Burlington tri-weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1852-1855, 1854-12-02
The woRsrED STOCKING.
4 TRUE sroRY.

Il
! to- night, won't he motherS'' sad little Ton
Howard, as he stood waiting for his father
breakfast, which he carried to him at his worl
every morning. ~
ssHe said he hopei all the scafo!dina
would be down to- nights answered his moth.
er, Sand that'll be n fine sight, for l never
like the ending of those great chimneys-it'.
so risky-thy fathers to be the last up."
"Eh, then but Phi 60 and see him, and
help EN- to give shout afore he comes down
said Tom.
ssAnd them" answered his mother elf all
goes right We are to have frolic to-mor-
row, andgo into the country and take our
dinners, and spend all the day amongst the
woods.''
ssIurrah!'' cried Tom, as he ran of to his
fathers place Of WORK, with can of milk in
one land and some bread in the other. His
mother stood in the door as he went merrily
whistling down the street, and then she
thought Of the dear father he was going to-.
and the dangerous work he was engaged in,
and then her heart sought its sure refuge, and
she prayed to God to protect and bless her
treasure.
& Pom with light heart pursued his wav,
to his father and leaving him his breakfast,
went to his own work which was at some
distance.
In the evening on his way home, he went
round to see how his father was getting on.
James Howard. the father and a number Of
workmen had been building one Of those lofty
chimneys, which in our great manufacturing
towns, almost supply the place of other arch.
itectural beauty. This chimney was one of
the highest and most tapering that has ever
been erected; and as Tom, shading his eyes
from the slanting rays Of the setting sun,
looked up to the top in search of his father
his heart almost sank within him, at the ap-
pall,ng height. The scafolding::,was almost
all down, the men at the bottom were re-
moving the last beams and poles. Toms
father stood alone on the top. He looked
all round to see that every thing was right,
and then waving his hat in the air, the men
him ~ith long loud cheer, little
Tom shouting as heartily as any of than. As
their voices died away however, they heard
very different sound-a CRY Of alarm and
horror from above! ssThe rope! The rope!''
tae men looked round and cooled upon the
ground lay the rope, which before the SC If
Folding was removed should h,,vc been fast
ened to the chimney, for Toms father to
come down by The scaifoIdng had been Ia
Ken dowr, without their rememb aring to take
he rope up. They all knew it was impossi-
ole to throw the rope high enough to reach
the top Of the Oh mney; or if he could it
would hardly have been safe. They stood
N silence unable to give any help or think of
any means of safety.
And Toms father. He walked around the
little circle, the DIZZY height seeming every
moment to grow more fearful, and the solid |
earth further and further from him. In the |
sudden panic be lost bis presence of mind, |
md his senses almost failed him. Ho shut |
lis eyes; he felt as if the next moment, he be |
should d 3 Ell 10 peices on the ground below
The day had lssed as industriously, and |
Witty as usual, with Ton's mother at home.
she was always busily employed for her hus-
'and and children in some way Or other; ard |
o-day she had been harder at work than
lsual, getting ready for the holiday to-mor-
ions, and her thoughts were silently tina nix
ng God for her hlppy homo, and for all the
i IS .nes of life, when Tom ran IN; his free
Eas as white as ashes; and be could hardly
et his wor Is out. s'- other! Mother! He
annot get down."
'sWho lad? Thy father?' asked his mother.
sThey've forgotten to leave him the rope,'
answered Tom, still scarcely able to .ceak.
lis mother started up horror struck, and
TODD for momfnt as if paralyzed; then
ressing her hands over her face as if to shut
nut the terrible picture, and breathing a
'rayer to God for help, she rushed out Of the
louse.
When she reached the place where
Ter husband was at work, crowd had col
ected round the foot Of the chimney, and
TODD there quite helpless gazing up with
aces full of sorrow. ssHe says he'll throw
imself down." exclaimed they, as Mrs.
Toward came up. He's going to throw
imself down."
ssThee munna do that lad!" cried the wife,
nth clear hopeful voice, ssthee munna do
hat. Wait bit Taxi off thy stocking lad.
md unrayel it and let down the thread with
bit of mortar. Dost hear me Jeul?''
The man made sign Of assent, for it
eemed as if he could not speak; ana taking
f his stocking, unraveled the worsted tire, d
ow after row. The people stood aroundl in
silence and suspense, wondering
That Toms mother could e h nkiug Of, and
7hy she sent him in such haste for the car
enters ball of Irvine.
ssLet down one end of the thread with bit
stone. and keep fast hold of tho other"
ricd she to her husband.
The little thread came waving down the
all chimney, blown hithcr and thither by
ind, but at last it reached the outstretched
ands that were waiting for it. Tom held
ne ball of string while his mother tied one
nd of it to the wor>ted thread. ssNow pull
J up slowly" said she to her husband, and
be gradually unwound the string as the
'orsted drew it gently up. 1t stopped--the
tring had reached her husband. s'Now hold
he string fas: and pull it up," and the string
rev heavy and hard to pull, for Tom and
is mother had fastened the thick rope