The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-08-28

God protect you. If had the skill
necessary to ascend that steeple, |
would ask no man to risk his life
there. But come, and keep a steady
hand and eye"
| followed L him into the church, then
up into the spire, until we passed be-
fore narrow window. This was the
point from which / must certainly
start on my perilous feat which had
undertaken.
Casting single glance at the peO-
pie in the streets below-mere specks
in the distance-I reached out from the
the window, and, grasping one of the
ornamental blocks, swung myself out
upon the spire.
For an instant my courage faltered,
but the remembrance of my starving
family came to my aid, and with a si-
lent prayer for protection and sue
cess, L plHeed my hand on the next
block over my head and elambered
up.
From block to block / went, steadi-
Iy and cautiously, trying each one ere
trusted my weight upon it.
TwO-thirds of the space was passed,
when suddenly the block that support
ed me mOved-gave way Oh, heav-
ems never, though should live to
see hundred years, shall cease TO
shudder at the recollection of that ter
rible moment.
Yet even in the midst of my agony,
as L felt myself slipping backward, 1
did not for one second lose my pres
ence of mind.
1t seemed to me that never before
had my senses been so preternatural-
ly acute as then, when q horrible
death seemed inevitable.
Down, down L slipped, grasping at
each block as passed it, until at last
my fearful course was arrested, and
then, while my head reeled with the
sudden reaction, great shout came
up from the people below.
FCome down come down J" cali
ed the architect from the window,
half the sum shall be yours, for the
risk you have run. Don't try it
again! Come down
But no. more than ever now was
determined to succeed. 1 was not
one to give up after having undertak-
en- difficult task.
Coolly, but cautiously, cOmmenc-
ed the ascent once more, first seeking
in vain to reach across to the next
row of blocks, for 1 did not care to
trust myself again on that which had
proved so treacherous. This, / was
compelled to do, however, until the
space between the angles became suf-
ficiently small to allow me to swing
across. Accomplishing my purpose
at length, L went up more rapidly,
carefully testing each block as / pro-
ceeded.
Ere long 1 reached the cross, and
there paused to rest, looking down
from the dizzy height with a coolness
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, and as the last
fragment disappeared, found q sad
pleasure in the thought that should 1
never reach the ground alive, my
dear ones would have ample means to |
supply their wants until my wife
could obtain employment.
Steadily and cautiously / lowered |
myself from block to block, and at |
length reached the spire window,
amidst beeheers of those assembled |
in the street.
Inside OF the steepIe the architect |
placed roll of bank notes in my
hand.
"You have well earned the money!"
he said. "It does me good to see q |
man with so much nerve-but-blessl |
me what is the matter with your |
hair? 1t was black before you made |
the ascent, now it is gray J"
And so it was. That moment of |
intense agony, while slipping help
lessiy 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, cherries room
which was now all l called my home,
/ found visitor awaiting me, my
late employer.
Harvey" said he, extending his
hand, 81 have done q great wrong. 1t
cost me terrible-pang to believe in
your guilt, hnt circumstances were so |
strongly against you that I wns forced 1
to believe it. L have found the coin,
Harvey; it slipped under the secret |
drawer in my desk. Can you forgive |
me, dear old friend?r
My heart was too full to speak;
pressed his hand.
81 will undo the wrong have done, |
and all the world shall know accus- |
ed you uDjustly, not through my
words only, but through my actions,
too. You must be my partner, .Har-
vey. If yOd refuse l shall feel that |
you have not forgiven me-"
1 did not refuse, Instead, ! thank
fully accepted the offer which my
friend so generously made, knowing |
that no surer method could have been |
devised to silence forever the tongue
of slander, and free my name from
the unmerited reproach which had of
late rested upon it. f g.I
Unintermitted prosperity has at
tended my steps ever since that event
full day, neither prosperity or wealth
can efface its memory from my
heart, nor restore my whitened locks
to their own raven hue.