Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-03-09

power OF intense concentration was eA-
pressed Outwardly by a directness of
gaze from the old eyes which, though
faded, could flash on occasion. Other
facial characteristics of that snow
crowned, leOnine head which bespoke
that imaginative power without which
a great engineer could not be in spite
of all his scientific eXactitudes had not
been cut out of his cOuntenance by the
pruning knife of time.
He was q great engineer and looked
it, sitting alone in his office with the
telegram crushed in his trembling
hand. despite the fact that his gray
face was the very picture of unwonted
weakness, of impOtency, and abiding
horror. The message had struck him a
terrific blow. He had reeled under it
and had sunk down in the chair in
state of nervous collapse.
The telegram fairly burned the
clammy palm of his hand. He would
fain have dropped it yet he could not.
Slowly he opened it once more. Ordi-
narily, powerful glasses stimulated his
vision. He needed nothing to read it
again. 1t is doubtful whether his eyes
saw it or not and there was not need,
for the message was burned into his
brain. .+ =
He read again the mysterious words:
One and three-quarter-inch Gambler in
C-10-R.
There could be no mistake. The
name that was signed to it was the
name of his son, the young engineer,
the child of his fathers old age. The
boy, as the old man thought of him,
had ventured to dispute his fathers
| figures, to question his fathers design.
but the elder man had OverbOrne him
with his vast experience, his great au-
thOrity, his extensive learning, his high
reputation. And now the boy was right.
Strange to say some little thrill Of
pride came to the old engineer at that
moment.
He tried to find out from the tele-
gram when it had been sent. That day
was a holiday-the birthday of one of
of the United States, New York and
Pennsylvania among them, and only by
chance had he come down to the office
that morning. The wire was dated the
night before. And he recalled that the
state from which the bridge ran did
not observe that day as a holiday
They would be working on the Interna
tional as usual unless
One and three-quarter inches of de
Election No bridge that was ever made
could stand with a bend like that in
the principal member of it's compress
sion chord, much less so vast a struc
ture as that which was to span the
greatest of rivers and to bring natior
into touch with nation. He ought tt
do something. but what was there tt
do? Presently, doubtless, his minC
would clear. But on the instant all hi
could think of was the impending ruin
The Uplift building, in which he haC
his offices, was mainly deserted on &C
count of the holiday. The banks wert
CLOSED and the offices and most of thu
shops and stores. 1t was very still IL
the hall and, therefore, he heard dis
tinctly the door of the single elevato
in service open with an unusual crash
then the sound of rapid footsteps alOni
the corridor as of someone running
They stopped before the outer door o
the suite which bore his name. In
stantly he suspected a messenger o
disaster. The door was opened, the of
fee was crossed, hand was on tn
inner door. He sank back almost a
one dead waiting the shock, the blow
Father" exclaimed the newcomer
"You got my telegram"
The other silently exhibited tn
crumpled paper in his hand.
what have you done?"
'Tt's a holiday, don't you know?
only got it a few moments ago. TIL
bridgew
"Still stands"
''But for how long?'
81 can't say. The Martlet's residen
engineer is mad, begged, threatened
! implored. / tried to get him to sto
2 work, to take the men off the bridg,
: to withdraw the traveller, but he won
s do it. Said you designed it, you knew
t l was only cub"
: But the camber?"
!, "He said, I'll jack it into line again
i Like every other engineer who sees
/ big thing before him it looks to him s
e if it would last forever. l tried to G,
n you on the telephone here and at II
{ house last night and failed. 1 wire
you. Then I jumped on the midnigl
e express and"
s ''What is to be done?" asked the o
e man.
o Meade, Sr., was thankful that Il
% younger man had not said, 81 told yC
= so" as well he might. But really h
y fathers condition was so pitiful tn
II the son had not the heart.
1t Telegraph the Martlet Bridge col
e pany at once" he answered.
J. "What shall we say?" asked the o
e man, uncertainty.
The young man shot a quick look
% him, that question evidenced the vi
lence of the shock. His father W
~ ~ old, broken, helpless, dependent,
y last.
= "Give me the blank" he answere
= 'Tll wire in your name"
a He repeated the telegram that
10 had sent to his father and added the
IF words as he signed the old mai
name to it:
Mt Put no more load on the bridge VII
draw men and traveller.
- 81 can't understand why we do
~ hear" said the young engineer t
,is hours later, walking up and down t
- room in his agitation. 1.-TWO Telegram
~ and now we can't get telephone CT
80 nection, or at least any answer af
~ our repeated calls"
IN ''Its holiday there as well as her
said the older man. "There is no c
bo in the Office at Martlet"
in. "Pll try the telephone again. So1
,rs one may come in at any time"
he He sat down at the desk, and af
nd five minutes of feverish and excl
np waiting he finally did get the office
he the Martlet Bridge company. By