Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-08-01
The WOrsted Stocking.

[Thc following thrilling adventure is
from an English Magazine.
Father will have done the great Chin
ney tonight, WON'T he, mother 2 said little
Lon ,HnSl@adk as B~nhen1 ne carried to him
at his work every morning.
'He said he hoped all the scaffoldiug
would be down tonight answered his
mother, and tLat4l be a fine sight; for |
never like the ending of those great chin
mics it's so risky thy fathers to be the
last up
'Eh, then, but I'll go and see him, and
help en- give him u shout afore he comes
down. said Tom. -
'And then,' continued his mother, eff
all goes on right, we are to have a frolic
tomorrow, and 90 into the country, and
take our dinners, aud spend all day amongst
the woods
'lIurrah! cried Tom, as he ran off to
his fathers place of work, with a can of
milk 10 one hand, and some bread in the
other. Ills mother stood at the door,
watching him as he went merrily whist
ling down the street, and then she thought
Of the dear father lac 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 treasures.
Tom, with a 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 q number of other work
men, had been building one of those lofty
chimneys which, in our great manufactur.
ing towns, almost supply the place of 9th.
er architectural beauty. This chimney wa;
one ofthe highest and most t~apering that hac
ever been erected and as Tom, shading hi,
eyes from the slanting rays of the setting
sun, looked up to the top in search of hi
father, his heart almost sunk within hin
ut the appalling height. The scaffolding
was almost all down the men at the bot
tom were removing the last beams ar
poles. Toms father stood alone on tn
top. He looked all round to see tina
everything was right, and then waving hi
hat in the air, the meE below answere,
him, with a long, loud cheer, little Tor
shouting as heartily as any of them. A
their voices died away, however, they hear
a very different sound-a cry of alarm an
horror from above! The rope the rope
The men looked round, and coiled upo
the ground, lay the rope, which, before th
scaffolding was removed, should have bee
fastened to the top of the chimney fc
Toms father to come down by! The sea
folding had been taken down, withov
their remembering to take the rope up
There was a dead silence. They all kne
it was impossible to throw the rope up hig
enough, or skilfully enough to reach Il
top of the chimney or if it could,
would hardly have been safe. They stoc
in silent dismay, unable to give any hcl
or think Of any means of safety.
And Toms father. He walked rour
and round the little circle, the dizzy heig
seeming every moment to grow more fea
full, and the solid earth further and furth
from him. In the sudden panic he lost |
presence Of mind, and his senses almc
failed him. He shut his eyes he felt
il the next moment he must be dashed
pieces on the ground below. SIS E
The day had passed as industriously o