Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1907-03-30

denly. shot from some unknown quar-
ter into his consciousness: he coul'
feel Il piercing It's way through int
his brain.
Il want 10 throw myself Overt"
The words came out with gasp.
fear gripped his heart with suddeI
violent pain that took away his breath
Il want to throw myself over!"
That thought almost paralyzed him
His legs gave way he fell upon his
knees: then ciutched at the bar,
boards that formed the staging: and
he fell sprawling at full length. for he
had lost his nerve IN perilous place
at the top OF red brick chimney
900 feet high In the air
The features of this steeplejack. be
sides showing the ashen hue OF his
fear. showed also the peculiar. PUFFY
marks that follow a debauch. And by
those marks you could read the secret
Of his sudden. unexpected breakdown
Never before had this unfortunate
Lewis lost his nerve: never before did
he repent of a spree. But now Lewis
saw himself In n plight from which
the only escape lay through the dark
gates.
Il am going TO throw myself over. y
he gasped again.
And his rough clothes-the ill-htting
waistcoat. the mortar-smeared trou'
sers. fastened a the waist with a
leather belt.-sliook with the CULVER
ing of his paralyzed body. Behind was
the mouth OF the chimney. which rose
In the air twice as high as the nearest
church steeple. Below him the col
liery works and furnaces. which need
ed the chimney. looked as small as toy
pieces. They looked no bigger than
the bricks and the little heap OF NOR.
tar which. with n trowel stuck In IT,
handle upwards. lay beside him on the
staging where he sprawled.
The instructive action-falling fat
went In the right direction for self
preservation. The little moments
pause might easily give him back his
self control. But unfortunately he had
fallen too near the edge OF the scat
fold.
Between him and the earth there
capped always that space OF 300 feet
careful architectural measurement
and only few boards fastened to
gether with ropes held him up. No
protecting rail ran around the little
platform: the edge OF the boards-it
seemed cruel now-cut into space
sheer space. above and below him.
Around and below him the scene
which formerly had no interest for
him now fastened him. while II In
creased his terror. He felt awed--
cowed by its vastness. The noun.
tains around him. the glistening river
down at the bottom OF the valley. so
far, far below him that the water.
merely thin. twisting. shining mark.
looked for all the world like n split
between the great. green hills. so that
you could get n peep through the
cleaning crack into the soul of the
earth. which Is the Lords. II terrified.
The fascination OF the danger drew
him 10 Il. He dug his fingers into
the cracks between the boards and
dragged his body further over the
edge OF the platform.
The people below In the streets
looked like crawling beetles. They
knew nothing OF his plight. The men
went about their work nj the pit head,
on the railway. in the work yards. un.
conscious OF the beginning OF trag.
edy above them.
How far down. o Lord?" he
The effort 10 measure the space
dared him. and his brain gave way at
the thought. like that Of man trying
TO grasp infinity.
In that moment the feeble grip he
held upon himself slackened. fell from
him. and he lurched outward. to take
the leap that fascinated him.
His clothes. dragged over the rough
boards. caught In some splinters and
pieces of the garment became torn
away. The breeze caught the tiny
rags and blew them into the air. They
iiuttered slowly downwards. twisted
and turning In the wind. until they
reached the roof Of some workshop
near the pit beneath.
Lewis. unconscious OF the cause OF
his unsuccessful action. watched the
bits OF cloth as they dropped from sky
10 earth. His arms dangled over the
sdge OF the stage. and as this swayed
% and fro with the motion OF the
his body rolled slightly from
Iide TO side. each movement danger
rus enough to force him beyond all
lope.
"oh. my Cod said he. whimper-
ng. what am I DOING"
With a grasp OF terror he drew his
'ody back from the edge OF the
cards. II seemed easy. Some power
ehind seemed TO help him. Then
q found that a burning sensation
ortured one OF his feet. And he dis.
overed the mysterious thing that had |
aved him. His right Tot had drop. /
ed over the mouth OF the chimney |
nd had hooked itself into the brick.
ork OF the inside rim. This had
hecked him.
His whole body quiyered at the
fought OF the past moment
perhaps n can turn my back"
fought he.
He crouched upon his hands and