the attention Of hundreds of
people. A great silent throng soon
blocked all traffic | could see their
upturned faces and an occasional
pointed finger. Their very stiffness
terrified me, fer I knew that it was my
mortal danger that held them spell
bound.
1T was extremely hot The sun
beat down fercely MY head was pro-
tected only by light cap and the heat
set my brain boiling. The great iron
framework, with its white figures and
letters painted on the beams to- show
their dimensions and places, swan
dizzily round me- l closed my eyes,
but got little relief. A warm red light
gloWed before them I seemed to be
sWaying regularly to and fro. Actual
ly, | was as nearly motionless as
fright could make me, but to my reel
ing head l seemed to be cscillating
like pendulum.
"A blast of wind passed through
the skeleton frame, Earring me slight
ly. I looked down toward the leg OF
the horse 1t had certainly moved
trife Another blast might dislodge
it altogether I sickened with terror.
The crowd below appreciated my
danger. A quick, convulsive gasp Of
pity rose to me from hundreds of
threats.
but there was one in that throng
who did something more than SYM
Dathize. He was a sailor en- shore
leave from United States battleship
in the harbor Running into a store
he obtained a hundred feet of new,
strong rope, looped it about his Shout
ders and began to clamer toward me.
AS there were no ladders left he was
forced to swarm up the steel uprights.
cat first, however I did not see
him, for close to me something hap
pened that drove everything else from
my mind
"a barely perceptible movement fas-
tened my eyes on the leg OF the horse.
Painfully scrutinizing the spot where
it rested, I saw that the plank was
being pushed slowly but surely along
by the lateral pressure Of che other
legs. I watched it fascinated 1t was
only a question Of a very short time
when | should be hurled into the pit.
Suddenly, three stories below, | saw
a man climbing toward me- He was
dressed in a blue suit and a fiat cap
edged with white letters. A coil Of
rope hung around his neck Up he
came Ike a monkey, arms, legs, hands,
feet, all doing their part. Would he
be in time to save me? He was a
swarthy. Spanish-looking fellow, not
very tall, with black moustache and
good-natured face Two stories below
his cap dropped off. revealing his
thick curly hair Several times he
slipped back slightly, and I noticed
the dull red smears on his clothing
from the freshly painted beams
Il watched him tenseIy He glanced
up and caught my eye.
Cheer up, mate! he exclaimed.