The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-11-10

last he relented. "Very well, " he said,
I" lis against rules; but I'll let you in,
II you don't mind stopping inside alone
for an hour. II will be that time be.
fore I return; and must lock the door
behind me. Do you still wish to go
tnside2 ~ slifE9i-~ .tii
/ thanked him warmly, and said !:
Certainly, yes." Indeed, I was de.
Lighted at the idea Of an hour in perfect
stiffness and seclusion among the nigh.
ty columns and arches OF ST. Paul. ]
got under the great dome, which hangs
like luminous cloud above, full Of
hazy, uncertain shadows, q faint circle
OF light rinming itround, arches and
huge piers encompassing,it. From the
west, subdued crimson glow; east
wards, the choir, dark and 'sombre the
windows OF theapse showing as gray
luminous patches, the altar glooming
in the distance like some funeral cata-
ialque. White figures cleaning here
and there in shadowy recesses, marble
warriors, heroes, statesmen. .alael
Under the dome, In the great open
space, was q yast crowd OF chairs
wooden rush.bottomed chairs, lashed
together in rows, looking towards the
Feast. Choosing one Of the most central
OF these, ! sat down, and began to
dream, peopling this wide area with a
vast invisible congregation. 5.'rB
In soft, long;drawn cadence, the bell
Of Paul's struck ont the bour Of ten.
had been in the place nearly IN honr.
l felt chilled and numb. Enough Of
dreams. Let me walk briskly up aud
down, and think II the busy scenes
awaiting me: the rapid flight over con-,
tinents and seas (; the wanderers return;
the warm, glad welcome wife and chill
iren holding out eager arms.
I paced rapidly up, and down IN
avenue between the chairs. j had seen
enough; ] was anxious to be released,
10 get away from tie world Of shadows
Into the living world outside. For a
moment, ] stood In what seemed to be
the very centre OF the dome, and looked
upward. Afaint circle OF Light marked
theapex Of the soaring vault, and just
above my head i saw-my eyes being
now accustomed To- this lalslight-I
saw, I say, q rope hanging down from
the vast height above. 1
ThenI remember the spider.webs l
| thad seen outside about the ball and
cross. And as Istood, and looked, and
listened, I heard faint sounds Of ham
meripg and knocking. Men were at
work, hundreds OF feet above; a light
shone here and there, twinkling like
a star. iaa l1N Hsl t'''Ff
In years gone by, 1 used 70 be a IA
nous gymnast, and the sight Of the
rope hanging Just above my head, put
me in mind Of my ancient prowess. /
was heavier now, my muscles elastic
still, there was some salt OF youth in
me. How many times, I wondered,
could !, hanging to that rope, draw my
chin up 10 my knuckles?
The rope was just out of reach, but ]
Tempt up and caught it-once, twice,
thrice. / felt kind OF emulation with
my old self; WANTED to persuade my
self that / had not lost much OF my
former prowess; and 80 ! went on draw.
ing myself up and letting myself down,
not touching the ground, till I grew
tired. Then I stretched myself out,
expecting Just TO reach the pavement
with my toes. But 1 couldn't reach IT,
Casting glance below me, I saw with
horror that the flooring had yanished
from upder.m me. Il was swinging sus.
pendedsby my hands high up in the
dome. " - -
Perhaps, II I had dropped at that mo.
ment, might have escaped with only n
serious shaking; hut / besitated, and
was lost. Slowly and steadily, the rope
was being wound up. ! shut my eyes.
Surely this was o 1hideous delusion,
that another momentwould dispel But
no; as looked dewn, the floor below
was almost lost to my sight. There
swnng, q tiny human speck,l halfway
between heaven aud earth. couldn't
hope TO hang On much longer Ny
muscles wee wearied with tletask
had given them. ITmaae atdespepte
effort to raise myself hnhd over hand, $50
that i might grasp. the rope with my
feet also; bnt Il was impossible: could
not do il. Even the desperate energy
iseltpreseryation could extract no
more fotcefrom my muscles; 4 could
only hold on. -.,ss,ss
Twas now on d leselwith the plinth
that slfmonhts the great arches Of the
dome; the gilded groundwork Of q new
fteBeo Id The spandrel cast q asort Of glow
upon me, the colossal fgures seemedto
moekmy ugony. Z u mustlbe halfway
up now, and for the moment q ray Of
hope shone in upon ilne lhatI could
hold on 10 the eend! Bat, TO my des.
saif, j nov saw that the seeming dome
was "a false one, absye which rose the
yeritable conical roof, another hundretl
feet or moro; and that through vast
round oriHee in the sham dome, the
rope was To ascend TO, the tlppertnost
peak OF the roof. In that moment Of
t6fthte, Irec6gnissd my fate As ineyi.
table. i might prolong my agony for
a few seconds; my muscles are inyolun,
tafily relaxing; my grasp would fail; IN
anotherminute ut furthesk ! ntlstfall.
tpbs dasbsd to pieces on the adamahi
tine floor below. eiwil5 gg!Jet iin'L 4
"A lbousanti confused thoughts whirl.
ed through my btaib, Ike the smoke
ind sparks Of an approaching eonaagra;
ton; hut especially clear in my minds
eyeI saw--l did not think, but saw This
yislen4thepicture Of my faIsoa hehe,
the rolling plains of grass, Tie herds
and ifooks, galloping horsemanasthere
was my home. :. My wife, stood in the
portico, shading her eyes with her
hands; the children we're clustering
4sout her; there waS new of father
coming perhaps father himself. II
Shs bitter 10 die thus. ~.