Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-07-10
Adventure with . Mailman.

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Won funk II 80 [ thought you had more
pluck than to stick at little thing like
that. Suppose the spire is hundred and
fifty feet high. why there are ladders all
the way up. and isn't it just as easy TO
mount the hundredth step as the first =
urged nv adventurous c0mrade, as he
looked gistfully UP at the tall, tapering
steepIe which the workmen were then
newly painting.
II tell you what, Willie, don't see the
use of running the risk of breaking our
necks in the attempt. For you, who have
so lately recovered from the brain fever, IL
would be the height Of folly" :.
afr so. Tom, it's folly's height itself
I'm going to climb to, and within ten
minutes / will be astride Of the weather
cock. Good-by, my boy; I'm sorry you
haven't the courage TO follow" and whist
ling lively tune Willie Bradney walked
toward the church porch.
| was now ashamed TO hang back; L
knew that the next day Willie's adventure
would make him the hero Of the school
position which we were ever struggling
for in jealous rivalry; go ere he reached
the church porch overlook him ana sig
nifed my intention OF sharing the adyen-
ture.
"Thats right old fellow" was the re-
tort; "but come, be quick before the WORK
men return from dinner" and passing IN
to the belfry we assembled the steep wind
ing steps Of the tower and soon gained the
battlements.
So far all was well. We had already
assembled one hundred feet from the
ground; but above us rose the tall, taper
ing spire to height Of hundred and
fifty more, its corinthian pinnacle sur
mounted by the glittering weathercock,
which had been newly gilded. The as
| cent had To be made by ladders which
were bound to each other, and secured
| tightly to the stone work.
/ glanced at Bradney. He seemed cool
and determined. His right foot was al
ready on the ladder.
$50 on" said, eff you are resolved,
I'm with YOU" and away he went and
after him.
There is nothing much easifr than get
ting up ladder. / took care to grasp my
way tightly with my hands, and neither to
look up nor down. Willie, however,
climbed much faster than l. though un.
accustomed to the work. We both often
paused to rest.
| At last heard him shout
Here's pretty go, Martin! this con
founded pinnacle projects matter Of two
feet above the top bar Of the ladder.
| don't see how to Chamber over it,"
| "Come down, then, like a sensible fel
low" cried, for heartily wished the adj
| venture was over
"Oh, go to Bath!p was the courteous
retort and, looking up, / perceived Brad
ney's legs dangling in the air, as he en-
deavored TO Chamber over the projecting
stoncwork to reach the iron vane.
In this he succeeded | was equally
lucky. A moment later, aided by the
| cross bars which marked the points of the
| compass, we assembled the huge weather
cock and sat astride Of it, facing each
| other.
| II was then that the horror of our situa
| ton seemed first to burst upon each OF
US. looked down, and two hundred and
| fifty feet below laid the town, and the
great square, filled with people, evidently
| intcntly gazing up at US, and looking nc
| bigger than dolls. Then glancing at the
church-yard directly beneath, it presented
| the appearance Of small, level grass
| plat, with white mice running over it, fol
| TO my bewildercd vision the very grave
stones seemed to move felt that | was
becoming dizzy the flaky clouds above
seemed to flash by with sickening rap
| idity, and / threw my arms backward
round the tail Of the cock for support.
AT this moment Il hollow, harsh laugh
| broke from my companion; for the frs
| time looked in his face, and the terrible
expression depicted there shall never for
get.
His eyes flashed lurid and wild, his face
was pale as corpse, and light foam
stood upon his lips.
isn't this glorious?" he screamed, will
another maniacal laugh, fright to TIL,
blazing sun, l tell you, we are soaring
fast. Look at the gaping crowd below
All! all they can't stay US. There's thu
old church tower, too, should say mile
down; but where is the spire-the tai
spire we climbed up once? tits gone
never mind! Oh, brave bird!" and hi
struck the cock with the flat of his hand
as If to encourage its flight.
A terrible thought struck me. My
friends reason, SO lately Frustrated witt
brain fever, had left him. | was alone
with mailman!
This idea was soon confirmed Agar
rang forth the shrill, hollow laugh, anG
again Bradney shouted, with the accents
of delirium:
"Ah! ali! Faster and faster! Sec the
blood-r red clouds above and below us The
world is gone! There is the sun. ball Of
fire; and we are sailing into its very vor
tex. ! say, Martin, let us throw ourselves
off this stupid birds back; we shall get
along faster without him."
mo, no, Bradney Pm tired, and like
riding; let us stop where we are" l re-
piled, for knew il was the best way to
humor mailman; but my words had nc
effect. With an unnatural chuckle, he
answered me:
mo! no, my boy, you promised to fol
low me, and you shall come off with me-
or I'll pull you off by main force. We
fly SO fast that if we don't take the leap
at the same moment, one will be dropped
twenty, ell, thirty miles behind"
He crept toward me as he spoke, still
clutching and mouthing. i saw his in.
tention. l again glanced below; more
fearful than ever seemed to me the fearful
depth at my feet.
Tighter, with the tenacity of despair,
grasped the tail of the gifded bird; but
what would that avail against the strength
of maniac! AT this moment gust of
wind caused the vane to spin round from
aao o. IN xl,at n.