Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1926-04-22
The Cyclone
Finish
ANNNNN . - - - - - - - =
BY MARTHA M. WILLIAMS
Copyright

~ IT," Leslie shouted, hands fast
upon the cables on either side AZ the
swing swept in ful! serni-circle, ouf
and back again
Dare you to stop" she called gsyly
70 the husky men who were motive
power.
The swing was ponderOus affair
rhree-inch cables playing through
wrOught-iron rings clamped stoutly To
right -angled branch Of a century-old
oak The branch was more than a
foot through, and sound as bell. The
pane!ed seat was big enough for two.
Bert Axley and Joe SesSuns had put
It up-by leave Of Parson SessumS,
Hoes grandfather owner of the squat
rambling gray house. the level thick
turfed yard, and thousand rich acres
besides He kept IA young heart, 81
liked to have the new generation
about him. HoSpitable as sunlight to
hose Of his own age. 1t WAS noted
that staying visitors were generally
under twenty five. Also and further.
toes rrony. Bert Axley, was almost
as much child Of the house az Joe
himself
.Joe's widowed mother had come
here bringing her boy. the sole
grandson Retween them all. the child
lau been So handsomely spoiled he
had grown up the finest young fellow
in the county. Tall, Timber, light
footed, elear-headed. adorably faulty.
more adOrably kind. II was felt that
his proper matching came near to be-
ing matter of public concern. As to
Miss Leslie Gilfiower there were two
opinions. Mighty pretty. rich az cream,
Martin granddaughter to offset the
obscure Gilflower strain, the solid ele-
ment couldn't just see her az Mrs.
Joseph Sessuns. whereas the gayer
folk felt such matching must have
been made in heaven
She was At Sesame for the summer
that her father and, nsother were
spending ia South America. Bert and
Joe had surrendered abjectly at about
the third glance. A square game 1t
should be- Was their tacit agreement-
with the hest man wiuniNg--ff any
body.
The countryside enchanted her, by
its unlil1eness tn handicapped estates"
which she perfOrce lived.
Dancing on the soft turf to joss
whistling with Bert for partner, OF
with Joe to the rhythms OF the pianta-
ton hand -fiddlea, guitar and tri-
angle. made her "A fairy tripping 1t In
Granny in her wheei-chatr
bent to see 1t with her strongest
glasses. beating time softly with her
left hand. But the real
marvel and magnet was the big swing
she saw II first with Joe and Bert
pumping" in it, standing face to face
upon the seat. bending. swaying, faster
faster, ever faster, ever higher. until
they came earthward clutching leafy
twigs wrenched off recklessly at high
est ascent Leslie pleaded hard for a
share In such sp0rt-she was unwiSe-
Iy laughed to scOrn. That night under
midnight full moon. she slipped into
the swing alone. somehow set 1t rock
ing, then could not stop 1t for ever so
long. Joe and Bert watching her from
ambush, chuckied-hard at frst-theE
as one man they scrambled out and
up. crying joyously: "YOu talk about
pumpin'-w you don't even know
how to let the cat die" Discovering
that she WAS on the edge of tears,
they cOmfOrted her with promises
they would teach her-oh.. ever so
many things-tO ride standing upon a
horses bare back. for example. to hit
the ace Of hearts at ten PAGES, drive a
two twenty trOtter all by herseif-even
q good bit later. when her head had
quit swimzRing. to be really truly
swuns--higA enough almost to pick
leaves for herself.
That morning there were clouds In
at rising. hut there was no
threat Of storm.
How 1t happened nobody ever could
say. One miAute blue sky. sunshine.
hardly a breath Of air-the next. from
nowhere 1t seemed, roaring tempests.
thunder Out-rOarinS them-and the
world beginning to rock and reel. The
swingers were double-passing-send-
ing the passenger upward with all
their might, back and forth. Just as
the seat and the girl cleared their
hands the big oak began writhing vio-
huge branches half
way to earth. shivering in all their
ibers as they bent One of the sturdi-
ast caught the seat, held 1t fast, and
swept back and upward. Then through
he sudden dusk d sword OF white
light rent the century-0ld heart in
Twain. No voices could prevail against
the storm No eye saw anything for
a minute-then dimly the watchers
perceived that half the big tree was
topping to fall. The half that bore
A burden so precious AS it tremDled
slowly sudden stiffness fell. Through
it both men shouted: Hold fast till
you see us-then jump-if you can.
Wen catch you--or die trying" this
last In their throatS wOrdless.
They began to see Leslfe-she mad
not faiuted-instead she had somehow
scrambled upright. and chung to the
Stacking cable with both hands. Roots
cracked like pistols-the tree leaped
as though alive. The cable grew sud
denly taut. Leslie noted that nrst
With her heart In her mouth she
clutched ii farther Out-and tried &c
go along 1t hand over hand. Strength
failed her-she was drOpping-but not
10 death-into grading arms that re-
ceived her teuderly for all their steeiy
strength. Afterward, of course she
married Joe. Equally If course. they