The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-01-07
Cales, shettBes, $nefOotts, dc.
At THE TOP OF 4 CHIMNEY.

A man will 90 blind, and mad too,
from fear; have seen 1t happen, and, if
you don't mind listening, will tell you the
story. | was apprenticed to builder
when l left school, and soon got to like
the trade very much, especially when the
work was perilous, and gave me d chance
to Uut-do the other lads in daring. "Spi-
der was my nickname in those days,
given partly On account Of my long legs,
. for had t-g;own my proportions, and
partly because they said | could crawl
along a roof, like my namesake. When 1
was about three>and-twenty, l was work.
ing with the famous Mr.. -, and
went down to Swansea with his picked
hands, 10 carry out contract he had
taken in thai town While there, | fell
in love with the prettiest girl l had seen in
Wales, and that is saying good deal -
For time fancied she liked me, and that
| was getting on very well with my Loves
making, bat l 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
(who was called Ben Lloyd and l were
not the best friends in the world but |
am not the sort OF fellow to harbor malice,
and when the biddings to the wedding
went round, and knew that my chance
was gone, made the best of it kept
my sore heart to myself, and determined
TO beat down Jealousy by being great
Chums with Ben.
] went to the wedding and there were
not many days when | did not steal half
an hour 10 sit by his fireside, which was
bright and cosy and homelike as you
would wish 10 see-Mary being the soul
of order and industry. 1t is not, perhaps,
the usual way Of driving out envy, to 90
and look at the happiness another man has
done you out of. but then you know the
proverb says, What is one mans meat
is another mans poison - and SO it was l
got 10 look upon Mary as sort of sister,
and Ben had no cuu-e for jealousy, al
though there were plenty of evil tongues
ready to put him up to it.
The cont act was nearly up, when a
lightning conductor upon one of the high
est chimneys over at Llanelly sprang. and
the owner of the works offered our master
the job.
'Its just the sort of thing for you,
Harry said Mr.. --, when he told Us
of il.
| touched my cap and accepted it off
hand, and then Ben stepped up and SAID
he'd volunteer to be the second man, two
being required.
''All right" said the master ; 'syou are
/ the steadiest-headed fellows l have. The
price is a good one, and every penny of it
shall be divided between you. Wen not
fix day for the work, but take the first
calm morning and get II done quietly"
So II was that, some four or five morn
ings after, we found ourselves at LIanelly,
and all ready for the start. The kite by
which the line attached TO the block was
TO be sent over the chimney, was flown,
and did its work well the rope which
was TO haul up the cradle was ready, ard
| stepping in, Ben and began the ascent.
There had been very few people about
when we went into the yard, but as we
! got higher, saw that the news had spread, !,
aud that the streets were filling with sight
! seers
There's plenty of star gazers, Ben,'
said, waving my cap to them 81 dare say
they'd like to see US come down with a
: run"
''Canrot you keep quiet p answered
! Ben, speaking in a strange tone aud,
turning to look, | saw that he was deadly
pale. and sat in the bottom of the cradle,
huddled up together with his eyes fast
shut