Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1858-06-23
Thrilling Adventure.
rH.rs Faith in God aud He VII guide thee


ney tonight, We nj be nOther?' said little
Tommy Howard, as be stood waiting for
his fathers breakfast, which be carried to
him at bis work every morning.
'He said be hoped all the scaffolding
would be down to night. answered the
mother, and that'll be a fine sight; for /
never liked the ending Of those great chin
neys, it is so risky, Thy father to be last
up ..
'Eh, then, continued the mother, If all
goes on right We are to have a frOllic TO-
morrow, and 60 into the country end take
our dinner, and spend all tbs day in the
woods
.HurfahP cried Tom, as be ran off to
his fathers place Of work, with can Of
milk in one hand and some bread in the
other. His mother stood at the door watch.
ing him as he went merrily whistling down
the street, and she thought of the dear
father be was going to, asd the dangerous
work be was engaged ia, and then her
heart sought its sure refuge, and she prayed
TO God to protect and bless her treasures
Tom with light heart pursued bis way
to bis father. and leaving him bis break
fast, went TO his work, which was at some
distance. In the evening, on his way
home, lie went around to see how bis faith
er was getting on. ..a
James Howard, the father, and mum.
Der 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 of the highest aud most
taperiDg that had ever been erected, and
as Tom shaded his eyes from the santing
rays Of the setting sun, looked up in search
of his father, his heart almost sank with
IN him at the appalling height. The scaf.
fold was almost down; the men at the bot.
tom were removing the last beams and
poles. Toms father stood alone at the
top.
lie then looked around to see that ev-
.erything was right, and then, waving bis
hat 10 the air, the men below answered him
with a long. loud cheer, lite Tom shout
ing as heartily as any of them. As their
voices died away, however, they heard
different sound, cry of alarm and horror
from above. The rope! the lopeP The
men IooEel around, and coled upon the
ground lay tue rope, which, before the
scaffolJing was removed, should have been
fastened to the top Of the chimney, for
Toms father 20 come down by! The scaf
folding had been taken down without re.
nemberiug to take the rope up. There
was dead silence. They all knew it i'm
possible to throw the rope up high enough
or skiful enough 10 reach the top Of the
chimney, or if it could, it would hardly be
safe. They stood in silent disDAy, unable
to give any help or think Of any means of
safety.
And Toms father. He walked round
and round Il e little circle, the Dizzy height
seemed more anl more fearful, and the
solid earth further and further from him.
10 the sudden panic he lost bis presence of
mind, and his sense failed him. He shut
his eyes; he felt as if the next moment he
must be dashed to pieces on the ground
below. rI
The day passed as industriousIy as usual
with Toms mother at home. She was
always busily employed for her husband
and children in some way or other, and to
day she had been harder at work than
usual, getting ready for the holiday to-
morrow. She had just finished her ar
engagements, and her thoughts were silently
thanking God for the happy home, and for
all these blessings Of life. when Tom ran
in.
His free was white as ashes, and he
could hardly get his words out: Mother!
mother! he cannot gel down.
who, lad, thy fatheI$' asked the moth
er. ET
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 par
alyzed; and then pressing her hand over
face, as if to shut out the terrible picture,
and breathing a prayer to God for help,
she rushed out Of the house.
When she reached the place where her
husband was at work, crowd gathered
round the foot Of the chimney, and stood
there quite helpless, gazing up with faces
full Of sorrow.
He says he'll throw himself down.
Thee munna do that, lad,' cried the
wife, with clear, hopeful voice. the mum
ma do that. Wait bit. Take off thy
stocking, lad, and unravel it, and let down
the thread with a bit of mortar. Dost
thou hear me, Jem?' .
The man made sign of assent; for it
seemed as if he could not speak -snd Ia
king off his stockings upraveled the worst
ed yarn row after row. The people stood
around in breathless silence aud suspense,
wondering what Toms mother could be
thinking OF, and why she sent him in such
haste for the carpenters ball Of twine.
Let down one end of the thsead With
bit OF stone, and keep fast hold Of the
other cried she 10 her husband. The lit.
lie thread came waving down the tall chin
ney, blown. .hither and thither by the wind,
but 1t reached the outstretched hands that
were waiting it. Tom held the ball Of
string, while his mother tied one end of 1t
10 the w9isted thread. s.-.s Is
Now pull it slowly cried she to her
husband. aud she gradually unwound the
string until it reached her husband. Now
hold the string fast, and pull j: up cried