Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-09-11
A THRILLING ADVENTURE.

Father Will have done the great CHM
ney to night, won't he mother9" said lit
tie Tommie Howard, as he stood waiting
for his fathers breakfast, which he carried
to him at his work every morning.
I" He said that he hoped all the scaffold-
ing would be down tonight" answered
the nother .and that will be fine sight !;
for never like the ending Of those great
chimncys; it is SO risky for father to be
the'last up"
';Eh, then, but III go and seek him,
and help 'em to give a shout afo.e he
comes down." said Tom.
land then," continued the mother,
"if all goes on right we are to have a
frolic tomorrow; and so in the country,
and take our dinners, and spend all the
day in the woods"
"Ilurrah!' cried Tom, as he ran off to
his f.lher's place Of work, with can of
milk in one hand aud some bread in the
other. His mother stood in the door,
watching him as he went merrily whist
ling down the street, and she thought Of
the dear father he was going to, and the
dangerous work he was engaged in; and
then her heart 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 num-
Der of other gentlemen, had been build
ing one of those lofty chimneys, which,
in our great manufacturing towns, almost
supply the place of other architectural
beauty. The chimney was one Of the
highest and most tapering that had ever
been erected, and as Tom shading his eyes
from the slanting rays of the setting sun,
looked up in search of his father, his
heart almost sank within him at the ap-
palling height. The scafold was almost
down; the men at the bottom were NOV
ing the last beams and poles. Toms
father stood 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, answering
him with loud cheer, little Tom shout
ing as loud any of them. As their voices
died away, however, they heard different
sound, cry of alarm and horror from
above. "The rope, the rope!" The
men locked around and coiled upon the
ground, lay the rope, which before the
scafolding was removed, should have
been fastened to the chimney for TOMS
father to come down by! The scafold-
ing had been taken down without remem
bering to take the rope up. They all
knew it was impossible to throw the rope
up high enough, or skillfully enough, to
reach the top Of the chimney, or if it
could, Is would hardly be safe. They
stood in silent dismay, unable to give
any help or think of any means of safety.
And Toms father. He walked round
and round the little circle, and the dizzy
height seemed more and more fearful,
and The solid earth further from him. In
the sudden panic, he lost his presence Of
mind, and his senses failed him. He
shut his eyes and felt as if the next mo-
ment he must be dashed to pieces on the
ground below.
The day passed as industriously as usu-
al with TOMS mother at home. She was
always busily employed for her husband
in some way or other, and today, she
had been at work harder than usual get
ting ready for the holiday tomorrow.
She had just finished her arrangements,
and her thoughts were silently thanking
God for The happy home, and all these
blessings of life, when Tom ran in.
His face was as white as ashes, and he
could hardly e. his words out: "Moth
er! mother! he cannot get down."
"Who lad2 thy father?" asked the
mother.
"They have forgotten to leave the
rope" answered Tom, still scarcely able
to speak. The mother started up, horror
struck, and stood for moment as if par
alyzed, then pressing her hands over her
face, as if to shut out the terrible picture
and breathing prayer to God for help,
she rushed out of the house.
When she reached the place where her
husband was at work, a crowd gathered
around the foot of the chimney, and stood
quite helpless, and gazing up with faces
full of sorrow.
aHe says he'll tAow himself down"
"Thee munna do that, lad," cried the
wife with clear hopeful voice; thee num-
ma do that. Wait bit. Take off thy
stocking, lad, and unravel 1t, and let down
the thread with bit of mortar. Dost
thou hear me, Jem2"
The man made sign of assent; for it
seemed as if he could not speak-and
taking off his stocking, unraveled the
worsted yarn, row after row. The peo-
pie stood around in breathless 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
stone, and keep fast hold of the other,n
cried she to her husband. The little
thread came waving down the tall CHM
ney, blown bither and thither by the wind,
but it reached the outstretched hands that
were waiting for it. Tom held the ball
Lii L., oo+ba. .: 4 Al. IL zc.l