The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1871-10-28
THE STRAsBOURG CATHEDRAL.


An Ascent to the Top of the Spfre.
Correspondence of the N. Y. Evening Post.
* Ny vaulting ambition took
me to the very top, and came near
leaving me up there. The journey UP
the staircase, through the square part
of the tower, was only fatiguing with
out being ia the least degree danger
GUS, and it afforded an excellent oppor+
t1lnity for observing the apparently frail
character of the structure, through
whose open work interstices the wind
blew fiercely. The exquisite carving
and decoration up here is seen by but
very few, yet is elaborate, and as beau
tiful as any in the lower part of the
church.
At last / came to the balcony where
two fags-the black and white of Prus-
STA, and the tricolor of Germany-ha
been flung to the breeze Immediately
after the Prussan occupation of the
city The breeze had not received
these banners very kindly, but had re-
duced them to long, stringy tatters, so
that from below they looked like
punches of preposterous strings,
very uncomfortable and very much out
Of place
At this point begins the inclination
OF the spire, which appears from the
platform below to be a series Of steps
leading TO the top of an elongated py-
ramid, while from the street, IL looks
like a number OF tiny projections orna-
menting arather short steeple. These
apparent steps or projections, are, how
ever, each as large as az ordinary man,
and the little staircase winds In and
blow over In the very next blast of
wind. Yet, at such moment, you are
asked TO stick out one foot in the direc
zion of the Rhine, and then land it on
point of stone about on a level with
your forehead to bring the other foot
somewhere else, and to clutch hold
: with both hands of something which
the guide saws is Just above you; and
all this on the outside of the highest
spire III existence, with the wind blow
ing like mad, the whole world many
miles below your feet. and comfortable
people on safe sidewalks looking at you
through opera glasses
When it is all done, according to
Hoyle, you find yourself on narrow
ledge protected by low stone balu-
y
burg lie clustered about the base of the
cathedral, with their roofs dotted with
innumerable dormor windows, the burnt
district presenting a hideous gap III the
fair symmetry of the town. and the ruins
of the theatre, nit seuul, prefecture and
library conspicuous for their extent and
desolation. On three sides stretches
the vast fiat blsatian plain, and on the
/. IL IL
Quite near are the two villages between
which the Prussians planted their most
destructive batteries, and far beyond
lies France winch year ago claimed
Strasbourg as her own.
about them in a manner which, however,
) ingenious, is by no means re assuring
to the nervous. BY felicitous archi
tectuTal arrangement, person in
mounting tins staircase Is at one step
inside the spire and at the uext step
outside of it, with the great round
globe itself seemingly several miles be-
low. A fly would probably not be per-
turbed in this position; and creatures
Quasimodo who had long practiced on
the precipltous towers of Notre Dame
might even feel at ease,
] have heard it said that Individuals
IN such an elevated sphere of duty as
this have often felt almost irresistible
warnings to let go their hold, launch
out into space, and fling themselves
down to earth Such, ] can conscien-
, tlously say, was not my experience
,, On the contrary, | felt an utterly ire
slstlbie inclination to cling to the
steeple itself and to avoid, as far as
possible; any Typographical observa.
tions of the earth beneath; what time
my blood was frozen III my veins by the
) horrible antics Of the guide, who hop
ped up Die spire from projection to pro-
! lection, like an agile fowl, without any
apparent appreciation of the awful pos
sibilities contained in the law of gravi-
tatiOn,
TO get upon tie final narrow balcony
which encircles the steeple lust b6lUw
its top (and from the street looks only
like graceful little ornament, one has
to take step which requires the faith
cf Abraham himself. The spire up
, here has grown SO small that YOU can
almost put your arms around it, while
it seems absolutely certain that it must
In descending the spire there is
variety III the nature of the sensations
aroused Climbing up you can cling
to the ston work. Coming down you
seem at every step to be about launch
ing yourself into space. You feel as il
III your own person you were exempli-
flying by some incorceivahle uncome
Portable process the theory of centrifu-
+, gal force, and once down TO earth again
the thought how sweet it is to gfovel
here below sutfuses your countenance
with grateful glow of loving appreci-
alton.
4 Startling Railroad Adventure.
Parties who arrived at Terre Haute