DICK POOLE'S DESPERATE LEAP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 660, 5 July 1870, Page 3

DICK POOLE'S DESPERATE LEAP.

(From Tinsley's Magazine.") Dick Poole's father cams of a stock, the Pooles of Poolgarra, 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 Poolgarra was in 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 acres. But Dick Poole j cared naught for this. He kept up a custom of visiting the officers who were stationed at a small garrison town in the neighbourhood; and it was at their mess, to which he was invited, that the circumstances 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 Poolgarra ? I'll bet any man I'll jump off the highest part of those cliffs, and carry another fellow on my back." A universal burst of laughter, and cries of "Take you up, old boy! How much can you book for greeted this insane challenge. When the noise had somewhat subsided, Lieut. Brown, the senior lieutenant of the regiment, produced a betting-book, and said to Dick, " If you are serious, Mr Poole, for a huadred you don't do it." " Done I" 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 to attempt such a thing himself, there is no one living who would be idiot enough to go on his back," thought he. Next morning Poole told Dan Doherfcy— an old retainer, who had faithfully stuck to his master how he 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 by it ? Is it out ay yer sinsea ye are intirely?" " 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 served you, man an' boy, this many a year; but hand er 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 the ground. You'll get 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. Thigunthugh?" (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 these English boobies ? Leave it to me, Dan. Follow my directions, and you'll find 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 Dan as his compagnon de voyage. That individual had already some misgivings touching the order of proceedings; and when Dick peremptorily ordered him to take off 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 at 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 approaching. " Are they coming, Dan ?" whispered Dick, softly. "Vis, master dear; onlvhould on for a minit." " Are they very near us, Dan ?" " Quite close, yer honor," responded Dan, now becoming easy in his 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 1" like the war-shout of an Indian brave, he gave a header literally into apace over the cliff ! Dan says he found himself going down under water almost as far as he had fallen from land. The 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 waa none the worse.