The Shasta courier., 1867-05-18
SHASTA COURIER.
The Worsted Stocking--A True Story.

night, won't be, mother ?" said little Tom
Howard, as he stood waiting for his father $
breakfast, which he carried to his work
every morning.
"He said he hoped all the scafolding
would be down tonight" answered his
mother, and that'll be a fine sight for
never like the ending of these great chin
neys-it's so risky-thy fathers to be the
last up"
"Eh, then, I'll go and see him, and help
'em to give shout afore he comes down."
said Tom.
And them" continued his mother, 81 if
all goes right we are to have frolic tomor
row, and take our dinner, and spend all
the day amongst the woods"
Hurrah," cried Tom, MS he ran off to his
place of work, with can of milk in one
hand and some bread and butter in the
other His mother stood at the door watch
ing him as he went whistling down the
street, and then she thought of the dear
father he was going to, and the dangerous
work he was engaged in, and then her heart
found its sure.refuge, and she prayed to god
to protect and bless her dear treasures.
Tom, with light heart, pursued his way
TO his father and, leaving his breakfast,
went to his own work, which was some dis
tance. In the evening, on his way home, he
went around to see how his father was get
ting on. James Howard, the father, and
number of other workmen, had been build
ing one of those lofty chimneys, which, in
our great manufacturing towns, almost sup
ply the place CT all other architectural
beauty.
This chimney was one of the highest and
most tapering that had ever been erected );
and as Tom, shading his eyes from the rays
of the slanting sun, looked up to the top in
search of his father, his heart almost sank
within him at the appalling hight. The
scaffolding was almost down the men at the
bottom were removing the last beams and
poles. Toms father stood alone on the top
lie looked all around to see that everything
was right, and then, waving his hat in the
air, the men below answered him with long
loud cheer, little Tom shouting as heartily as
any of them.
AS their voices died away, however, they
heard different sound-a cry of alarm and
horror from above g The rope ~ The men
looked round, and coiled upon the ground
lay the rope, which, before the scaffolding
was removed, should have been fastened to
the chimney for Toms father to come down
by. The scaffolding had been taken down
without their remembering to take up the
rope. There was a dead silence. They all
knew it was impossible to throw the rope
high enough to reach the top Of the chimney :;
or if they could it would hardly have been
safe. They stood in silence and dismay,
unable to give any help or think of any means
of safety.
And Toms father walked round and
round the little circle the dizzy hight SEEM
ed every moment more fearful, and the solid
earth further and further from him. In the
sudden panic he lost his presence of mind,
and his senses almost failed him. He shut
his eyes, and felt as if the next moment he
must be dashed to pieces on the ground
below.
The day passed as industriously and swift
ly as usual with Toms mother at home--
She was ever busily employed for her hus-
band and children some way or other and
to-day she had been harder at work than
usual, getting ready for the holiday to NOR
row. She had just finished all her prepara.
tions, and her thoughts were silently thank
ing God for her happy home and all the
blessings of life, when Tom ran in his face
was white as ashes, and he could hardly get
his words out.
1" Mother! mother he can not get
down."
"Who lad; thy father ?" asked his
mother.
They've forgotten to leave him the
rope" said Tom, still scarcely able to
speak.
His mother started up, horror struck and
stood for a moment as if paralyzed, then
pressing her hands over her face, as if to shut
out the horrible picture, and breathing q
prayer to God for help, she rushed out of the
house. When she reached the place where
her husband was at work, a crowd had col
lected round the foot of the chimney, and
stood there quite helpless, gazing up with
faces full of sorrow.
lie says he'll throw himself down."
exclaimed they, as Mrs. Howard came up.
" He is going to throw himself down"
"Thee munna do that, lad - cried the
wife, with n clear. hopeful voice; the
munna do that. Wait bit; tax off thy
stocking, lad, and unravel it, and let down
the thread with bit of mortar Dost hear
me, Jem ?"
The man made sign of assent, for it
seemed as if he could not speak, and taking
off his stocking, unravelled the worsted
thread, row after row. The people stood
round in breathess 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 mortar, and keep fast hold of the
other" cried she to her husband.
The little thread came waving down the
tall chimney, blown hither and thither by
the wind but at last it reached the out.
stretched hands that were waiting for it
Tom held the string, while his mother tied
one end of it to the worsted thread
- Now pull it up slowly" cried she to her
husband. and she gradually unwound the
string as the worsted drew it up. 1t stop.
ped-the string had reached her husband. =
% Now hold the string fast and pull it up -
she continued, and the string grew heavy,
and hard to pull, for Tom and his mother
had fastened the thick rope to it. They
watched it gradually and slowly uncoiing
from the ground as the string was drawn
higher. There was but one coil left 1t had
reached the top.
Thank God thank God !" exclaimed
the wife,
She hid her face in silent PRAYER and
tremblingly rejoiced. The iron to which it
should be fastened was there all right; but
would her husband be able to make use of
them? Would not the terror of the past
hour have so unnerved him, as to prevent
nm from taking the necessary measures for
ais safety? she did not see the magic influ.
ence which her few words had exercised over
MN MN. She did not know the strength that
oE