Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-09-10
A Perilnua Hcur.

] was arpFrnticed u q decorative painter
but being Of a bold, danger loving turn, RAT
away 70 sea before my time was out
After some years Of knocking about go
tired Of q maritime life, and having maFrict
and determined TO stick TO the shore, I go
work with builder whose peculiar line lay
in eTectinE tall chimneyS. | had always
yeFy good head, and could stand on any eleva
ton that made most men dizzy, and 50 wa,
soon hvOrite hand with my mnster.
We had on one OCCASION TO faxtcn q light
ming conductor which had sprung near III,
top Of = very high chimney, and NJ. Staining
yhOxe myself aud one James COlly TO do Il, a,
the most daring Of his men, About half 4
dozen Of ua vent that morning with hand
cart. containing the necessary ropes, blocks
the Kite, and . box or cradle Having flown
the kite. and dropped it's line across the TOT
IL the chimney, We soOn drew up a rope, al
the emf II which was q block, throughSwhicl
ran the line whereby wc were tn be drawn up
:. COlly had OAly been married q fortnight
and as We stepped into the cradle, the men
asked him IL he hadn't last dying specch t.
leave fr his wife and thcnMr Staining hav.
ing shaken handsa&ith uS. and hid us be- COO
and steady. We were drawn slowly up. Itwa.
known all over the town that the conductor
- W Vc uAcuS uVuSu AS Tue nav was MOI
named, did not expect wc should have many
NpectatOrs; hut as we got higher, and the
view opened under our feet, saw that The
streets we're already thrOnged with starrrs. -
COlly was very quiet and when I waved INV
cap TO the people, he said snappiShly. that
this was no time for such fully, and that he
thought might think Of better things than
how 20 amusc those gaping fools, who, he
dared say. desired no better fun than to sec
Nv meet with an accident
had come up in the best heart. thinking,
indeed, nothing about the danger We incurred
but a. we drew nearer and nearer the top, am,
had nothing, as it seemed, belonging 70 this
wUFid near US but this strained rope, | hogan
TO zee the peril Of the undertaking. What
COlly thought Of it, l don't knOw-hc sat al
the bottom Of the cradle, never looking out,
though told him he would do better to keep
his eyes about him, SO that he might get used
TO the height
Good Heavens! what was this! Here we
were within yard Of the top projecting COP
sng, and still they were winding away without
ahating speed in tho least! guessed in q
SDOnnent that they miStOok our height, and
that With the great purchase of that windlass
Ghe rope would be broken when the cradle
came 70 the block. sprang up, and catch.
aug the rope, climbed hand over hand 10 the
coping. COlly, too, sprung up and followed
ane. lie, too, got safe; and still they went
on winding up, till the rope sung again with
che strain there vas upon it.
Then it snapped, and the cradle, hauling
line, and the main rope with its block fell
down. Thus were We tWo poor men left in q
GnOEt desperate situation.
Poor COlIy was completely crazed with az.
TriRhN and the ha saNN Gha
ing which vas only foot and half broad,
he called out: "Where can I pray? where
can kneel and pray !"-and SO said very
. aOllcmnly: "Sit down Jcm, God will hear Us
II We pray 10 him sitting down."
The color Of his face was transparent blue,
and il vas distorted and twitching, a. il he
was in it, Ills eyes were very wild aud
drawn into sqnint. and he couldn't sit steady,
out swaying his body backward and forward,
10 that felt certain that he must tOpple over.
Come, Jem, lad" ! said, thinking to take
the fright OF him, Its bad enough, but il
tfn be mended. Hitch up q bit, and put your
Arm round the rOd-may be it will steady
you"
Where are you, and where is this rod ?"
he asked in a hollow voice, though he was
looking straight at me, and the rod was only
foot GF tEO 70 bis Ieft. BY this knew he
was eeae blind With, DE fright, and self.prc.
fervStiOn Aid;; Dch't 90 near him !" but
hsR remembered hts new-wedded wife, and
ths taking him sIl through he was very de-
cent MlloW, and thought how I should have
nkcd him to have done II had. been in his
caSe sol determined to run bit of risk in
ms mvoF; OF course, durst not stand on my
Iest bot wotking myself on my hands, got
to him. and, putting my arm round his waist,
and telling him aS chserfGlIy as could to keep
cool, got him with his arm round the rod
1t had, however. sprung the Staping for five
ysnds down. and was 30 lOosS that t swayed
with him, ] expected every Minute to see him
filling head a0d heels down, and the rod tear.
= inglawsy with him.
There was great hustle down below :: pso..
pie were rushing round the yard and pushing
TO get ia. but e yet there were but some
scOee Of men ct the foot Of the chimney, and,
By cloas looking. I saw them put somebody
on beard, and carry him gently away toward
the enginehOuse. One Of the men walked
after With bat in his hand; then knew
Nat se@e6ody had been hurt with the falling
cradle, and mat It must be poor Mr.. Staining,
d none Of our men wore hats. Not a face
yves turned up touK I learned afterwards
nat our men were So taken UP withSOrroW