Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1872-01-24

10 Temorse, 70 shame, 10 bravery, or 10 /
any resolve; his ideas were abortions, he .
could catch and hold nothing his brain
was a kaleidoscope, constantly turning,
with various-colored miseries in place Of
the bits of glass. 10 the early morning
he went to the church and took up po-
sition by the rope, which was attached to
the hinge. But the slater did not come.
His accustomed hour passed, and the
rope was still unreleased. The curate
guarded it with the jeslousness Of dog
and the terror of a guilty man.
lie haunted the spot until noon, but
the slater remained absent. At one, by
the heavy bell upon the church, the rec
tor appeared, and the curate was dragged
away, or rather was forced to 60, avoid
inquiries. He felt he was descending in-
to an abyss as he quilted the place, and
he felt bewildered as the rector took his
arm aud pressed it.
The absence Of the slater on that parti-
cular morning was never explained. What
he did on the previous night in no way
involved this detention but, atall events,
it was two O'Clock before he again came
with his sling, his hammer, aud his great
coat slung upon his shoulder. No one
was there to interrupt him. He looked
about as if to meet the curate, and even
went SO far as to try the doors of the
church but, finding them locked, he look
ed at all the windows, but found them
also closed and fast.
He omitted to examine his rope, which
he had never before failed to do. His
custom was to join the two ends by a
peculiar attachment, which was so small
that it would pass freely through the
block fastened to the stecple, one hundred
aud fifty feet above the ground, and then
to pull it through until the fastening again
came to his hand, which operation, it will
be seen, would enable him to observe any
imperfection should any exist.
To-day his thoughts were wholly on
the curate, and bis own miserable dis
coyery. lie forgot his precauticn; he
ommitted to think of his risk.
lie secured his sling to the end of the
rope, which he loosened from the hinge,
and, with the help of his assistant, again
mounted slowly TO his station. lie felt
a strong wind the instant he rose above
the roof Of the church, but ignored
it, and mechanically motioned to his help
er to go on. He attained height OF one
hundred and twenty feet.
Here he fastened himself and looked
around. At first he worked but little
Then he vigorously piled his hammer for
a few moments, but only to relapse again
and assume an attitude of thought. lie
was often obliged to catch the claw of his
hammer in the crevices of the woodwork.
in order to prevent too violent swaying
but still he was so bind that he learned
nolesson or caught no hint from the motion
which necessiated the act Had he been
able to interpose the obliviousness of his
last nights sleep between what he saw
yesterday and what his duty required to-
day had he been less conscientious
man, or less sympathetic one or more
phlegmatic man, or a more selfish man.
he would have been far more fortunate
|, for, in consequence of his consideration
of others, and his absorption in the re-
suits of the curate's theft, fatal trifles
were permitted to collect about him anC
involve him. There was split in the
, side of the block which frayed the rope
, there was dampness and consequent soft
ness Of the fbres. heavy but intermit
tent wind from the east, and the unlucky
oversight Of the man himself, which, haC
, it occurred on any other day than this
: might have had no bad results.
The catastrophe happened at five in The
afternoon. sa'-1
I As the last bell struck, the rope separat
, ed at the block above, and the body o
, the slater was precipitated to the eartl
: with the speed of lightning!
, Such was the unbroken length of thu
! fall that there could be but one result
} and that the worst. 1t was almost in
Simultaneous, and, with the exception of {
sigh, the man gave no further signs 0
, life. w aH. W9t
t His body was at once carried to hi
. lodgings, in the poorer part of the city
whittier it was followed by a respectful
D group of workmen, whose way home hac
heen interrupted by the tragedy None
Of them claimed acquaintance with thu
unfortunate man, but fellow. feeling ami
! mated them to regard him with pity 81
: they huddled along behind, one carryin!
! his coat, another his cap, another hi
5 hammer, another his pipe, which had fall
en- from hispocket unlnjured. aud all witt
} their heads together, whispering compass
[ sionately. 2j H'nt I1a
S They find his room to be back one
e FIVE stories from the ground, and havinl
e single window, facing the west. The,
(. carry him in and lay him upon bed in
r corner, and wait the coming ofthe coroner
e The glare, or rather glow, of light flow
+, over the low foot-board, and touches u
/, his rough knee, his right arm, his shoul
e der, and one side of his shaggy head
His friends carefully lay his coat, car
t hammer, and pipe, ip a row behind hiy
i on the bed, and then fall back with Ut
n covered heads and gaze at what lies be
d fore them. "a, ..o.
e The room is very neat; it contains
stove, a rack Of table-utonsils, table,
! chair, a sailors chest covered with bras
IS nails, and a board filed with nails for tn
d accommodation Of clothing. Upon tn
G wall there is tackled a print of o battl'
!, cut from paper Of illustrations, and als