The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-12-23
A DARING FEAT.

Remarkable for its spire-the lofliest o,.
OF ot. Petersburg-is the church of St. Pete
and st. Paul. An auecdote connected viii
this church, and not known out Of R,..;.
Is worth telling. The spire, which is
Lofty, and light. and small,
and is probably represented in sn engrsvfr-
as fading away almost into point in tle
sky, is in reality terminated by plobo -
considerable dimensions, on which an arcI,
stands supporting large cruss. This ar1ai
was out of repair, and some suspicious wera
entertained that he designed visiting. urfo.
voked the surface Of the earth. The afsi-
caused some uneasiness, and the government
at length became greatly peTpIezed. tn
raise a scafIolding to such height woul4
cost large sum of money, and ia meaitafir,,
iruitlessly on the circumstance, witbor1
knowing how to act, some time was suffered
to alapse.
Among the crowd of gszers below who
turned their eyes and thoughts toward the
angel, was mujic called TeIouchkine. Tb;.
man was a rooier of houses Ia slater. as l.,
would be called in countries where states A..
used), and his specuations by degrees ss.
sumed more practical character than the
idle wonders and conjectures of the res. n
the crowd. The spire was entirely covered
with sheets Of gilded copper, and presented
to the eye a surface as smooth as if il ha4
been one mass of FURNISHED gold But Ta.
louchkine knew that the sheets Of conrar
were not even uui!ormly closed upon cseb
other, and, above all, that there were laro.
nails used TO fasten them, which protected
from the side Of the spire. Having thought
Of these circumstances till his mind war usla
up, Telouchkine went to the government
and offered to repair the angel, without
scaffoldiug and without assistance. cp con.
dition Of being reasonably paid for tie tina
expended in the labor. The offer vas &c
cepted.
The day fixed for the adventure arrived
Tolouchkine. provided with nothing More
than a coil Of ropes. ascended the spire in
the interior TO the last window. Here be
looks down at the intercourse Of people below.
and up at the glitteriug needle as i. IS
called. tapsribg far above lis hsa3 But
his heart does not fail him. and. stepping
bravely out on the window, he sets about
his task. He cuts portion Of the cord in
the form Of two large stirrups, with a loop
at each end. The upper loops lie fastened
upon two Of the projecting nails above lis
head. and places bis feet in the others. Then
digging the fingers of one hand into the in
terstices of the sheets Of copper. he rases one
Of the stirrups with the other hand so as to
make it catch nail higher up. The same
operation is performed on behalf Of the other
leg, aud so on alternately. And thus he
climbs, step by step. and stirrup by s;irrup,
till his starting point is unGstidguished
from the golden surface, and the spire dwin-
dies in his embrace till he eau clasp it all
around.
So far so well. But now be has reached
the balI-a globe of between nine and ten
feet in circumstance. The a0gel, tbs object
of his visit, is above this ball, and concealed
from his view by its smooth, round and gilt
tering ezpanse. Only fancy the wretch at
| this moment turning up his grave eyes, and
still graver beard, to az obstacle that seems
to defy the daring and intrepidity of man
/ But Telouchkine is not Gismayed. He is
/ prepared for the difficulty, and the means
+ he used to surmOuut It exhibits the same re1
| markable simplicity as the rest Of the feat.
Suspending himself in his stirrups, he
girds the "needle" with curd, the end Of
/ which be fastens around his waist; and so
1 supported, he leans gradually back till the
| soles of his feet are planted against the spirs
In this position be throws. bya strong effort.
/ a cell of rope over in the ball and so cody
I and accurately is the aim taken, that at the
! first trial it falls in the required direction.
and he sees the end of the rope hanging down
/ on the opposite side.
To draw himself into his original position,
to fasten the end of the cord firmly around
/ the globe, and with the assistance Of this
auxiliary to climb to the summit. is now an
easy part of his task, and in a few minules
more Teloucbkine stands by the side of the
angel. and listens to the shout that bursts Ike
/ sudden thunder from the concourse below,
yet comes, to his eals ike faint, hollow
/ murmur.
Tbs cord. which he had an opportunity Of
/ fastening properly, enabled him to descend
with comparative facility; and the next day
be carried up with him ladder Of ropes, by
means of which he found it easy to effect the
necessary repairs.