Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-12-25
FACING DEATH.

From the New York Weekly Review
A man will 90 blind, and mad, too
from fear I have seen it happen, and
you don't mind listening, will tell yoU
the story. Twas sppTenticed to builder
when I left school, and soon got TO ike
the trade very much, especially wheI
the work was peF!.Ous, and gave me 6
chance 70 Guido the other lads iu daring
"Spider" was my nickname in thoss
days, given partly on account Of my long
legs, for ! hsd outErown my proportions,
and psrtly because they said could
crawl sloug q roof ike my nsmesame.
When / was about three and twenty,
was working with the fsmOus Mr.. III,
and went down with his picked hands 10
carry out a contract he had taken in
Canada. While there, l fell in love with
the prettiest gi5l ] had seen in Canada,
sud that is ssyiog q good deal. For q
tins ] fRncied she lised nee, and that
was getting on very well with my love-
making, hut / soon found MY mistake,
for sn old lever Of hers joined our men,
and Mary gave me the cold shoulder di-
rectly. You believe this sweetheart of
hers who was called Ben Loyd) and ]
were not the best OF friends in the world /;
but am not the sort Of fellow to haFbor
mslice, and when the biddings to the
wedding went round, and I knew that
my chance was gone, / made the best OF
it; / kept my sore hesrt to myself, and
determined to beat Gown Jealousy, by be-
ing grest chums with Ben.
went TO the wedding; and there were
not many days when I did not steal half
an hour to sit by the fireside, which
vRs as bright sad cosy and hOmelike, as
you'd wish TO see-MaTy- being the soul
Of order and industry. Il is not, per-
haps, the usual way Of driving out envy,
to 90 and lock at the happiness another
man hiss done you cut o. bgt you know
the prOgsrb ssys What is one asEn's
meat is another mans poison, )" and so it
was, got 70 lock upon Mary IS 3 sort Of
sister, and Ben had no cause for jealousy,
although thsrewere plenty ofevil tongues
20 pet him up to It.
The contract was nearly UP, when 2
lightning conductor upon one Of the
highest chimBEys spIang, and the owner
Of the works offered our master the job
"Irs 3ust the sort OF ching FOR you,
HaCry," said Mr.. M, when he told Us
oft.
1 accepted it ofT-hsnd, and then Ben
stepped up and said he'd volunteer TO be
the second man, two being required.
"All right, ssid the master, " you are
price is a good one. and every penny Of il
shall be divided between you. Well not
fix day for the work, but take tBe first
cain morning, sud get il done quietly"
So ID was that, some four or five morn
ings after, we f5Gnd ourselves all ready
for the start. The Kite by which the line
attached 90 lie block vas to be sent over
the chimney, was fl@n, aud 6id its work
well; the rope which was to haul W the f.
cradle was ready, end stepping Ia, Ben
and 1 began the ascent.
There hsd been very few people about Z
when we went into the yard, but as We
got higher, / saw that the news had T.
spread, and thst the streets were filling (
with sight seers.
" There's plenty Of star gaZeTs, Benz .
I said, waving my cap TO them . dare .
say they'd ike 10 see Us come down with /
rum
"Csnnot you keep quiet 2" answered /
Ben, speaking in strange tone; and 4
turning 10 look ! saw be was deadly I
pale, and sat 10 the bottom OF the cradle, 4
huddled up together, with his eyes fast 1
shut
you're not frightened, old chap d." I
asked. Z
What's that to you ."
"Ob, nothing, oniy we are getting up
pretty quickly ana you'd have better
head for work if you'd get gradually used
10 the hight"
He said nothing and never moved
Then looking up, ! saw we were close to
the tOp-A few yards more, and we would
be there; yet those who were turning
the windlGss were winding with una
bated speed. A sudden ehiilrs through
my blood and set my Gssh creeping.
They had miscalcuisted the distance, and
with the force they were winding At, the
rope must inevitably break when the
cradle came 10 contact with the block
There was no time 70 attempt signal,
only 81 instant to point out the danger
TO Ben, and then TO get hold OF the rope,
and by going hand over hand, reach the
coping before the cradle came up. Thls
was done quicker than / can tell you,
Ben following.
The cradle came on then, as Rntlei-
pAted, the rope gave q shrill, pinging
sound, Ike 8 riGs-ball passing through
the air, and snspped. Down went the
cradle, and there we were Jeff, nearly
three hundred fee. in the sir. with
nothing TO rest upon bat coping eigh-
.een Inches vide.
Ben shrieked out that he was a d cad
man, and cried
"1ell me where can kneeI, Harry