The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-05-28

day. m'sieur" @
CHAPTER III Il.
WITHOUT FEAR ..c
The glider was at work gliding the
great hall on top OF the church stee-
pie. Every 20 years this had to be
done. and Il was an event in the VIII
lage. 1t was said that II cost much
money; there were rumors that II cost
as much as 1000 francs The glider
knew, OF course and the cure knew. but
neither OF them told. Moreover. II was
DANGEROUS, and. like all dangers. fas-
cinating. .-Is
The boys OF vicques stood In groups
In the street with their heads bent back.
watching the tiny figure OF man that
crept up an invisible ladder far In the
air. dashed TO the side OF the steeple. Up
and up It went like fly, crawling. On
the neche. and there was a sinking feel
ing In each boys stomach which was
delightful. to think how at any moment
tnat creeping black spot. which was the
glider, might fall down. down, and be
dashed to pieces They wished no i'll
TO the glider, who was a stranger not
OF their village. nevertheless it would
pc proud thing to say they had seen
nim killed. Life and suffering mean
nothing to q boy, but an event is a
pleasure. Many of the girls turned
away their heads and cried out, II can't
look; I'm afraid he will be killed. And
az this the boys felt superior, because
they were not afraid but rather hopeful
OF g catastrophe. There are points OF
dimerence between boys and girls.
FRANCOIS however did not think about
the glider at all. yet his mind was on
the gliding OF the ball every minute OF
r El IN NnIR aA -
Etonately, to crawl up that ladder and
pc himself that fly against the fleche.
He felt that he could not possibly go
on living with self respect that feat
being unaccomplished He was good
lad and an obedient one normally. and
ne knew that his father and mother
would forbid such an attempt with hor-
ror. but that counted for nothing
against the strength OF his desire. IL
was possession. an obsession; the
thought drew him as martyrdom draws
fanatic. Three days he watched the
work. standing with the other bows. ali
tfsair dark little heads bent back as
their eyes followed the invisible brush
which was noiselessly, slowly turning
lamp. hung on the blue sky. The BOYS
talked among themselves about II.
When I am q man shall do such
work" Achill- Dufour announced IN n
bold voice. Probably 1 shall be pp
there some day where the glider Is
now, and All Of You down below watch
Ing me-" A.
I And the other jeered frankly. ..Yo,,
You who fall over a fence--you In
deedl" said his cousin Henri scorn-
fully. But as for me. would not be
afraid to climb up there today" and
at that there was q chorus of protest.
Who was It, tell me, who was afraid
to climb the fiagpole by tho church? /?
Who was that boy, Henri Dufour?"
embryo Frenchmen Joined in sar-
castle "Ahl" and pointed grirny fingers
at the mortified Henri
That's nothing" Henri threw back
sulkily. And / was not the only one
who was afraid. offered to climb the
pole, and was afraid after--but none
or the others even offered. And II was
gerous TO climb that pole. IT IL 20 feet
to the cross bars. and beyond that It Is
90 feet yet to the small cross bars at
the top--it is very high I'm the air.
70 feet. Only Francois Beaupre OF ali
the village has yet climbed that flag
pole, and all the world knows that
Francois is different His stomach Is
dinerent ne has no fear Of things, In
There was amurmur OF assent, and
the hero put friendly hand on the
shoulder OF the discredited Dufour.
It's nothing" he agreed. It's only
that am born different. do not feel
inside my stomach that thing which
you say is being afraid / do not know
that feeling, so 1t LIS easy. 1t was not
much for me to climb the pole; 1t was
just that could do It.. ~
n And the boys, seeing their honor
saved. agreed heartily.
"All the same" Achille Dufour sug-
gested ungratefully, francois would
not dare climb that ladder to the ball.
Dare your
The great brown eyes OF Francois
turned about the group; the boys
waited eagerly for his answer. II he
dared II was almost as If they should
all do 1t; IL was always this one who
led into the dangerous places; always
this one who went a BIT further when
the others courage failed; they ex-
planned 1t pleasantly by that fortunate
which produced in the others the dis
comfort called fear. hindering bold
deeds. .- "a"
'.He has no Judgment, Francois;
therefore. he fears nothing" they some
times put the case rn
But the fact remained that he was
afraid of nothing The boys waited q
minute, eyes and mouths stretched, and
at length came the decision.
II dare" said Francois. Then the
dark heads came together In an un-
easy mass, ana there was whispering.
At the dinner hour that day several
mothers of tho village remarked that
their small lads were restIesR, not In
tent as usual on the black bread and
the soup OF chopped vegetables and the
green beans--all anxious to finish and
get away. Only the mother OF Fran
cois, however, reasoned from this that
mischief was brewing. When the slim,
and out through the open door, she rose
and followed and stood in the great