Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1870-12-07

work. My hands had given the first outside
coat to the tower, and on that morning were
to begin the application OF the second.
High up in the clouds raised the spire, and
from its tip humanity below had assumed
lilluptian proportions. The scaffoldiug had
been placed in position the evening before,
and nothing prevented my workmen from
pursuing their labors.
half expected, or some unexplained tu-
ition told me, that Wilson bad been indulg-
ing in liquor, though nothing in his manner
indicated it. Yet the impulse was irresist-
! ible, if such had been the fact. against his
commencing to work at that altitude. In
stead of considering my kindly meant admo-
milton in the sense which had intended,
his face assumed the old, remembered ex-
preston, of deep, intense hatred. Then
rushed to my recollection the old shop days
and his threats of future revenge of fancied
wrongs. Fear for the consequences of bis
wrath induced me to order him below, as
| signing portion of the WORK in the chancel
to his care. Sueuly he gathered up bis
| brushes, and muttering to himself, slowly
descended. Necessity now compelled me
| to take his place upon the tower, and to a
void the remaining workmen from observing
| how far | was annoyed at the occurrence, |
! placed trestle from a window on the oppo
site side of the tower from where they were
at work This trestle was so framed that
/ by turning a screw it would widen or close
at will, by means of groove so as to apply
it to any window and by entirely removing
/ the screw, it could he taken apart ] had
| fitted it to window, ard securing a short
ladder to it, was at the top of the ladder
busily engaged in my labors, my mind how
ever, creating disturbed fancies, the result
! of my encounter with Wilson
How long time had elapsed ] do not
! know, but suddenly feeling of insecurity
| possessed me. | essayed in vain to dispel
it as an illusion produced from the excited
state Of ny nerves, hrt the more | tried to
! believe it whimsical fancy, the stronger |
( became impressed Of impending danger. No
/ longer able 10 resist the warning of the in.
/ visible monitor which at times attends every
one. and torewarning of coming evil. yet
| failing to indicate means of escape. dc
/ scended the ladder intending to abandon my
/ work until | felt sufficiently calm to resume
it, when-oh, horrors upon the inside of
tho tower, before me- with the malignity OF
he'll depicted upon his face stood Wilson
The screw had been removed from the tres
tie, and With one hand he held it over his
L =. Il. Il I, ~. Il
trestle
Never. 50 long as breath remains in this
body, = i'll the memory or that face leave
me- Like demons. lit up with a sardon-
ical grin, the acme OF revenge was written
on every lineament; an unnatural glare
cleaned from the distendei eyebalIs: foam
oozed from the corners Of his ghastly mouth
he seemed no longer man. but devil.
''Ha ma ha - he screamed, I've got
you-n0w' the time to square old scores
b. the God ;. you I've but minute more to
live so if you We any prayers to say, you d
better be quick !"
Rooted to tho spot and with hair standing
on end. essayed to beg him for my life, but
the words choked in my throat and refused
utterance. 10 vain | attempted to call to
the workmen on the opposite side of tie
tower for heip-my lips refused their duty.
/ With the desperation of despair | sprang
forward hoping to reach the window, when
the uplifted screw fell with crushing force
upon my right shoulders, missing my head,
at which it w.s leveled. At the same in
slant the trestle tipped, and with my footing
gone, | wildly flung my arms about.
Oh, the agony of that moment Within
the time between the stroke of the pendu-
lum, there passed in review before me every
action of my whole life. No single one,
however trivial, failed to start up in exact
rotation as they were enacted. Every tho't
that ever passed through my brain stood
before me in bold relief A pleasure, heav
enly in intensity, attended the recollection
Of every good deed done, and an agony as
bitter succeeded each thought, word or deed
which had not been in accordance with mo-
rali'y. At last, after an eternity of time
crowded into one second, the latest actions
of my life passed in review, aud as they
passed away ms consciousness returned
| Twas but an instant of time, and who can
measure the distance traversed by thought
in that one instant? Slowly, like one ava
kenng from the influences of powerful O
p;ate, | began to think, uncertain if alive
or dead. | soon began TO realize that I'hung
suspended in mid air, and discovered that
in my tall had caught by the waistband of
my pants to a spike. which had been left by
my workmen Still my lips refused 10 utter
a sound OF alarm. Above me but few feet
/ stood Wilson. No rslentipg look, but the
same fiendish hatred beamed down on me.
| Hell gave him its attributes at that hour TO
exult over me, with all its attendant horrors.
Too tar below the easement to reach it, /
/ hung suspended by the brittle thread. Pres
emily the blood commenced rushing 10 my
head, and then slowly the band commenced
to rip, stitch at first, then, as if gathering
more strength. two and three at a time. A
few more breakirgs OF the thread, and