Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1912-02-24

BRADY. jcerln him Why don't ye
10 down: Is Il the dead men we're
feared OF: Sure. men like them can't
hurt We. God rest their sowls.' he
added Solennly.
but Clark never needed him except
10 say. I'm sorry spoke. Irish From
Brady he turned 10 me
Lay your hand alongside my leg.
will ye. Towson. an tell me what's got
, me.
Then | noticed that instead Of his
feet danglIn this way an that. rs a
mans mostly do. they hung siinf an
cramped like
with that stretched my arm down.
palm out slowly. slowly. the way Id
seen Brady move. though for the life o
me couldn't have told why. for there
was noihin' 10 Soc. an. like him. ! went
back with u jump an a yell There
just below the line a the frame. where
there WAS noihin'. nothin' ut all but
clear mir an sunshine WIS cold
spongy cInniueSS like dry. soft ice--ice
that was u hin. dry Jelly an' that sank
under the hand like dough
"'Wby don't sc go down says Bra
dy again why don't " 90 down. We
Yankee coward? Is it the dead you're
feared Of:
That stung Clark Curious. isn't it,
Call man cur an he grins or may
be ru,iics W biz. but call him an
English cur an he'll shake the life out
o. you To couple Yank With coward
was too mpch for Clark. an God keep
me from ever seem again the sight |
saw then
who's coward says he Don't
tax so much. Irish Coward your
self and come on II you dare All
| hands below
"Grppin' the bar in front. he swung
off an let himself drop with thrust
up that partly turned him round For
breath he hung rs II upon nothin',
but reckon he hadn't fairly let 30 tue
bar when he'd have given the world
an all for fresh hold. Down he
foundered not straight as man
should. bur as IL he was drownin an
drownin IN cold pitch TINT sucked him
In by inches. That the stuff whatever
IL was. grippcd him close know. for
saw his clothes run up his leg an leave
Il bare. an that he repented his fool
hardness / know. for up Jew one hand
TO catch ~ the bar up with Wild
swing an missed II. grippin IL with his
finger nails. an ont few the other
cluichin' M the wooden ledge. bur
missed II too.
Lord. Lord he screamed. with q
sob. THROWN his head back Lord.
Lord.
His eyes caught mine MS he went
under. though 20 me an Brady II was
Just that his open mouth was below
the line o. the skylight. But under b.
was. for the scream stopped short with
choked gurgle. though bis mouth
gaped an his jaw wagged.
"Up to that we had stood scared aud
staring. but ms he screamed our sense
came back. an' we plunged forward
grabbin nj his hands But II he was
late so were We lie had slipped past
reach. an ms we watched We saw hir
light on the table slowly aud greasily
an paw ut Il vaguely with his feet
| For minute he swayed there. his big
sea boots maxim no noise on the wood
an his arms beatin' the air with
cramped Jerks. i've MS II somethin' held
his hands hen he staggered m
rolled sideways TO the fioor. where he
| las on his back. twelve feet away. Civ
, in us stare for stare. an we no more
able 10 help him than II lie was fifty
faihoms under the sea As many men
MS you've fingers I've seen drown. but
never one like that. yet drown he did
II know what drownin' means God
have mercy upon him. for ii was an
awful end Three great pants he gave.
pants like to split his chest. then he
lay quiet. an rs the hnlk rocked 10 the
heaye o the swell the sunshine through
the port played backward m forward
across his face without so much a. q
Jaw In it, light
BRADY pulled himself together first
After we'd failed to catch Clark's
bands he had leaned over the skylighi.
dry sobhin an prayln' like mother
by n cradle. hut ~ last he shook him
self MS n dog might cumiu' ont . water
"'Im gain down. Towson. says he
down: cried l. Down Why.
man. lis death. DO you see yonderT
"'Arrah. then have eyes Isn't II
that that takes me down: How far
off's the table,
"'Scven feet Toe Il more or less says
I, wonderin IL had u madman on my
hands next WHATS your notionT
My notion Is the airs froze. not
with cowld. hut with somethin' that
was In what's smashed on the aoor
there, Ny notion is the cnddy was
calked MS tight ms u captains gig. an
when the poor divils broke whatever
N wns they fouud sudden death for