The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-04-28
"A Thrilling Adventure.

tonight, won't he mother ?' said little Tom
my Howard as he stood waiting for his faith
er's breakfast which he carried to him at his
work every morning. .., r..-..........
"He said he hoped the scaffolding would
be down to night" answered the mother,
"and that'll be fine sight for never like
the ending of those great chimneys; it is so
risky for father to be up last" naf ..a
"Oh, then but I'll go and seek him; and
help them to give shout before he comes
down." said Tom.
"And then," continued the mother eff all
goes on right, we are to have frolic to-mor-
row and go into the country and take our
dinner, and spend all the day long in the
woods"
"Hurrah ~ said Tom as he ran off to his
fathers place of work, " ith can of milk in
one hand and come bread in the other. His
mother stood at the door watching him, as
he went merrily whistling down the street,
and she thought of the dear father he was
going to, and the dangerous work he was
engaged in; and then her heart sought its
sure refuge, and sheprayed 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
distance. In the evening on his way home
he went around to see how his father was
getting long.
James Howard, the father, and number
of other workmen, had been building one of
those lofty chimneys which, in our manufac-
turing towns, almost supply the place of
other architectural beauty. The chimney
was the highest and most tapering that
had ever been erected and as Tommy shaded
his eyes from the slanting rays of the sitting
sun, and looked up in search of his father,
his heart sank within him at the appalling
sight. The scaffold was almost down, the
men at the bottom were removing the beams
and poles. Toms father stood alone at the
top. .. ..r...-.-. ....-as-.
He then looked around to see that every
thing was right, and then waving his hat in
the air, the men below answered him with a
long loud cheer, little Tom shouted as loud
as any of them. As their voices died away
however, they heard different sound, a cry
of horror and alarm from above.
The men looked around and coiled upon
the groud lay the rope, which before the
scaffoiding was removed should have been
fastened to the chimney, for Toms father to
come down by! The scaffolding had been
taken down without remembering to take the
rope Up. There was dead silence. They
all knew it was impossible to throw the rope
up high enough to reach the top of the CHM.
ney, or even if possible. it would hardly be
ssfe, They stood in silent dismay, unable
to give any help or think of any means of
safety. .sl ...
And Toms father. He walked round and
round the little circle, the dizzy heights
seeming more and more fearful, and the
solid earth further and further from him.
In the sudden panic he lost his presence of
mind, his senses failed 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 or
children in some work or other, and to-day
she had been harder at work than usual
getting ready for the holy day tomorrow
She had just finished her arrangements, and
her thoughts were silently thanking God for
the happy home, and for all these blessings,
when Tom ran in.
His face was white as ashes, and he could
hardly get the words out "Mother mother!
he cannot get Gownp'
"Who, lad, thy father ?" asked the moth
er.
''They have forgotten to leave him the
rope" answered Tom, still scarcely able to
speak. f.s...-.r .... .....
The mother started up, horror struck, and
stood for a moment paralysed, then pressing
her hands over her face, as if to shut out the
terrible picture, and breathing prayer to
God for help she rushed out Of the house.
When she reached the place where her
husband was at work, crowd gathered
around the foot of the chimney, and stood
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: ''thee munna do
that, wait bit. Take off thy stocking, lad,
and unravel it, and then let down the thread
with bit Of mortar. Dost thou hear me,
Jem ?''
The man made sign Of assent; for it
seemed as if he could not speak, and taking
Oft his stocking, unraveled the worsted yarn,
row after row. The people stood around in
breathless silence and 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 thread with a
bit Of stone, and keep fast hold of the other"
cried she to her husband. The little thread