Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1871-12-07
A DARING FEAT.

Remarkable for its spirc-ths lof,ies.
one of st. Petersburg-is the Church Of
IT. Peter and Ss. Paul. An aneedo,e con-
nected with this church. and not known.
We believe, out Of Russia, is worth telling.
The spire, which rises
Lcfly, and light. and small
aud Is properly represented in an eugrav-
ing aS fading away almost into point in
the say, IS III reality terminated By a clob,
of considerable dimensions. on which an
angel stands supporting large cross.
This angel was out Of repair and some
suspicious were entertained .ha: he de-
signed visiting uninvokci the surface Of
the earth. The affair caused some uncas-
inesS, and the government at length be-
cane greatly perplexed. To raise the
scaho.ding to such hight would cost =
large sum Of money, aad in meditatng
frnl'lesSly on this circumstance. without
knowing how tu act, soaic time was suf-
fered TO elapsc.
Among the crowd OF gazcrs low, VIII,
daily turned their eyes and thoughts to-
ward the angel. was mujik called Tc-
lnuclIkinc. This man was -oofcr of
houses "a slater he would b. called in
countries where sla;os were uscd) au,l
his specuiauons By degrees assumed
more practical character than the lille won
ders and conjcctu-cs of the crowd. Tho
srirc was entirely covered with sheets OF
giided copper. and presented to the eve
Il surface as smooth rs If it had been one
mass of FURNISHED gold. But Telouchkinc
knew that the sheets of copper were not
even uniformity closed upon each other.
and. above all, that there were largo nails
used to fasten them, which projected from
the sides of the spire. Having thought Of
these circumstances till his mind was made
up, Telouchkine went to the government
and offered TO repair the angel without
sc.folding and without assistance, on con-
di;icn Of being reasonably paid for tho
time expended in the labor The offer
was accepted.
The day fixed for the adventure ar
rives. Telouchkinc. provided with moth
ing more than coil of ropes. ascends the
spirc in the interior tn the last window
Here he looks down at The concoursc of
the people below, and Up at the elitteeiug
needle" as it is called. ,apering far
atC:c his head. Bus his heart does no,
fail him. and stepping travely out upon
III" window. he sets about his task.
II2 cuts portion Of the cord in the
form IF TWO large st;rrr7s. With loop n.
each end. The upper loops he fastened
upon two Of tive projecting nails above his
head. and places Isis fee, in the Others.
Then digging tle fingers Of one hand into
the interstiee- OF the sheets Of copper. he
raises one of the stirrups with the other
hand, so rs to make it catch nail higher
up.
The sn-ne operation is performed on be-
half Of the other leg. and so on alternate
". And thus he climbed. step by step
anu s'irrup by s,irrup. till his starting
poin; is undi>tinguishcd from the golden
surface and the spirc drindles in his en-
brace till he can clasp ii all round.
So far 81 well. But now he has reach
cd the ball globe of between ninc and
ten feet IN circumference The angel. the
object Of his visit, is above this ball. and
concealed from his view by It's smooth.
round and glIticring cxpanse. Only fan
cv the wretch at this moment turning up
his grave eyes. and gravcr beard, to an
obstacle that seems TO defy the DARING aud
;utrepil.ty of man.
Bu; Teiouchkinc is no: Jisnaycd. He
is prepared for the difficulty; and tue
means he used to surmount il exhibit ths
same remarkable simplicity a the rest oc
the feat. Susren!ing himself in his stir
rups he girls the needle with a cord.
the end Of which lie fAs.c-s around h.s
waist; and SO supported. he leans gralu-
ally back till the s"lr> @: lis feet arc plan
ted acain>, the spirc
L. this position he throws. bv strong
effort. col of rope over the ball AM
50 cooily anil accurately is Tie aim taken,
that 4; the irSt trial !: falls in the rcquir-
oi direction, AMI h sees the end hang
down on the opposite side.
To draw himself into li~ original posi-
ton. to tas.cn the cord firmly around tie
globe. and with the assistance Of this aux
iliarv to climb To the summit. is now an
easy part of his task, and in few minutes
more Tclouchkinc sands by tn. side OF
the angel, and listens to the shout thai
bursts ike a sudden thunder from the COLI
course below. yet comes 10 his ears like
. faint and hollow rnurmur.
The cord. which Ic had an opportunity
of fastening properly. enabled him 10 de-
scend with comparative facility: and the
next day he carried up with him ladder
Of ropes. BY means Of which he found it
easy to effect the necessary repairs.