Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1863-12-12
And so I said, very solemnly:

tWlCcnlpS, as ii ne was 10 Mt. Ills eyes
were very wild, and drawn into squint,
and he couldn't sit steady, but swayed his
body backward and forward, so that 1
felt certain he must topple over.
Come, Jem, lad" said, thinking to
take the fright off him; ''it's bad enough,
but it can be mended. Hitch up bit and
put your arm around the rod-may be it
will steady you"
"Wherc are you! and where is the
rod = he asked, in hollow voice, though
he was looking straight at me, and the
rod was only foot or two to his left. BY
this | knew that he had gone blind with
fright, and self-preservation said, don't 20
near him but then remembered his new
welded wife, and that taking him all
through he was always a decent fellow
and l thought how 1 should have liked
him to have done il l had been id his
case, SO determined to run bit of risk
in his favor. Of course, dare not get on
my feet, but working myself on my hands,
l got to him, and putting my arm round
his waist, and telling him as checrily as
could to keep cool, got him with his arm
round the rod. 1t had, however, sprung
the stapling for five yards down, and it
was so loose that it swayed with him, and
expected any minute to see him falling
head and heels down, and the rod tearing
away with him.
There was great hustle down below
people were rushing round the yard and
pushing to get in, but as yet there were
but some score Of mon at the foot of the
chimney, and by close looking saw them
put somebody on board and carry him
gently away towards the engine house,
One Of the men walked after with hat in
his hand then knew that somebody had
been hurt by the falling cradle, and that il
must be poor Mr.. Staining, as none Of oul
men wore hats. Not face was turned ur
to US. | learned afterwards hat our mel
were so taken up with sorrow that SO goot
a man ard so kind a master should bt
killed, that for while they had never
thought about US and the people outside
imagined that we had come down with the
cradle. so thus we we're left in total isola
ton for full twenty minutes.
While I was watching them below, feel
ing sorry for my poor master, was start
led by wild laugh from Colly,who begar
making cat calls, and yelling as if he was
possessed. Then knew, Of course, tina
he had gone mad.
Even now | tremble when think of tba
time; it was horrible to peer down tn
shaft, black and sooty and yawning, ant
scarcely less so to look outside and see
fight Of pigeons, sweeping round al con
siderably less height than we were. Thel
Colly--thank God he was so dazed tina
he could not see me-called my name thre
times, as sat fairly bringing in dread tina
his sight might clear; and with grin ,an
chewing with his mouth, he began workin
himself towards me. l worked away fror
him as noiseessly as could, with ever.
hair of my head standing OH end. II
followed twice round that horrid coping
making most hideous noises, and then be
ing once more aside of the rod, he got
into his muddled head that l had falle
. over, for he never lost sense of where h
was all through this trying time. The
, be tried to get on his feet; but, at the ris
, of my own life, l could not let the poe
} fellow rush on certain death without on
more effort aud | cried out to him to S
, down, and he covered down like a whiy
ped dog, all trembling. I suppose it Ia
been put into his head that | was dea
, mau speaking to him.
That morning my vile had got lette
? from her sister in Canada, and as the,
9 were parts we could not make out, ha
y put it in ~ pocken, intending to get ou
Q timc-keeper to read it for me, 1t had
e scrap ofuncovered paper at the bottom
0 and by another good providence, haI
e pened to have a bit of red lead-pencil
: my pocket. l wrote on the paper, "G'
i US down-Colly's gone mad )" this sh,
t in my tobacco-box, and was fortunat
u enough just to drop it at the feet of couI
lie OF men who were standing by the engir
:. house door.
:, Directly all was busile to rescue US
n They got the kite up again, and snatche
it mounting slowly-slowly; and when th
h slack twne fell between Colly and mysel
6 took it in my hand, and could have kisse
If it. Poor Colly, with his teeth chatterinl