Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-01-04
The WOrSted Stocking.
A TRUE STORY.

"Father will have done the great chimney to-
night, won't he mother!" said little Tom How ard
as he stood waiting for his fathers breakfast
which he carried to him at his work every morn
ing.
"He said he hoped all the scatfolding would be
down tonight" answered HE rnnihAs-sa, nj .ho.'H
be tine sight; for | never IKE ne ending Of those
great chimneys-it's SO risky--thy iatner's to be
the last up.
"Eh, then, but I'll go and see him, and help 'em
to give shout sfore he comes down." said Tom.
"And then," continued his mother, "if all goes
right, we are to have frolic tomorrow, and 90
into the country, and take our dinners, and spend
all the day amongst the woods"
"Hurrah!" cried Tom, as he ran off to his faith
ers place of wCrk, with a can of milk in one hand
and some bread in the other. His mother stood
at the door wathing him as he went merrly whis-
ting 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 God to pro-
tect 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 distauce. 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 workmen, had
been building one of those lofty chimneys, which
in our great manufacturing towns, almost supply
the place of other architectural 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 scaffoding was almost oil down; and
men at the bottom were removing the beams
and poles Toms father stood alone at the top.
He looked all around to see that everything was
right and, then waving his hat in the air. the men
below answered him with loud cheer, little Tom
shouting as heartily as any one of them. AS their
voices died away, however, they heard very DIFF
ferent sound-a cry of alarm and horror from
bove! "The rope! The roper The men looked
round, and coiled upon the ground lay the rope,
which, before the scaffolding was removed, should
have been fastened 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 dead silence.
They all knew it was impossible to throw the rope
up high enough, or skilfully enough, to reach the
top of the chimney; or if it could it would hardly
have been safe They etood in silent dismay, un-
able 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 pa
nc he had lost his presence of mind, and his
sense almost failed him. He shut his eyes; he
felt that the next moment he must be dashed in
pieces on The ground below.
The day had passed as industrousy and swiftly
as usual, with Toms mother at home. The was
always busly employed for her husband and chill
dren 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. Mother! Mother! He Gamma get
down."
"Who, lad! Thy fsther!" asked his mother.u
They've forgotten to leave him the rope" an
swered Tom, still scarcely able to speak. His
mother started up, hcrror-struck, and stood for