Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-12-15
EVENING STAR.
THE WORsTED STOCKING
A TRUE STORY,

every morning
He said he hoped all the scaffolding would
be down to night" answered his mother, land
that'll be fine sight; for L never like the
ending of those great chimneys-its SO RISKY,
thy fathers to be the last one up"
"Eh, then, but I'll 60 and see him, and
help them to give a shout before he comes
down. said Tom.
"And them" continued his mother, '.if all
goes right, we are to have a frolic tomorrow,
and 60 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 st the door watching him as he
went merrily whistling down the street, and
then she thought of the dear father he was GO
| ing to, and the dangerous work he was engag-
ed In, and then her heart found 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 some dis
tance. In the evening, on his way home, he
| went round to see how his father was getting
| on James Howard, the father, and number
| OF other workmen had been building one OF
| those lofty chimneys, which, in our great man
| utacturing towns, almost supply the place Of
| other architectural beauty This chimney
was one of the highest and most tapering that
has ever been erected; and as Tom, shading
| his eyes from the sleDting rays of the setting
| sun, looked up to the top in search of his fa-
| ther, his heart almost sank within him at the
| appalling height. The Scafolding was almost
| all down the men at the bottom were remov-
| Ing the last beams and poles. Toms father
stood alone on the top. He looked all round
to see that everything 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 hor-
| from above! ''The ropel The rope," The
| men looked round, aud coiled upon the eroupd
lay the rope, which, before the scaffolding was
removed, should have been fastened to the
chimney, for Toms father to come down by
The scafolding had been taking down without
| their remembering to take the rope mp There
was dead silence. They ali knew il was
| impossible to throw the rope up high enough
| to reach the top of the chimney; or if he could
| 1t would hardly have been safe. They stood
In silence aud diSmay, unable to give any help
| or think Of any meaEs of salty.
And Toms father. He walked round and
round the circle, the dizzy height seeming,
| every moment TO grow more fearful. and tbe
| solid earth further and further from him In
the sudden panic he lost his presence Of mind
and his senses almost failed him. lie shut his
| eyes; he felt "a 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 vay other. and f.,
| 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 ali the blessings of life
when Tom ran in, lis face was as white as
ashes; and be could hardly get his words cut
=" Mother! Mother. He cannot get down. y
who, lad! Thy father?" asked his mo-
| ther.
"They We forgotten TO leave him the rope, {"
answered Tom, still scarcely able to speak
| His mother started up horror struck, and stood
| Tor moment as If paral yZed, then pressing
| her hands over her face, as if to shut out the
| terrible picture, and breathing prayer to God
| for help, she rushed out of the house
| When she reached the place where her hus-
round the foot Of the chimney, and stood acre
quite helpless, gazing up with faces full of .or-
| row, " lie says he II throw himself down, Z"
exclaimed they as Mrs. Howard came up
Hes going to throw himself down"
"Thee muna 90 that, lad 20 cried the wife,
with clear, hopeful voice; "thee muna do
| that. Wait a bit. Take off thy stocking, lad
/
bit of morter. DOst hear me, Jem? ?''
| The man made sign Of assent, for is seems
| ed as If ne could not speak; and taking Of his
stocking, unravolled the wOrsted thread, row
| after row. The people stood round in breath
| less silence and suspense, wondering what
Toms mother could be thinking of, and why
she sent him in such haste for the carpenter :
| ball of twine.
Let down one end of the thread with bit
1 kpa fa hnld doFF tbo 4
| she TO her husband. The little thread came
| waving down the tall chimney, blown hither
| and thither by the wind, but at last it reached
| the outstretched hands that were waiting for
| 1T. Tom held the ball of string, while his
| mother tied one end Of it to the worsted
| thread. Now put it up slowly" cried she
to her husband, and she gradually unwound
| the string as the worsted wound it up. Il
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 aad bis mother had fastened
the thick rope to it. They watched it gradu-
ally and slowly uncoiling from the ground, as
the string was drawn higher
There was but one coil left. It had reach
| ed the top. "Thank God Thank God o
| exclaimed the wife. she hid her face in her
hands in silent prayer, and tremblingly re-
Jolced. The rope was up. The iron to which
1t should be fastened was there all right; but
would her husband be able to make use of
| them would not the terror of the past hour
| have so unnerved him, as to prevent him from
| taking the necessary measures for his safety
She did not know the magic influence which
! her few words had exercised ever him She
did not know the strength that the sound of
her voice, SO calm and steadfast, had filled
him with-as if the little thread that carried
him the hope of life once more, had conveyed
to him some portion Of that faith in God,
which nothing ever destroyed or shook in the
| true heart. She did not know that, as he
| waited there, the words came over him, why
| art thou cast down, o my soul and why art
| thou disquieted within me- Hope thou in
God" She lifted up her heart to God for
| hope and strength. She could do nothing
| moro fer her husband, and her hear. turned
| to God, and rested on him as on a rock
There was great shout "He's safe,
mother, he's safe, cried little Tom. 'Thou'st
saved me, Mary" said her husband, folding
her in his arms. But what ails thee Thou
seems more sorry than glad about it." But
Mary could not speak; and if the strong arm
of her husband had not held her up, she would
have fallen to the ground-ths sudden ioy,