Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1863-01-09
The Sailor and the Convict.

One morning. The throng which was "a
zing a. the ship witnessed an accident The
crvw were engaged in furiing sails The
,OPman. whose duty IL was 70 take in the
starboard upper corner Of the main topsail.
lost has balance. he was seen totterinc the
dense throng assembled on the wharf Ct the
Arsenal uttered n cry. the mans head over
balanced his body. and be whiried over the
yard. has arms Ogtstretched toward the
deep; as be went over. be grasped the ulan
ropes. frst With one hand and then With the
other. aud hung suspended IN tha; manner
The sea lay FAR below him at giddy dePth
The shock Of has fall had gwen to the man
ropes a violent swinging motion. and the
poor fellow hung dangling 20 AMI fro a. the
end Of this line. like a stone in a sling
To 20 10 his ard was 70 run frightful
risk. None Of the crew. Who were all fish
erlncn Of the coast recently taken into the
service. dared attemp, it In the meantime
tbe poor toPman ~as becoming exhausted /:
his agony could not be seen in his couute-
nance, bot his Increasing weakness could
b. detected ia the movements Of al his
limbs. lis arms twisted about IN horrible
oonvulsions. Every attempt be made TO
re-ascend only increased the oscillations of
the man ropes. lie dill not cry out. for
fear of losing his strength. AL were now
looking forward 90 that moment when be
should let 20 of ;he rope. and. al in.tauts.
AL turned their beads away that they might
not see him fall. There arr moments when
a ropc's end. a pole. the branch u a tree. Is
liic itself. aud IL j. q irightful thing % see a
living being lose his hold upon it. and fall
like a riPc fruit.
Suidealy a man was discovered climber
ing up thc rigging with the agility 81 a wild
cat. This man was clad in rrd--it vas a
convict for life. A. be- rvached the round
sop gust Of Wind blew oH BIS cap and re-
vcalcd a bead entirely white, u wAs a
young man.
H. fact. one Of the convicts employed on
boarl in some prison task. hal. a. The first
alarm. run O. the officer of the watch. and.
amid the confession and hesitation Il the
crew. whilc all tho sailors trrmbicd and
shrank back hal asked permission o. save
the topman's iifc az the ri.k II Lis own. \
sgn 81 assent being gwen. vith one bios
81 tiie hammer D. broke tl,e chsiu rivetcd
to tie iron rnc AZ BIZ anklc. th.n tOok d
rope in his hand. and fang himself into Oh,
.hr0ui.. Nobody A. that nl0ment notice,
siih shat ease the cham sas broksu Il
ats onls sometime afterEar,l that ansbodJ
-eulembcrssi if.
ln tsinkie he vas upon the yard. ~,
raasel 80 seron1s. and seemed t1 meas
ORE t with his glance those sec1n-,s. do
rng which the vinI suayed tbe sas--r Q,
ani fro at ihe end Of the rope. seemed age
to fbe lookers on AZ length. the couyic
raised hi. eves 90 Heaven. and took a sie-
iorsard. The crowd drew a long breath
lle was seen o. run along the yari Cd
reaching its extreme tip. b. fa.,enci on
cod oi tl, rope hc bail uith b.rn auI Dc %.
othsr hang az fuu lco-th. Thervlron D.
heran % Do himself doun by hi. hand
aiong this ropc. and thcn there vas an un
.cvrrcssihlc sensation II terror instead q
one nan two we're SEN dangling 81 ths
rdly h-ight
Noa would have said = wa = spider seis
ing ~ only. in thi. case. The spider "a