The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-11-27
The Mitchell Capital
FRIDAY, NOV. q, 1908.
L FoR A WAGER

1N tGAA LIZ
friends, Tom Hewitson and Frank Pal
grave.
At the period in question l was sup
posed to bel reading for Oxford, while
Hewitson was walking the hospitals
and Palgrave was ''expecting his COM
mission" We were all athletes.
As we sauntered pleasantly along.
rapt In conversation on the mysteries
of gymnastics. we approached A ladder
which was fixed to a four story house.
"HOw little We think of the lieroism
OF hodmen!" exclaimed Palgrave. II
would rather face a dragon armed to
the teeth than walk to the top of that
ladder."
"Pooh!" sud l. you must be iok-
Ing. ! see the feat performed every
day by fellows whom you or l could
pound into mummy, and, what is more,
they carry on their business MS leisure
~ forty or fifty feet high MS If they
were paving roads"
yet l will lay an even bet of f5 that
you won't do It" Mretorted Palgrave
coolly. frf ~ ~.
"Done!!' 1 replied,
AS the house was u%ntenanted and
the laborers were absent, there seemed
no impeachment in the way.
Hold" cried uewitson, who began
to8fec1 that n very serious responsible
ity might devolve upon him In his ca
pacity Of umpire. Were you ever up n
ladder beforeY"
"Hum-all-yes-but not high ones.
should say ! have been up fourteen
or fifteen feet Mt least!'
"There ia Il very serious difference,
let me tell you, between fifteen feet
and forty-lve." continued Hewitson.
looking %anxiously up to the roof. ut
was only last week we had a terrible
accident Mt Guys. resulting from YER
tigo. and, LIT me tell you. now that I
look closely into the expression of your
eyes. would strongly recommend you
to stick closely to terra frma."
II will cheerfully cancel the agree
ment II yon like" said the generous
Palgrave.
Nonsense. man! am afraid you're
funking. Frank. Five pounds is a good
deal of money to lose in five minutes.
but I'll pu1'ish you for daring to ques-
ton my courage. Goodby, old felloww
had arrived about twenty feet on
my ethereal road when i first became
conscious If n strange feeling.
I tried to laugh at my own apprehen-
sions.
Another Observation-Disclosures
those VOLTS Of Hewitson's!
" 7sSYk -,,r ,..1lx, vo,A a. IL -
rible accident at Guys. resulting from
vertigo now rang in my ears with q
fearful meaning.
Another step! The cold perspiration
broke out on my forehead, my knees
trembled. snd my teeth chattered. An
other step! I took IT mechanically. oh.
heavens. what n fearful height l was
now! How the world seemed to yawp
beneath me,
Another atep, and now my agony of
terror was almost insupportable. MY
whole frame trembled convulsively; 1
could hear the very palpitations of my
heart. ! had arrived on a level with
the window, but 1t was two feet dis
tant from roe, and the attempt to pass
that insignificant space must be GER
tain death.
The day had hitherto been breath.
lessly calm now, with the suddenness
Of our variable climate, 1t began to
blow strongly. Marvellous to relate,
this very circumstance gave me imme-
date relief and was. I think, the prin-
cipal agent In saving my life.
As had this fresh real danger to
encounter [ shook Off the terrors Of
many that were really imaginary. The
descent to earth must be accomplished.
So. setting my teeth firmly and fixing
my eyes with a dull. rigid, desperate
stare on tie brick wall before me,
refrigerated one step with Knocking
knees and then. with equal care. an
other.
By practice the retrograde move
ment became easy. l found 1t easy to
withdraw my mind from vague. imag-
mary horrors and to fx my whole
care on self preservation.
Another OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES! oh,
glorious! ] could look down now with
something ike composure and smiled.
Another ami another! Sweetest music
that ever, I've fell upon my ear. l
could at last distinctly hear the voices
of my two friends, around whom a
crowd had gathered.
..isravol By Jove, you'll do 1t all
right yet! Hold firm and keep steady,
my boy"
was on'y twenty feet high. and
accomplished the remainder of nv
journey with ease. Hewitson and Pal
grave. who had been nearly rs much
frightened IS myself. were shocked at
my CHASTITY p~aleness. They said re-
sembled a ,isen corpse. The good ma
tured fellows had a cab and a flask Of
brandy In attendance. l was put into
the cab. anil the brandy was put into
me.
But was pronounced in a danger
u fever that night. and 1t was three
months before l was able to walk as
stoutly rs when l commenced that
aerial adve lture.
And what about the bet? 1 insist
ed on payil,g 1t after my recovery, rs
the condition was that l should touch
the roof Of the house. which l had
- RYnx1 An&a- 49, W, -. a.