The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1872-11-23
II RICHMOND.

. Il
don't mind taking glass Of ale,
but l have passed through all my
life, SO far, without ever having
been tight. My business won't al
low of it. A man that's least bit
shaky had better not Try my line Of
work. which is climbing Up steeples
and fixing things which is out Of
order, arranging weathercocks
and vanes and lie htning- rode, and
furnishing up such ornaments as
they decorates the top Of high
buildings with. Sometimes the
telegraph people calls on me, and
six years ago l worked for EN-
steady.
got into nv first job by acct
dent. know'd man as board
ed in the same house as did. Hs
was painter AMI drinking man, 4
and was grumbliog one morning
over the job his boss had put him
on, which was to paint pretty
high stecple in Boston. Says he.
"If the wind blows the least bit to-
day I'll see the boss and the whole
church congregation futher, (that
wasn't Sir, exactly what he did
say, but it expressed pretty much
the same thing afore ventures
my lie again on that old rotten
steeple" 'Bill,' Gays I, lit amt
a nice day for your work for to-
day; and. what's more, there amt
man in the shop that will under
take to do it." ''Says /, "Bill. I
ain't no painter much, but l sup
pose people isn't very particular
how a fellow daubs on the color up
on q steeple, is they ?" '.Not a
Bit" says he. 81 just work as
quick as can to get through. It's
piece-work. and when your up
15O feet there amt no specifca-
tions as holds good as high up as
that. But what are you asking all
these questions for II you want
the job Of painting that steeple,
you're welcome to it. "That's
just it," says 1. "Then you may
take it off my hands and welcome.
I1can't do the work without three
or four stiff drinks to start on, and
whilst Pm painting I gets the hor-
rors up there" Straightways we
went around to the boss and l got
the job. All ! 5srgained for was
S25. and was to select my own
rope and spars, which he was to
pay for. For first job Of the
kind it was an ugly one. I Ilashed
to window-frame, with plenty oi
three-eighth rope, a springy spsl
as thick round as my leg. and t.
the end of that reeved pulley
and to that sling. It wasn't fal
] had to 60 out on that pole. no
more than eight feet, but that haG
to be done by taking the spar and
going along it hand over hand bu
ne l didn't mind it much, though tt
ID settle myself down in the sling
ne and get the paint-pot and the
7 brushes all right without upsettine
he them, was job. managed quite
bo we'll, and did it all without help
to er, crawling back to The steeple fol
n more paint when I wanted it. Th'
ha wind did squirt some, for whel
nd them northeasters blow aroun,
he Boston it makes things howl; ane
to then the boss comes up, and
eo heard him sing out "to give up th
pi- job for to-day, for if 1 was kille'
If they would read him out of churc
he for exposing another mans LII
,p- for pay" He was religious mar
nd was the boss, but pretended nc
.re to hear him. Anyhow, in thre
ur- days l got through painting th
,g. steeple, and the boss gave me %
e I in addition to what he had prom
a. ised, and kept me on steady worl
10 picking out the tough jobs Il
vas me when they were offered. Oh
ba there are plenty Of men who d
md this kind Of thing, who are re-
mo- bosses in the line of working Z
spots where most heads is afral
nm to venture. There is q party
rk- Philadelphia that's quite as goe
lrat as any; sometimes he goes as {;
Sir as New Orleans for q psrticui
,eir job, l believe that man has g
'eet suckers to his feet like they say
,me fly has. amt afraid to give hi
.tlv credit, because am accounted
hey be no lubber myself in the busines
en- amt given much to brag, but
,se- do believe il you was to stretch
hen five-inch plank across Broadwa
was from the top Of one house 10 a
on. other, 80 it was braced and wou
Il not spring, I'd cross it witho
oy- trip, slip or stumble. It's all hab
In, and command of ones nerve.