St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1868-12-25
At the Top Of q Chimney.

from lear nave seen IL happen, anu,
if you don't mind listening, will tell you
the story. | was apprenticed to a build
er when | left school, and soon got to
like the trade very much, especially when
the work was perilous, and gave ME Il
chance to outdo other lads in daring
Spider" was my nickname in those
days. given partly on account of my lon%
legs, for | had outgrown my proportions,
and partly because they sad | could
crawl along a roof, like my namcsakc.
When was about three-and-twcnty. |
was working with the famous Mr.. --,
and went down to Swansea with his
picked hands, to carry out a contract he
had taken in that town. While there
fell i'll love with the prctticSt girl | had
seen in Wales. and this is SAYING Il GOOD
deal. For a time fancied she liked M,
aud that | was getting on very well with
NV love making. but | soon found my
mistake, for an old lover of hers Joined
our men, and Mary gave me the cold
shoulder directly. You may believe this
sweetheart of hers (whu was called Ben
| l.loy,D and were not the best friends in
the world; hut | am not the sort OF a
t.II..w f., L,rbor ,u.,l;.. onJ v.ho, ,b.
bIdiugS TO the wedding went round, and
| | knew that INV chance was zone. ! made
the best OF II kept my sore heart 10
myself, and determined To beat down
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~, i,,... ,,;t ',',,' ,..I
,,,It
t,,;.t..i
,,,.I ~ ,,,;.t '',' '''', i'.',r,'N'
- ardar anL ;nL,-,r,. !, ~. .r
han, ,h. n.n,I Wow. ~ I,;,;n, NV, ,.,,,.,.
10 oo and look At H., L,nnine.. aroth.r
man ha, done vnn ont ,f hut thrn Won
know the rrn,,.rh SAYS ..Wh,ti : one
man. meat J.. another, man. n,;.,, =.
.,,,d :, !, vv,s c,,,,I,,,r. n,,.'r NI,r,.
,. .,,r, ,.r .;-,,r .,,l -, ,....,.
t,r ;,,I,,su .,I,L',,,,h ,Ior, ,,.,r'. ,,I.,,,,,.
,t evil tou',,,es tn unt him, nm t,.it
The contract wa. nearly ~, when .
E,,I,n;u,, ,.,uIu,.tn, ,,,o,, nm. rl, Li.,l-
c.t chimney, over nj II,n,uy srr,ur
and rbr owner of IN. work. otf;r.J onr
master rho i,l
..It's lust the SORT of tb;nr for v,u
| Harry" said Mi when he told IL
of it.
touched INV cap, and accepted It off
hand, and then Ben stepped up and sad
he'd volunteer 10 he the second man. two
being required
"All right" >ail the master '.you
are the stcahc-t headed fellows have
The price i a .upd one and every penny
OF ii shall he divided between you. Wed
not fix a day for the work, but take the
first calm morning. and get it done
qnictlv."
80 it was that, some tour ur live
mornings after. we found nur-clye, AT
Llanelv, and all ready tor a start. TIE
kite bv which the line attached TO Tia,
block MAS to lie sent over the chimney,
was flown, and did ia work well the
rope which was to haul up the cradle
was ready, and stepping in, Ben and
began the ascent
There ha: been very lew people about
when We went into the ward. but a We
got higher, | SAW that the news had
spread, and that the streets were tilliug
with sight-<ecrS
"Thrrcs plenty of star-gazer~. Zen,
said, wayin9 my cap 10 them, Il dAr,
say they'd like to see Us come down will
Il run
.Clnnot YOU keep quiet p anSwcrc,
Ben, speaking in strange tone: and
turning to look, | saw that he WAS dead
" pale and sat in the bottom OF tn,
cradle. hudIed up together, with hi:
eyes fast shut.
"You'Ie not frightened, old chap p
asked.
"What's that to YOU ,"
..Oh, nothing. onlv we are getting NJ
pretty quickly. and you'd have IL bette
, head for work if you'd get gradually use,
TO the height"
He said nothing and never moved
Then. looking M. | SAW we were nca
: the top-a few wards more, and w,
would be there; yet those who wer
| turning the wndlass were winding will
unabatcd saecd. A sudden chill raj
, through nv blood. and ~ct INV hesl
creeping. They had miscalculatcd TN
+, distance. and with the force they wcr
f winding at the rope it must evidenll
t break when the cradle came in contac
4 with the block. There was no time +
I, ATTEMPT a signal. only an instant TO poin
: ont the dancer to Ben, and then to .,c
: hold of the rome, and by Going hand owe
V hand reach the coping before the cradl
o came up. This was done almost quickc