Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1873-04-24
p there. Do It yddrseIf if you want it

done at any price-and I can find a
braver man than you to do it."
The carpenter walked. away with a
dogged, slouching step, and the gentle
man was about to move away, also,
when stepped forward.
"What is it you want done, sir !" l
asked. I" I am car arpenter; perhaps l
can do it."
He turned eagerly toward me.
CT will make it worth your while.
Take down that cross and I will pay
you hundred dollars, You will have
to ascend those ornamental blocks, and
tell you candidly they are not to be
depended on; they must be weak and
rotten-for they have been there for
years.
I looked up at thei spire it was
square at the base and tapered to a
sharp poiIft, while along each angle
were nailed small gilded b locks of wood.
cts afdangerous placato work." I
said, ahd there will be even more
peril ini descending than ascending.
Suppose succeed in moving the stone,
and theh-"
eff ANY accident happens to you,
my brave fellow, the money shall be
paid TO your family. I promise you
that. I Give me your address"
Here it is" I SAID, and rs you
value your soul keep your word with
me. My wife and children are starving,
or would not attempt this york. If L
die they can live on the hundred dollars
fof while until my sick wife recovers
her strength"
I'll make it q hundred and fifty !" ex-
claimed the architect, "and may God
protect you If had the skill neces-
sary to ascend that steeple [ would ask
no man to risk his life there. But come,
and keep a steady hand and eye"
I followed him into the church, then
up into the spire, until we paused before
a narrow window. This was the point
from which I must start on my perilous
feat which I had undertaken.
Casting q single glance at the people
in the street below-mere specks In
the distance-I reached out from the
window, and, grasping one OF the orna-
mental blocks, swung myself out upon
the spire.
For an instant my courage faltered,
but the remembrance of my starving
family came to my aid, ana with a ST.
lent prayer for protection and sue
cess, I placed my hand on the next
block above my head and clambered up.
From block to block went steadily
and cautiously, trying each one ere l
trusted my weight upon it.
Two-thirds of the space had been
pas sed, when suddenly the block that
supported me moved-gave way! Oh /!
heavens never though l should live to
see hundred srs, SHALL cease to
shudder at the red p@ion of that ter
rible moment. -
Yet even in @ mid of my agony,
as felt myself slipping backward, /
did not for one second losemy presence
of mind.
1t seemed to me that never before had
my senses been so preternaturally acute
as then, when horrible death seemed
inevitable.
Down, down I slipped, grasping at
each block as I passed it by, until at
length my fearful course was arrested,
and then, while my head reeled with
the sudden reaction, a great shout came
up from the people below.
"Come down, come down J" called
the architect from the window "half
the sum shall be yours, for the risk
you have run. Don't try again! Come
down."
But, no more than ever now I was
determined to succeed. I was not one
to give up, after having undertaken a
difficult task.
Coolly, but cautiously, I commenced
the ascent once more, first seeking in
vain to reach across to the next row of
blocks, for 1 did not care to trust my
self again on that which had proved so
treacherous. This I was compelled to
do, however, until the space between
the angles became sufficiently small to
allow me to swing across. Accomplish
ing my purpose at length, 1 went up
more rapidly, carefully testing each
block as proceeded.
Ere long 1 reached the cross, and
there I paused to rest, looking down.
from the dizzy height with q GOODNESS
that even then astonished me.
A few strokes with light hatchet
that the architect had hung at my back,
and piece by piece the rotten cross fell
to the ground.
My work was done, aud as the last
fragment disappeared, I found a sad
pleasure in the thought that should I
never reach the ground alive, my dear
ones would have ample means tosupply
their wants until my wife could obtain
employment.
Sad and cautiously I lowered myself
from block to block, and at length
reached the spire window, amidst the
cheers of those assembled in the street.
Inside the steeple the architect placed
q roll of bank notes in my hand.
"You have well earned the money!
he said "It does me good to see a
man with so much nerve-but-bIess
me what is the matter with your hair?
It was black before you made the ascent,
now it is gray"
And so it was! That moment OF in
tense agony, while slipping helplessly
downward, had blanched my hair until
it appeared like that of an old man.
The work of years had been done in an
instant
Entering the bare, cheerless room
which was now all 1 called O home, I
found a visitor awaiting me, my late
employer.
Harvey" said he, extending his
hand, 81 have done great wrong. 1t
cost me a terrible pang to believe in