St. Mary's beacon., 1859-05-26
SELECTED MISCELLANY.
A Perilous Hour.

u,
but being Of bold, dangcr-loving turn, ran
away to sea beff'rc my time was out
After some years of Knocking about, got
tirea Of n maritime life. and having married
and determined TO stick On the shore, ! cot
work with builder whose peculiar line lay in
erecting tall chinueyS. | ha,l always 4 very
cool head, aud could stand on elcvati"ns that
made most mrn dizzy, and 80 | was oon a
fAvorito hand with my master.
We hail on Que occasion tO fastnn q light
ming conductor which ha'l sprung near the top
Of very high chimney. and Mr.. Staining
chose myaclf and "nc James CoIly to do il. as
the most daring "f bis men. About half a
duzrn Of us vert that morning with a hand
cart, containing tie necessary TOps. blnCks,
the kite, and box ar cradle Having flown
the kite, and dropped its line acr,rs the top
Of the chimney. We soon drew up rope
nc the end Of which was block. through
which ran the line whereby we were to he
drawn up.
Coly hal only been married fortnight;
and a. we stepped into the CRADLE the men
bantcringly asked him il he hadn't last dy-
ing speech Ia leave for his wife; and then Mr.
Staining having shaken hands with ia. and
bid us he cnol and steady, we were drawn
slowly up. II Was known all over the town
that the conductor was 20 be fixed, though
rs the day was not named, did not ex pect
We should have had many spectators; but as
we got higher, and The view 0IIsiIed un,lcr our
feet, ! saw that the streets were ALREADY
a,snnged with Starcrs. C,lly was very quiet;
and when ] waved my cap 10 the people, h.
said, SnaPpishly, that this was n0 time for
such flly aid that he thought might think
Of better things than how 10 amu<e those
gaping E'ols VIM. lac dared SAY. desired no
better fun than ~ see us meet with an acci-
dent.
had come up in the best heart, thinking.
indeed, nathing about the danger we incurred;
but rs We drew nearer aud nearer tn the top.
and hal nothing. Us il seemed. belonging Ia
this world near us but this strainlng ripe,
began I" see the peril Of the undertaking
What Colly thought of it, don't knnw-he
sat at the bottOm uf the cradle never lnokiug
out. though t"ll him he would ln better Ia
keep his eyes :.l"ut him, 80 that he might
grow use'l To- the h,ight.
GOUd Heavens! what was this e.? Here we
we're within u yard uf the top projecting
e'ping. aud still they were winding away
without Stacking speed in the least GUESS
cd in a moment that they mstoOk our height.
aud that with the grea; purchase Of that
TIC Etpc WDuiu DTDkcn Wnen
the cradle came 70 the block. I Sprang up.
and catching the rope, climbed hand over
hand 10 the cnping. Chly, tpo. sprang up
and followed me. He, tpo. got safe; and
still they went on winding up winiinc up.
till the rope sung again with the strain there
was upon IL.
Then it snapped. and cradle, haulng-Iine,
and the main rope with its hl'ck fell down.
If -,
desperate situation.
Poor Colly was completely dazed with
alright; and the moment he got upon the
coping, which was only fort AMI a halt
broad, he called "ut: "Whcrc can pray ?
whcre can knCel aud pray ?" and SO | said
very solrmEiy: sit down, Jcm. God will
hear Us IL We pray 20 him sitting down"
The color of his face was oc q transparent
blue, aud il was distorted and twitclinS. as
il he was in a Ct. His eyes were very wild.
and drawn into a squint, aud he Couldn't
sic steady, but swayei his body backward
and forward, so that I felt certain that he
must topPle over.
''Come, Jcm lad I" I said. thinking To take
tho fright oil him, ''it's bad enough, but it can
I've mendetl. Hitch up bit, and put your
arm round the rUd-may be it will steady
YOU"
where are you, and where Is this rod >" he
asked, in very hallnw voice. though he was
looking straight at me, and the rud was only
a foot or two tn his left. BY this | knew he
was gone blind with fright ana self. prcser-
va:ion said, "Don't go near him." but then
remembered his new-wcl,lcd wife, and that
taking him all through, he was alwavs, a
very decent fellow; and ! though; how |
should have liked him to have doue if had
been in his case; 30 determined to run a biz
Of 5Sk in his !avor. OF course, durst no,
get ON my frt; but working myself an by
my hands, ] got to him, and putting my
arm round his waist and telling him as
cheerfully rs could t' keep col. got him
with his arm round the rsl IL had, howev-
er, sprung the stapling kT FIVE yaris down.
and was 50 loose that il swayCtl with him. and
expected any minute 10 sec him falling head
aud heels down, aud the rod tearing away
with him.
There was great hustle down below; people
were rushing round the yard and pushing
10 get in, but 10 vet there were but some
soore Of men ct the foot Of the chimney, |
and, BY chse locking, saw them put Snm~- |
hOly on bOeFt, and carry HIM gently away !