The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-08-13
,CINgINNATI II AUGUST Is, 1852


that stood on knew was fixed in some way
so that it would drop, and let me fall through
but couldn' see how that was done.
snow my fine fellow, if you want to know
how man feels in such case as that, just
fancy yourself, if you can, standing on that
trap, with nothing but bit of rattling stuff to
hold it up, your arms tied behind you, ten
fathoms Of water under you, and a rope round
your neck to hold you up III case you should
happen to fall through If that cord had
broken away. shOuldn' have been here now
| telling the story. The master alarms didn't
like to trust to it, for he took good care not to
put his foot upon the ball though his arms and
neck were free.
every thing comes to an end at last, and
so did the parsons prayer. He went aft, and
then The cap was drawn down over my face,
and then heard the master alarms 60 down
the ladder to the deck, and | was left alOne!-
Good heavens! how still every thing was. |
might hove been alone in the world for any
thing that could see or hear. ! knew that
three hundred and fifty men were within
few yards Of me, all looking on me, perhaps,
as | stood there in the broad sunlight.
knew that twice as many more were looking on,
from over the bulwarks and through the ports
of the half dozen other ships that were moored
around us. | knew that twenty spy glasses
were pointed at me, from all their quarter
decks, and as many more, probably from the
houses on shore. | knew that the broad pen
nant was flying as gayly as ever at the mas
head, and the old Yankee bunting at the gaff.
| knew there was life all around me; but the
only evidence had Of it, was the motion of
the slight breeze across my neck, and the rip
pie Of the tide as it ran along the ships side
under the scaffold. 1t was delightful to know
hot ba win nd fha not
"But this didn't last long. After minute
or two heard a step, it was the marine at the
lower cabin door. / heard him walk to the
foot Of the after ladder-come up two or three
steps until his head was above the hateh-and
then sing out; Eight bellsl" Didn't | stiffen
myself? | felt as if was turned into iron!-
Forty horses couldn't have doubled me up! /
was ready; and now l thought to myself
'Why the-don't they strike the bells?'
You may not believe it, my lads, but was
mad with them for keeping me waitingl
1 "BHt the bell WASH struck. Instead of il
/ | heard some one come forward-heard him
mount the ladder, and knew he was alongside
of me on the seaffold; knew he was talking
or reading, though what he was saying l didn t
know-and didn t care-fOr | had never sus-
pected the whole thing was going to turn out
flash in the pan after all.
"But it did; for the next thing | knew,
was down on the gun deck again and the men
were erowding round me, shaking hands, and
wishing me good luck and a long life to enjoy
it. 1t was some time before | got my wits
about me enough to understand that 1 had
been pardoned, and that this was what had
been read to me on the scaffold So | wasn't
hung, shipmates; but | never want to come
quite so near it again.
$50 they did all that to frighten you into
good behaviour, did theyf''
"That was one object, [ suppose Another
was, to get up bit Of fun for the squadron. 1t
was rather dull, lying there in the harbor all
summer, with nothing to do, except to send
up to gallant yards in the morning and send
them down atnight;
"Did the person know how the thing was
coming outT''
he looked as if he didn't more than haIf-like
being humbugged in that way"
How was the drop fixed, Ned, so as to fall
at the right timer
81 found out about that afterwards. 1t was
held up by cord that was led across the muz-
zle Of the gun on the gundeck under the scat
fold, and that would have been cut by the wad;
and the gunner stood with the lock string in
his hand, ready to pull as soon as the bell was
struck. So | should have gone off in fire and
smoke, and with a smell Of birthstone.
The minds Of Ned's auditors had evidently
been worked up to considerable degree Of ex-
citement by his story, and his last remark gave
them an opportunity to relieve themselves by
sundry rather profane jokes, which it is un-
necessary for me to repeat, As l had long
since finished my cigar; left the forcastle
and endeayored- though quite unsuccessfully-.
to spend the remainder Of the night in sleep
During my uneasy slumbers, | was suspended
| from all sorts of impossible places The mos
remarkable of my fancies was, that was roll.
ed up in ball and hoisted, as a pennent, a
the frigate IS mast head, waiting for eight
bellies to be struck; when was expecting thu
stop would be broken, and that the wind woulC
blow me straight out from the truck Metro
poiitae Hagasiae