The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-05-14

facing the piazza, iron cups, called paGelle,
ready filled with tallow and turpentine. To
light those on the dome and cupola was the
the peril0us task of the sanpietrini; when
they were all lighted, the golden ilNmina-
tion would be effected.
A few moments of intense suspense
elapsed. At every second the evening grew
darker, the lanteInon burned brighter, the
surging hum of thousands in the piazza
and streets below rose louder to our ears.
| felt the quickening breath of the assistant
at my shoulder--I could almost hear the
beating of my heart. Suddenly, like the
passing of an electric current, the first sig
nal flew from lip to lip. got out and
crossed my legs firmly round the board
with the second signal, l seized the blazing
torch--with the third, I felt myself launch
ed, and, lighting every cup as gil
ded past, saw all the mountainous dome
above and below me spring into lines of
leaping flame. The clock was now striking
eight, and when the last stroke sounded,
the whole cathedral was glowing in outlines
of fire. A roaI, like the roar of great
ocean, rose up from the multitude below,
and seemed to shake the very dome against
which l was clinging. l could even see
the light upon the gazing faces, the
crowd upon the bridge of st. Angelo, and
the boats swarming along the Tiber.
Having dropped safely to the full length
of my rope, and lighted my allotted share
of lamps, l was now sitting in secure en-
joyment of this amazing scene. All at
once felt the rope vibrate. | looked, up
saw man clinging by one hand to the iron
rod supporting the padelle, and with the
other. Merciful Heaven 1t was the
Piedmontese firing the rope above me with
his torch
had. time for thought acted upon
instinct. 1t was done in one fearful mo-
ment. | clambered up like cat, dashed
my torch full in the felon's face, and grasp
ed the rope an inchior two above the spot
where it was burning Blinded and baffled,
he uttered a terrible cry, and dropped like
stone. Through all the roar of the living
ocean below, could hear the dull crash
with which he came down upon the loaded
roof Echoing through all the years that
have gone by since that night, hear il
now.
had scarcely drawn breath, when
found myself being hauled up. The as
sistance came not moment too soon, for
was sick and giddy with horror, and faint
ed as soon as was safe in the corridor
The next day l waited on the administra-
tore, and told him all that had happened
My statement was corroborated by the va
cant rope from which Gasparo had de
scended, and the burnt fragment by which
had been drawn up. The amministra
tore repeated my story to prelate high il
office; and while none, even of the sanpiet
rini, suspected that my enemy had come by
his death in any unusual manner, the trutl
was whispered from palace to palace, unit
it reached the Vatican. received mucl
sympathy, and such pecuniary assistance
as enabled me to confront the future with
out fear. Since that time my fortunes
) have been various. have lived in man,
countries, and known many strange ad
ventures; but never, before or since, founC
myself in such terrible company as on tn,
dome of st. Peters, that memorable Eas
ter Sunday night, where made my second
escape from DEATH