, 1859-07-01
A Thrilling Story.

"Father will have done the great chimney to-
night, won't he mother?" said little Tommy How
ard, as he stood waiting for his fathers break.
fast, which he carried to him at his work every
morning.
ale said that he hoped that all the scafFolding
would be down tonight answered the mother,
sand thatll be iine sight for ! never like the
| for father to be last up"
"Oh, then, but I'll go and seek him; and kelp
IN to give shout afore he comes down" said
Tom. ..
"And then," continued the mother, "if all
goes on right, we are 10 have frolic tomorrow,
and 20 into the country, and take our dinner, and
spend all the day long in the woods.
Hurrah! I" cried Tom, as he 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, watching him, as he went mer.
rily whistling down the street. and she thought
of the dear father he was going to, and the dan
gerous work he was engaged in; and then her
heat 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 distance. In the
evening, on his way home, he went around TO see
how his father was getting on.
James Howard, the father, and q number Of
|
lofty chimneys which, in our manufacturing
towns, almost supply the place of other architec-
tural beauty. The 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, 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 was alone at the top.
He then looked around to see that everything
was right, and then, waving his hat in the air,
the men below answered him with loud cheer,
little Tom shouting as loud as any Of them. As
their voices died away, however, they heard a
different sound, cry Of horror and alarm from
above. The men looked around, and coiled upon
the ground lay the rope which, before the scaf.
folding was removed, should have been fastened
to the chimney, for Toms father to come down
byl The scaffolding had been taken down with
out remembering to take the rope up. There
was dead silence They all knew it was i'm.
possible to throw the rope up high enough to
reach the top Of the chimney, or even il possible
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. lie walked round and round
the little circle, the dizzy height seeming more
and more fearful, and the solid Garth 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 il 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 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
tomorrow. She bad just finished her arrange.
ments, and her thoughts were silently thanking
God for the happy home, and for all those bless.
ings, when Tom ran in.
Ills face was as whito as ashes, and he could
hardly get his words out