Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1867-04-17

THE woRSTRD STOCKING.
A TRUE STORY.

Dfgnt, won ne, m0tner Saln little I0m
Howard, as he stood waiting for his faith
er's breakfast, which be carried to him at
his work every morning.
fHe said be hoped all the scaffoldiug
would be down tonight" answered his
mother, "and that will be fine sight ;
for never like the ending Of those great
chimneys--it's SO risky, thy father is to
be the last up"
"Eh, then III go and see him, and help
'em to give shout afore he comes down, VI
said Tom.
"And then" continued his mother, "if
all goes right we are to have frolic to.
morrow, and go into the country. and take
cur dinners and spend all the day
amongst the woods"
"GurraA," cried Tom, as be ran Off to
his place of work. with a can of milk in
one hand and some bread and butter in
the other. His mother stood at the door
watching him as he went whistling down
the street, and then she thought of the
dear father he was going to, and the dan
geroas work be was engaged in. and then
her heart found its sure refuge. and she
prayed to God to protect and bless hsr
dear treasures
Tom with light heart, pursued his
way TO- his father, and, leaving his break
fast, went to his own work which was
some distance. In the evening on his way
home, he went around to see how bis faith
er was getting on. James Howard, the
father, and a number Of other working.
men had been building one Of those great
chimueys which, in our great manufactur-
ing towns, almost supply the place of all
other architectural beauty. This chin
ney was one Of the highest and most tap.
ering that has 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 height. The
scaffolding was almost down the men at
the bottom were removing the last beams
and poles Toms father stood alone.on the
top. He looked all around to see that
every thing was light, and then, waving
his hat in the air the men below answer
ed 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; "The men look
ed 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 scaffol ling had been taken down
without their remembering to take 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. Tbev stood in
silence and dismay. unable to give any
helm or think Of anv meons Of safetv
And Toms father He walked round
the little circle the dizzy height seemed
every moment more fearfn, and the solid
earth further and further from him. He
sbn. his eves he felt as ;f the next mo.
mept bs must b. dashed to pieces on the
pround below
n, -,
-, 81. -, III IT, m.,h :,
-, cL. -. t..,;,, H.,
:, ,.,,
w.v or other and to.dav sbe had been
harder at WORK than usual getting ready
for thu holiday tomorrow She had lust
finished all her preparations and her thot's
were silently thanking God for h er happy
home and for all the blessings Of life,
when Tom ran in his face white as ash.
es and be could hardly get his words
out, "Mother / mother He cannot get
down. ..