The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-21
SERVING A
SUMMONS
BY JOHN Y. LARNED

principal duties of which were to serve
papers on those who were sued for
debt l had one experience that made
me the laughingstOck of the town.
Jason Parke as Il boy was the dare
devil of the place In which he lived.
He was up to all sorts of pranks. much
to the annoyance of the older citizens,
but which amused the youngsters. He
was afraid of nothing and had head
capable Of enabling him to look down
from immense heights. Had he been
born In Switzerland he would doubt
less have been a mountain guide. AS
1t was, becoming an ironworker, he
was often engaged In Joining together
the steel framework Of buildings. and.
some of them being skyscrapers. he
was obliged to work up in the air.
Jason was favorite among his COM
paniOns. He was tender hearted, gen
erous to a fault and suffered. as such
persons generally do. from spendthrift
proclivities. Instead of laying up
money for a rainy day he ran into debt
One Of his creditors. to whom he owed
several hundred dollars, after vainly
trying to recover. sued him, and ] was
directed to serve the summons upon
him.
was told that he was working on a
bridge across river. went to Arch
Vile, where he was engaged, and to
the bridge 1t was a cantilever struc.
ture across broad river and had not
!! yet met in the center.
| Parke had got wind Of the suit
brought against him. and lawyer had
advised him to keep out Of the way so
| long as possible so that service upon
him could not be secured. This I did
not know; but, Of course, never gave
away for what purpose wished to see
| q person on whom I wished to serve a
summons.
InQuiring of q workman where
could find Jason Parke, he looked at
me suspiciously and asked what I wish
ed of him. l replied that I had a
matter Of business with him. Looking
up at an iron structure extending from
the farther shore nearly to the middle
Of the river and couple Of hundred
feet above the surface. he pointed to
man on the outer extremity. saying that
he was the person wanted.
I was young, had good head for
heights and saw an opportunity by
climbing out to where the man was to
corner him and secure service. Hiring
a boat, pulled myself across the river,
climbed the bank and, walking inland
till reached what would eventually
be the floor Of the bridge. walked to
the first pier. then worked my way to-
ward my quarry.
Not wishing to be seen by him in the
effort l was making, I was glad to
crawl along the unfoored steel string
ers. He did not apparently notice me,
going on with his work, which was riv.
| citing. dared not look down for fear
Of losing my head and falling into the
water, and kept my eyes fixed stead
lily on my man. | must get near enough
. for him to hear my voice while read
the summons. and since II he suspected
, my purpose he could hammer enough
noise out Of the steel to drown my voice
it was necessary for me to get very
, close to him.
u When | was 100 feet distant b.
: caught sight Of me. He seemed sur
prised to see one not workman Ii
. such position. but after glance wen
! on with his work, paying no further
attention to me. l was quite assured
{ by this that he did not suspect my pur
, pose and climbed on. though every mo
( ment | dreaded dizziness. had reach
! ed point not twenty feet from hin
r when he stepped off the iron beam OF
which he was standing and went dow
, feet foremost into the water below.
had been baked. Quite likely
Parke had received signal from tn
4 man of whom l had inquired for hin
e that was coming and had thus beef
= enabled to give me the slip. had hat
t enough Of the job climbing out to sucl
= place and had no mind for followin:
I him down into the river. The mOmen
r he jumped boat put out from tn
] shore. and the moment he rose to tn
o surface he swan toward 1t, was takel
b aboard and carried to the opposit
r shore.
h My return to terra frma was eve
|. more trying than my outward climl
n for ] was becoming dizzy every mt
d ment However. reached the pie
9 without falling. and after that tn
, danger was much less.
d On going down to the margin of tn
river found that the boat had com
II over in was mi;Sn. | did not doul
II that every workman on the bridg
II was in league with his fellows to war
n ?arke and to render my duty as diff
4 cult as possible. After much delay
. secured ferriage. As | approached tn
"A shore saw my quarry sitting on som
ironwork at the basr Of the pier a
Il that side of the river lie had evi,len
4 ~ got ON some dry clothing or dried
/, the sun what hr had worn and VA
!. looking at me with apparently no col
% Germ whatever. was then fleet rul
: ner. and as soon az my boats nos
,. touched the shore I sprang out and "a
~ for him Before I could get With
" hearing distance he had sprung inI
"A the open ironwork of the pier and W,
: climbing upward like a monkey.
- did not stop till he had reached pla
form hundred feet above. leaving n
=. below gaping at him and greeted Wi
: shouts VI derision by every workmf
= employed on the bridge.
found an excuse TO resign my p
sition and seek another home and a
otbar ,ccppo ton payer roturnad