Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1858-06-12
Thrilling Adventure.
The following thrilling adventure is from
an English Magazine

The following thrilling adventure is from
an English Magazine
| Father will have done the great chimney
to-uight, won't he, mother?" said little Tom.
NY howard, as he stood waiting for his faith.
ers breakfast, which he carried to him at bis
work every morning.
ne SAID he hoped all the scaffolding would
DC GOWN tonight" answered the mother, "and
Ina. IL De line sight for l never liked the
ending OF those great chimneys it is 80 ris-
KY, thy father to be last up'
I'm, then, but I'll 20 and see him, and
heiP EN- to give shout afore be comes down,
said Tom. N''
And them" continued the mother. eif all
goes on rlght,we are to have a frolick to. NOR.
row, and 60 into the country, and take onr
dinners.' and spend all the day in the
woods"
Hurrah !" cried Tom, as be ran off IN his
fathers place of work, with can of milk in
one hand and some bread in the other. His
mother stood at the door watching him as be
went merrily whistling down the street and
she thought Of the dear faher he was poiro
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 light heart pursued his way to
his father, and leaving him his breakfast, went
to his own work, which was at some dis
tance. In the evening, on his way home, he
went around 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 man.
uiacturlng towns, almost supply the place OF
other architectural beauty This chimney was
OF the highest and most tapering that had
ever been erected and as Tom shaded his
eyes from the slanting rays of the setting
sun, looked up in search of his father,his heart
almost sank within him at the appalling
height. The scaffold was almost down the
men at the bottom were removing the last
beams and poles. Toms father stood alone
at the top.
He then looked around to see that every
thing was right, and then, waving his hat in
air, the men below answered him with long,
loud cheer, little Tom shouting as heartily as
any OF them. As their voice died away, how
ever, they heard different sound, cry of
alarm and horror from above. "The rope
the rope" The men looked around, and coil
ed upon the ground lay the rope, which, be-
fore the scaffolding was removed, should have
been fastened to the top.of the chimney, for
Toms father to come down by The scaf-
folding had been taken down without re-
membering to take the rope up There was
a dead silence. They all knew it impossible
to throw the rope up high enough or skilful
enough to reach the top of the chimney, or
if 1t could. it would hardly be safe They
stood in silent dismay, unable to give any help
or think of any means of safety.
And Toms father. He walked round ard
round the little circle; the dizzy height seemed
more and more fearful, and the solid earth
further and further from him. In the sud-
den panic he lost his presence of mind, and
his sense faile him. He shut his eyes he felt
as if the next moment he must be dashed to
pieces on the ground below.
The day passed as industriously as usual
with Toms mother at home. She was al
ways busily employed for her husband and
children in some way or other, and to-day
she had been harder at work than usual, get
ting ready for the holiday tomorrow. She
had just finished her arrangements, and her
thoughts were silently thanking God for the
happy home, and for all these blessings o
life, when Tom ran in.
His face was as white as ashes, and he
could hardly get his words out "Mother =
mother ! he cannot get down."
who, lad thy father ~ asked the
mother.
"They have forgotten to leave him the
rope," answered Tom, still scarcely able to
speak. The mother started up horror struck,
and stood for moment as if paralyzed then
pressing her hands over her face, as if to shut
out the terrible picture and breathing pray
er to God for help, she rushed out the
house.
When she reached the place where her
husband was at work,a crowd gathered rourd
the foot Of the chimney, and stood there
quite helpless gazing up with faces full of sor-
row."
s'He says he'll throw himself down."
"Thee munna do that, lad," cried the wife,
with clear, hopeful voice "thee munna do
that. Wait bit. Take off thy stocking,
lad, and unraved it, and let down the thread
with bit ofmortar. Dost thou hear ME Jem?
The man made sign of assent; for it seem.
ed as if he could not speak-and taking off
his stockings, unraveled the worsted yarn
row after row. The people stood around in
breathcss silence and suspense, wondering
what Tom mother could be thinking of, and
why she sent him in such haste for the car
penter's ball of twine.
"Let down one end of the thread with a
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 thither by the wind, but it reach
ed the outstretched hands that were waiting
it. Tom held the ball of string, while his
mother tied one end of it to the worsted
thread.
"Now pull it slowly" cried she to her hus-
band, and she gradually unwoundcd the
string until it 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 fastened thick
rope to it. They watched it gradually and
slowly uncoiling from the ground, ,as the string
was drawn higher.
There was but one coil left. 1t had reach.
ed the top. Thank God, Thank God ex.
claimed the wife. She hid her face in her hands
in silent prayer, and trembling by rejoiced.
The iron to which it should be fastened was
there all right-but would her husband be
able to make use of it ? Would not the ter
ror of the past hour so have unncrved him as
to prevent him from taking the necessary
measure for his safety She did not know
the magical influence which her few words
had exercised over 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, lad conveyed to him some
portion of that faith in God, which nothing
ever destroyed or shook in her heart. She
did know that as she waited there, the words
came over him, "Why art thou cast down,
0 my soul, and why art thou disquleted with.
in me hope thou in Cod She lifted up
her heart to God for hope and strength, but
could do nothing more for her husband, and |
her heart turned to God, and rested on him
as on a rock.
"Thou hast saved my life my Mary" said
her husband, folding her in his arms ''But |
what ails thee thou seemest more sorry