Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-11-07

down into the old furnace, carrying the line down
it. and then | can slim down aud fasten it there.
Now for a hcave. The chimnoy.top is almost too
high for me. 1t is pretty near twenty ieei,l should
think but III do it," Failures to reach the height
then failures to direct the dip Of the falling stone,
followed in long succession but this gave Practice
and practice makes perfect. At last one throw
more lucky than the rest, and the rumble in the
chimney and the run OF the line announced sue
cess. Down through the trnp.door went Elisha,
and, securing the end at tho furnace, he assembled
to the roof again, and was ready. But stop q 1t
tle.- the chimney is a very harrow stack 1t stands
outside of the gable, and there is a chance that the
climber may swing cut and get forty or hity feet oil
clear air betw sen him and the pavement below
This must be cared for and little Tom is duly IN
structed and planted firmly, with tho slack OF the
rope in hand. to keep Elisha OF the right eide
Of the chimney go that IL the bricks on the edge
give way and n tumble betide, he may come down
W ell safe and nice upon the roof. All these arrange
ments made. and the contingencies 80 well proyid-
ed for, the rope is seized, tho feet planted against
the chimney, and, hand over hand, up goes the as
pirant, till the top is within reach but the perch
is not SO easily attained. even when the full height
of the stack is mastered. One hand on q top brick
to draw himself ny by it, and it yields IN its ZOOS
ened bed! That won't do. With a hard strain
he gets his elbow over the edge, and SO much OF
the doubled arm within for a good brod hold. and
then daintily and carefully w~riggling up the little
body, and he's up, seated on the top!
"Oh, Tom. what o nice place this is! I'll get
down into the fue TO my waist, and pull you up
too. Just make q loop in the rope and I'll haul
Won in, DON'T be afraid,-it is so grand up here"
But the strength was not quite equal to the will:
and Toms chance had to lie surrendered.
The descent was about Us dangerous. though not
quite as difficult, as the ascent. And then all that
remained was to hide the tracks, which required
anoth er descent to the basement, a thorough WASH,
of the rope to remove the SCOT OF the chimney, ana
then as the business Of the night was done, to bed,
ria the roof and sky-light again and a bright
happy consciousness on awakening in the morning
that he had done IL.
His child history is full of this sort Of Incidents.
Through them oil runs the one character Di phys
ical hardihood and steady terse endeavor for ooing
everything that seemed difficult of accomplishment
without other aim at all beyond the mere doing.
1t might be only the impulse which lifts the lark
into the clouds to sing her morning hymn, and
leads the clamois to the dizziest heights of theAlps
away above the region where he finds his food or
it might be a habitude providentially induced and
adjusted for the after work of HE adventurous life.
Opinions upon such points as these always reason;
and reason itself is not quite capable OF n solution.
Only those who have the like feeling will rightly
understand. and explanation would not explain it
to any one else.
From his eighth or ninth till bis thirteenth year
he was rather and unpromising school hey. In the
sof.ened phrase of good authority, (the family ply.
sician,) The manifested no extraordinary love OF
learning I1i6 manifestations uuIiuB tllb ciI
cd would bear II still severer judgement under the
standard which exncts devotion to school duties.-
lie really disliked the lessons Systematically i'm
posed upon BIN and he was not given to submit
sion OF compromise, nor the least inclined to the
shabby dishonesty of seeming and lodging. lie
never complied when he did not consent, and 1t
was a heroic integrity, unbecoming his age OF course
that made him d refractory boy first and n noble
man afterwards; when earnestness and honesty be-
came more seasonable. His teacher put the class
into a tumble of classic text books Elisha, decided
by his relish perhaps by his judgement agains! the
assortment, announced his repugnance, and sup
ported it by delinquency in study and deficiency Mt
rehearsal. lie thou ght he could not, and he said
he would not, conform. What was that to the
teacher? The system was all right, and the order
had the warrant Of the authorities, and of what
consequence is it that it is only not right for the
pupil? Many men have many minds. but many
. ooys must have only one. The teacher told him
I that he would rather have him leave the school than
b stay out of bis class. The next day the dissentel
3 took his seat in his place, opened at the lesson, put
l his finger on it, and closed the book! His mother
heard the complaint against him and exhorted hin
to obedience. Elisha loved his mother with h'
9 whole heart and his understanding, also;" h'
y went through n struggle-he yielded. For on
week he labored faithfully, and gained great credi
e for success. He could go no further his conelus
u ion vas, II said that l would not, and l will keel
my promise. Mother breaks my heart ABOUT i'ou
u | cannot do IT,"
The influence of his example was not good for tn
established authority of the system the hypocr'
cv Of apparent submission would have answere
;, better for that and accordingly, his schools an
e teachers were frequently changed, although he cor
y ciliated tho favor of his teachers generally by NJ
o readiness in learning whatever of his tasks he wa
d inclined to, and always by his gallantry, fine spiF
e and truthfulness.