New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-11-04
THE woRsTED STOCKING.

THE WoRsTED STOCKING
A TRUE STORY.
F" Father will have done the great chimney
tonight. won't he mother'n said little Tom
Howard, as he stood waiting for his fathers
breakfast, which he carried to him at his work
every morning.
g He said he hoped all the scaffolding would
be down night answered his mother, and
thatll be fine sight; for | never like the end
ing OF those great chimneys-its so risky-thy
fathers to be the last up"
"Eh, then, but I'll 60 and see him, and help
em to give shout afore he comes down. said
Tom.
'And them" continued his mother, sc if all
goes right, we are to have frolic to- o-morrow,
ana go into the country, and take our dinners,
and spend all the day. amongst the woods''
" Hurrah /" cried Tom, as he ran off to his
fathers place of work. with can of milk in one
hand and some bread in the other His mother
stood in the door watching him as he went mer-
rlly whlstling down the street, and then she
thought of the dear father he was going to, and
.he dangerous work he was engaged in, and then
her heart sought its sure refuge, and she prayed
to God to protect and bless her treasures.
Tom, with light heart, pursued his way 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 other
workmep, had been building one of those lofty
chlmneys which, in our great manufacturing
towns, almost supply the place of other archi-
tectural beauty. This chimney was one of the
highest and most tapering that had 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
sunk within him at the appalling height The
scaffolding was almost all down; the men at
the bottom were removing 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 below answered him with long. loud
cheer, little Tom shouting as heartily as any Of
them. As their voices died away, however,
they heard very different sound-a cry Of
alarm and horror from above! "The rome =
the rope!" The men looked round, and, coiled
upon the ground lay the rope, which, before the
scattolding was removed, should have been fast
ened to the top of the chimney, for Toms father
to come down by! The scaffolding had been
taken down, without their remembering to take
the rope up. There was a dead silence. They
all knew it was impossible to throw the rope up
high enough, or skillfully enough, to reach the
top Of the chimney; or if it could, it would
hardly have been safe. They stood in silent
dismay, unable to give any help, or think of
any means of safety
And Toms father. He walked round and
round 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 he lost his presence of mind,
and his senses almost failed him. He shut his
eyes; he felt as if, the next moment, he must
be dashed to pieces on the ground below
The day had passed as industriously and
swiftly as usual, with Toms mother at home.
She was always busily employed for her hus-
band and children, in some way or other; and
to-day she had been harder at work than usual,
getting ready for the holiday tomorrow She
had just finished all her preparations, and her
| thoughts were silently thanking God for her
happy home, and for all the blessings of life,
| when Tom ran in his face was as white as
ashes; and he could hardly get his words out
| Another! Mother He Gamma get down"
who, lad! Thy father" asked his mother
"Theyve forgotten to leave him the rope y
answered Tom, still scarcely able to speak His
mother started up, horror struck, and stood for
moment as if paralyzed; then pressing her
hands over her face. as if to shut out the terri
BILE picture, and breathing prayer to God fol
| help, she rushed out of the house.
| When she reached the place where her hus
band was at work, crowd had collected rount
the foot Of the chimney, and stood there quitt
helpless, gazing up with faces full of sorrow
" He says he'll throw himself down." exclaimed
| they, as Mrs Howard came up. ssHe is going Il
throw himself down.
'sThe munna do that, lad - cried the wife
| with clear, hopeful voice; 's he munna do that
| Wait bit TAX off thy stocking, lad, and un
ravel it, and let down the thread with a bit o
| mortar. Dost hear me, Jem ~
| The man had made sign of assent, for
seemed as if he could not speak; and, takin,
off his stocking, unravelled the worsted thread
row after row. The people stood round in breath
| less silence and suspense, wondering what Tom
mother could be thinking of, and why she sen
him in such haste for the carpenters ball {
twine.
"Let down one end of the thread with bi
Of stone, and keep fast hold of the other,
cried she to her husband. The little threa
came waving down the tall chimney, blow
hither and thither by the wind. but at last
reached the outstretched hands that were wait
ing for it. Tom held the ball of string, Will
his mother tied one end of it to the Worste
thread. Now pull it up slowly" cried she
her husband, and she gradually unwound tn
string as the worsted drew it gently up. l
stopped--the string had reached her husband
"Now hold the string FAST and pull it up,
cried she, and the string grew heavy, and har
to pull, for Tom and his mother had fastene
, the thick rope to it. They watched it gradual
ana Slowly uncolllnS from the ground, as th
string was drawn higher.
There was but one coil left. It had reache
i the top. "Thank God Thank God!" ex
claimed the wife. She hid her face in he
hands in silent prayer, and trembling rejoieet
The rope was up, The iron to which it shoul
be fastened was there all right; but would he
: husband be able to make use of them s-woul
{ not the terror of the past hour have so unnerve
i him, as to prevent him from taking the neees
!, sary measures for his safety She did n.
!, know the strength that the sound of her voic
: so calm and steadfast, had filled him with
if the little thread that carried him the hope
life once more, had conveyed to him some POI
ton of that faith in God, which nothing evt
destroyed or shook in her true heart She d
not know that, as he waited there, the wore
came over him, s'Why art thou cast down,
my soul and why art thou disquieted with
me? Hone thou in God, She lifted up h.