The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-09-22
A PERTLoUS ADVENTURE.

The Newark Advertiser tells this startling
story of an adventure in that place:
est Patrick's Cathedral has Il steeplc sur
mounted by a ball, on which is a cross. The
top of the cross is two hundred and fifteer
feet above the surface of the ground, the
height being but five feet short of that OF Bun
ker Hill Monument The steeple is Of wood
square at the base and tapering to point
Along each angle, from the base to the point
are nailed at the distance Of four feet apar
ornamental knobs of wood.
'All this wood work, being weather-beatcr
in the course of time rots; especially the
knobs and the cross, which present many
small angles; so that it becomes necessary
to attend now and then to the repairing OF
these parts. To erect staging for the pur-
pose when man of sufficient daring and
GOODNESS might climb and do the work
would not be the most economical method
Such men are rare. but they are to be found
The price charged for each ascent is usually
twenty-five dollars. The risk does not con
sist merely in the danger OF becoming giddy
and dcmoralized while clinging in mid-ar tc
the outside of a steeplc and while the neigh
bors and passers-by are collecting in groups
below and gazing upward with bated breath
and trembling knees at the climber. IIc
must 90 up by clinging foot and hand to
what he finds; and what he must cling to aro
these very knobs. rotting and weakening in
in the weather, and finally, to the cross al
ready decaycd and ready to drop. The man
who does this sort of work in Newark is
Frank Jacobus.
''Last month he was engaged to make an
ascent of the cathedral steeple for the pur-
pose Of removing the old one and replacing
| it with new one. Going up inside the
steeple to the highest admissible point, he
reached out from the narrow window and
felt one of the knobs to test its strength.
Judging it to be strong enough he swung
himself out by it, and scrambling up caught
feet on the lower one SO fur all right lie
glanced around him and then looked up
along the line of knobs that reached far up
to the ball and the cross marking his hazard
Gus way. 1t was something OF an expert
ment Were other knobs, too, strong enough
Carefully and quickly he scrambled up and
felt of the knob next higher it seemed IL
have sufficient strength. He pulled upon it.
1t bore his weight, and up he went. Gather
ing confidence, he made his tests and drew
his conclusions rapidly. He went up more
and more quickly, at last scarcely caring to
try the strength of the knobs before trusting
his weight 10 them. Already two thirds Of
the stceplc were climbed. A few more et-
forts and his hand would be clinging to the
cross.
"IIe reached forth to raise himself. A
slight grating sound reaching his keen ear,
even in the breeze blowing strongly about
his ears The knob had moved under his
pull--was giving way. A mist spread be-
fore his eyes lie felt himself falling back
ward. With convulsive effort that lamed
his back, he clutched at something and
brought himself forward again, and down he
slid. His presence OF mind had not once lelt
him He even tested the knobs as he Sid
over them, to stop himself from the momcn-
tum of his falling Gradually he even les
sencd the momentum. Then he fastened his
s..fo. The sigh tl,ot wont MP from tn" "h
servers in the street below almost reached
his quickened ear, and it grew into q shout.
He was not damoralzcd. lie might have
come down and given up the job. Not 50.
His purpose to 90 up to the cross was not
changed. But he could no longer trust him
self to the knobs on that angle of the stecplc.
He tried to reach, but the knob was lust bc-
yond his utmost stretch Of foot or hand.
sThc observers below We're looking IN
breathlcss suspense They saw him 60 up
higher, almost to the very spot whence he had
fallen, and then at last reach out and swing
himself across. He was now on another
angle, clnging to an untried place and look
ing up the long line of untested knobs. lie
went up, more carefully, less rapidly than
before. trying every knob well before trust
inc his weight to it. Soon he was at the
ball. Grasping it he slid himself up over it
and sat himself down on it with his feet ON
each side of the cross.
There he waited awhile, though he seemed
still to be busy Then raising himself to his
feet. he stood beside the cross. With his
hand he broke it pieccmeal, and threw the
pieces down, and they fell into fragments rs
they touched the stone walk. Then he de
scended and in y few minutes was on the
Ground again to be surrounded by some OF
the observers.
"a little frightened, ch, Frank qnizzcd
one of them, when you slipped here?.
"sNot Il bit just rs cool as am here,
now ut this minute"
"sRisky, though, wasn't it ~
".Weli, yes; it was risky. But the worst
of it was tore my pantaloons.
>''I don't see it,
"'But | mended them
's'Nhile you We're sitting on the ball
thcre%
"sYes; | wasn't coming down with such
a rent as that in them. The wind was blow
ING hard and things tapped, but happened
to have a self thrcader Billy Withers had Civ
en- me this very morning, and I'd at'ic!, it il!
nv vest. | threaded the needle without
looking at, and sewed up the tear in hurry.
"'Well, Frank, you're cool one
ssI have to be- he said, and he glanreo
around at some ladies who were grouped /;
few yards off, looking at him."
WOMAN AS A FIELD HAND. The East is
behind hand in everything. A girl in Maine
has had an cpotheoss because she ''mana@cs
a moving machine with the ease of Il borl
farmer" and the New York Tribune bragg