THE STORYTELLER.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 981, 11 June 1879, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE STORYTELLER.

DICK POOLE'S DESPERATE LEAP. (From the Tinsley's Magazine.) Dick Poole's father came of a stock, the Pooles of Pooigarra, of hard drinkers and hard riders, who were never known to do. a useful thing or an unkind act, and who were consequently very popular with the tenants. It need scarce be said that Pooigarra wasin Ireland, and that the system of management pursued by, the'owner was such as. to reduce the dimensions of the estate, until, , when it came to; the hero of this tale, there was little left of the ancestral 7 acres. But Dick Poole cared naught for. this. He kept iip a custom of visiting the officers of the garrison who were' stationed at a small town in the'neighbqrhpod; and it was. at their mess, to which he was invited, that the circumstance arose, the sequel of which ~ rendered his name a household, . word throughout the Province. During dinner the conversation, turned upon Swimming. ' ' " Talking of swimming," put in Poole/ : " do you know the cliffs at the sea-side of Pooigarra;? I'll bet any man I'll jump off the highest part of those cliffs, and carry another fellow oil my back." A universal, .burst, of laughter,; and cries of " Take you up, old boy! How much can you. book for V < greeted this insane challenge'. When the noise : had somewhat subsided, Lieutehant' Brown, senior lieutenant of the regiment, produced a betting-book, and said' to Dick, " If you are serious, Mr. Poole, for & hundred you don't do it." < _

" Done !" replied Dick; at once and it was fixed there and then that the performance was to take place on'the following Saturday. Lieut, Brown expressed himself . well in, to win " for if the fool would be mad enough toattempt such a thing; himself, there is no one' living who' would be idiot'enough 'to go on his back," thought he. ; • - NextmornmgPo'ole told DanDohbrty; 1 —an old retainer,, who had faithfully stuckto enjoyed

himself at the barracks, and then quietly mentioned his bet, as if he made nothr: ing 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 by it? Is it .out av yer sinses ye are iiitirely 1" " No, you old goose, I'm not out of my senses," replied Poole. " I want to win a hundred pounds; and what's more, Dan,'"' he went on coaxingly, " you must help me to win it."

" Begorra. thin, I won't !" burst. out Dan with rebellious energy; "I've sarved you, man an' boy," this many year ; but hand or part or fut, so help me—, " Look here, Dau, I don't intend to do it at all, and still I intend to gain the wager. We want 1". as you know, very badly." " God help us, 'tis tL/.ie for you, sir, we do," said Dan, emphatically. " Well, here's my plan. We'll be on the ground. You'll get on my back (Dan. made a forcible gesture of dissent), and justas we seem about to start, the police will be on the ground to stop us. Thigunthug(Do you take ?) << You mane that we're i o put them to it 1 Is that it, sir V' "Yea, of course." " But, thin, "won't the bet be a dhraw, sir?"

" IsTo, it won't. Do you think I'd make such a wager without taking care that I should have an advantage over these English boobies ? Leave it to me, Dan. Follow my directions, and you'll find that everything will be right. I'll go > into the town myself to-day, and speak to the head-constable." . The eventful morning arrived. The officers 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 with them cordially, and brought forward Da.n as his compagnon de voyage. That'individual had already some misgivings touching the proceedings and when Dick peremptorily ordered him to take ofi his clothes, he showed decided symptoms of his courage oozing, like that of Bob Acres, from his fingers' ends. Poole, however, whispered a few reassuring words in his ears. " Besides," reflected Dan, as his teeth chattered with the fright and cold, " I've tould the poliss meself, for fear iv any mistake. I wonder they're not here already." Dan prolonged his unrobing as much as possible; but at length he stood trembling in cuerpo, and before he could 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 appi'oaching. " Are they coining, Dan 1" whispered Dick, softly. " Yes, master dear; only hould on for a minit."

" Are they very near us, Dan V " Quite close, yer honor," responded Dan, now becoming easy in liis mind. At this moment a constable ran forward, breaking from the officers, who tried to intercept him. But what was Dan's terror, when Dick clutched 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 cliff ! Dan says he found himself going down under water almosivi 13 ar as fallen from land. The pIaCS fathoms deep, and 011 their rising tu C'.:. surface Dick grabbed his comrade, and bore him safely to a boat, which was lying under the precipice prepared for the event. So Diclc Poole Avon the hundred pounds, and Dan Doherty was none the worse.