Dick Poole's Desperate Leap.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 40, 17 August 1870, Page 7

Dick Poole's Desperate Leap.

[From Thitky'u Magazine.] Poole’s father came of a stock, the of Poolgarra, of hard drinkers and |Vird riders, who wore never known to do a thing or an unkind act, and who consequently very popular with the was in Ireland, and that the system 18/ management pursued by the owner was as to reduce the dimensions of the ■state, until, when it came to the hero of ■bis tale, there was little left of the aucesHral acres. But.v Dick Poole cared naught ■or Mm kept up a custom of ■dsitiug the who were stationed at ■- small garrison town in the neighborhood ; ■nAJt was at their mess to which he was that the circumstances • arose, the of which rendered his name a houseword throughout the province. Dar■g dinner the conversation turned upon ■ “ Talking of swimming,” put in Poole, ■do you know the cliifs at the sea-side of ] I’ll bet any man I’ll jump oft' Khe highest part of those cliffs, and carry ■another fellow on my back.” ■ A universal burst of laughter, and cries ■of “Takeyou up, old boy !'’—“ How much ■ can you book fori” greeted this insane I challenge. When the noise had somewhatsubsided, Lieut. Brown, the senior lieuten ant of the regiment, produced a bettingbook, and said to Dick, “ If you are serious, Mr Poole, for a hundred you don’t do it.” “ Done !” replied Pick at once : and it was fixed there and then that the performance was to take place the following Saturday, Lieutenant Brown expressed himself well in to win ; “ for if the fool would be mad enough to attempt such a thing himself, there is no one idiot enough to go on bis back,” thought he. Next morning Poole told Dan Doherty—an old retainer who had stuck faithfully to his master—how lie had enjoyed himself at the barracks, and then quietly mentioned the bet, as if he made nothing of it. Dan for a few seconds could not. speak a word for horror and surprise; at last he managed ■to stammer out: ■ “ O Master Dick, whatever d’ye mane Bw it 1 Is it out of ver sinses ye are inRi'vly !” ■ “ No, you old goose, I’m not out of my Reuses,” replied Poole; “1 want to win a Rundred pounds; and what’s more, Dun, • Bie went on coaxingly, “ you must help me ■to win it.” I “ Begorra, thin, I won’t!” burst out ■Dan with rebellious energy ; “I’ve sarved |you, man an’ boy, this many a year; but hand or part or fut, so help me—” “ Look here, Dan. I don’t intend to do it at all, and still I intend to gain the wager. We want it, as you know, badly.” “ God help us, ’tis thrue for you sir, we do,” said Dan, emphatically. “Well, here’s my plan. We’ll be on I the ground. You’ll be on my back, (Dan made a forcible gesture of dissent), and just as we seem about to start the police will |be on the ground to stop us. Thigim%hwjh ? (Do you take ?)” You mane that we’re to put them to it ? Is that it, sir ?’’ “ Yes, of course.” “ But, thin, won’t the bet be a dhraw, sir ?” “ No, it won’t. Do you think I’d make such a wager without taking care that I should have an advantage over those English boobies? Leave it to me, Dan. Follow my directions, and you’ll find every right. I’ll go into town myself to-day, and speak to the head constable.” The eventful morning arrived. The were all on the ground looking over the cliff, which was‘fully ninety feet above the sea, and wondering whether Dick Poole would have the courage to carry out his wild enterprise. Dick exchanged greetings <'-£* them cordially, ami'brought forward Dan as his compagnpii de voyage. That individual had already some misgivings touching the order of proceedings; and when Dick peremptorily ordered him to take oft’ his clothes, ho showed decided 1 fqmaptonrs of his courage oozing, like that ' ■Bob Acres, from his finger ends. Poole, 1 ■h'C’, whispered a fow reassuring words ■is ears. “ Besides,” reflected Dan, as 1 B tootl > chattered with fright and cold, 1 ■ ' e toullJ the poliss meself, for fear iv 1 Bf mistake, I wonder they’re nor here 1 ■ idy.” Dan prolonged his unrobing as | B has possible ; but at length he stood 1 ftrerabling in gmrpo, and before he could c distinctly realise the situation,- he found himself on his master’s back. Glancing over his shoulder in mortal terror, he saw the glazed caps of the police approvi ng. \

“A TO they coming, Dun 1" whispered Dick softly, ' ■ t “ Via, muster clear; only houlcl on for a rninit.” “ Are they very near us, Dan 1” “Quite close, yer honor," responded Dan, now becoming easy in his mind. At this moment a constable ran forward, breaking from tho officers who tried to intercept him. But what was Dan’s terror, when Dick cltuched him firmly by the legs, and then with a shrill “ Whaup !’’ like the war-shout of an Indian brave, he gave a header literally into space over the dill ! Dan says he found himself going down under water almost as far as he had fallen from land. Tho place was several fathoms deep ; and on their rising to the surface Dick grabbed his comrade, and bore him safely to a boat which was lying under the precipice prepared for the event. So Dick Poole won the hundred pounds, and Dan Doherty was none the worse.