The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-07-31

Two-thirds of the space bad been passed
| when suddenly The block that supported me
moved-gave way. Oh, heavens never, though
I should 1--we 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 felt
myself slipping backward, l did not Tor one
second lose my presence OF mind.
1t seemed to me that never before had my
senses been so preternaturally acute rs then
when horrible death seemed inevitable.
Down, down slipped, grasping at each block
as passed by it, until at length my fearful
course was arrested, and then, while my head
reeled VITA the sudden reaction, great shout
came up ftom the people below. !,
"Come down, come DOWN. called the archi-
tect from the window; "half the sum shall be
yours for ahe risk you have run. Don't try
again Come down."
| But no: more than ever now was deter
mined to succeed. 1 was not one to give up,
after having undertaken difficult task.
Coolly, but cautiously, commenced the ascent
once more, first seeking in vain to reach across
to the next row of blocks, for did not care to
trust myself again on that which had proved
so treacherous. This l was compelled to do,
however, until the space between the angles
became Sufficiently small to allow me to swing
across. accomplishing my purpose at length,
1 went up more rapidly, carefully testing each
block as proceeded.
Ere long I reached the cross, and there /
paused to rest, looking down from the dizzy
height with a coOlness that even then aston
ished 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, I found sad pleasure in the
thought that should never reach the ground
alive, my dear ones would have ample means
to supply their wants until my wife could OBJ
tain employment. :.
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 roll
of bank notes in my hand.
"You have we'll earned the money" he said.
"It does me good to see a man with 80 much
nerve-butcbless me, what is the matter with
your hair? 1t was black before you made the
ascent, now it is ,grayP
And so it was That moment of intense ag-
ony, 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, cherries room, which was
now all I called home, found a visitor wait
ing for me, my late employer: 49,
"Harvey," said he, extending his hand, 81
have done great wrong. 1t cost me terrible
pang to believe in your guilt, but circumstances
were so strongly against you, that was forced
to believe it. I have found the coin, Harvey,
it slipped under the secret drawer in my desk
Can you forgive me, my dear old friend? 2"
My heart was too full to. speak, silently
pressed his hand.
81 will undo the wrong have done. All
the world shall know I accused you unjustly,
not through my words only, but throrgh my
actions, too. You must be my partner, Har-
vey. If you refuse shall feel that you have
not forgiven me-"
did not refuse Instead, 1 thankfully ac-
cepted the offer which my friend so generously
made, knowing that no surer method could
have been devised to silence forever the tongue
of slander, aud free my name from the un-
merited reproach which had of late rested
upon it.
Unmerited prosperity has attended my steps
ever since that eventful day, but neither pros
perity nor wealth can efface its memory from
my heart, nor restore my withered locks to
their own raven hue.