Butte record., 1855-01-20

below answered him with long loud
chez, Little Tom shout NJ as heartily as
any of them. As their voices died away,
however, they heard a very different
sound-a cry of alarm and horror from
above The rope! the rope !" The
men looked round, and cviled upon the
ground, lay the rope, which, before the
scafolding was removed, should have
been fastened to the top of the chimney,
for Toms father to come down by The
scafoldiug had been taken down, with
out their remembering to take the rope
up. There was dead silence They
all knew it was impossible to throw the
rope up highe nough, or skilfully 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
saf ty.
And Toms father. He walked round
and round the circle, the dizzy height
seeming every moment to grow more
fearful, and the solid earth further and
further from him. In the sud- panic
he lost his presence of mind, and hs
senses almost failed him He shut his
eyes he fell as if the next moment he
must be dashed to pieces on the ground
he day had passed as industrlous,y
and as swiftly as usual, with Toms mo;h-
er at home. She was always bu>ily en-
ploycd for her husband and children, in
some way other and to-day she had
en- harder at work than usual, getting
ready for the holiday tomorrow. She
had finished all her prepara ions, and
her Thoughts were silently thanking God
for her happy home, and for the bless
ings Of life, wheG Tom ran in. His face
was us white as ashes, and he could
hardly grt his words ont: "Moth.r
mother He Gamma get d wn"
"Who, lad Thy father::' asked his
mother.
"They've forgotten to leave him the
rope" answered Tom, still scarcely
able to speak. His mohor started up,
horror-struck, and stood for moment
as if paral, zed then pressing her hands
over her face as if to shut out the ter
rible picture, and breathing prayer TO
God for hylp, she rushed out of the
house.
When she reached the place where
her husbaQd was at work, a crowd had
collected round the foot of the chimney,
and stood there quite helpless, gazing up
with faces full Of sorrow. " He saws
he'll throw himself down." exclaimed
they. as Mrs. Howard came up. & He
is going to throw himself down.
The munna do that, lad - cried the
wife, with clear, hopeful voice; " the
munna d. that Wait bit TAX off
thy stocking, lad, and unravel it, and
let down the thread with bit OF mortar
Dos hear me, Je,n ~
The man made sign of assent, for it
seemed as if he could not speak and
taking off his stocking, unravellcd the
worsted thread, row after row. The
people round in breathlrss silence and
suspense, wondering what Toms mother
could be thinking of, and why she sent
him in such haste for the carpenters
ball of twine
"Let down one end of the thread
With bit of stone, and keep fast hold
of the other" cried she to her husband.
The little thread came waving down the
tall chimney, blown hither and tither by
the wind, but at last it reached the out
stretched hands that were waiting for
it. Tom held the ball of string, while
his mother tied one end of it to the
worsted thread. "Now pullit up slowly
cried sac to her husband, and she gradu-
ally unwouad the string as the worsted
drew it gently up. 1t stopped-the string
had reached her husband. Now, hold
the string fast, and pull it up" cried
she, and the string grew heavy and hard
to pull, for Tom and his mother had
listed the thick rope to it. They watch
ed it gradually and slowly uncoiling
frem the ground, as the string was drawn
higher.
There was but one coil left. It had
reached the top Thank Cox Thank
God - exclaimed the wife She hid
her face in her lands in silent prayer
aud, trembling, rejoiccd. The rope was
up The iron 20 which it should be fast.
cned was there all right but would hel