The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1873-03-04
4 Daring Feat.


Remarkable for its spire--ihe loftiest
one of ST Petersburg-is the Church of
St. Peter and st. Paul. An snecdote
connected with this church, and not
known, We believe, out Of Russia, is
worth telling. The spire, which rises ]
Lofty, and Light, and Small"
zDd is properly represented in an en-
craving as fading away almost into a
pointin the sky, is in reality terminated
by a globe of considerable dimensions,
op which an angel stands supporting a
large cross. This angel was out of re-
pair, and some suspicious were enter
tanned that he designed wishing, uninvo-
ked, the surface of the earth. The af-
fair caused Some uneasiness. and the
at length became greatly
To raise the scaffolding to
such height would cost . large sum of
money, ana in meditating frui,lessly on
this circumstance, without knowing
how to act, some time was suffered TO
elapse.
Among the crowd of ,gazers below,
who daily turned their .eyes and
thoughts toward-the angel, was q ,mujik
called Tclouchkine This man was q
roofer of houses Ia slater, as he would
be called in counties where states were
used !; and his specu!ations by degrees
assumed more practical character than
the idle wonders and coDjectures of The
rest of the crowd The spire was en-
tirely covered with sheets of gilded
copper, and presented to the eve a sur
face a. smooth as if it hsA heen one
mass of FURNISHED gold. But TeIouch!
kline knew that the sheets Of copper
were not even uniformly, closed npon
each other, and, above sll, that there
were large nails used to fasten them,
which epy pyojected from the sides aof the
spire. Having thought of these cir
cumstances till his mind was made mp,
Telouchkine went to. the Government,
and offered to repair the angel, without
scaholding and without assistance, oh
condition of being reasonably paid fer
the time expended in the labor. The
offer was accepted e si5sas n
The day fixed for the adventure ar
rives. Telouchkine, provided . with
nothing more than coil Of ropes, as
cends the spire in the interior to the last
window Here lie looks down at the
concourse of the people below, and up
at the glittering "needlc, as it is called,
tapering far above his head. But bis
heart does not fail him, and stepping
bravely out upon the window, he sets
about his task. s. ifsisgifo q 80
He cuts portion of the cord in Tie
form of two large stirrups, with a LOOP
at each end The upper loops he fas
tened upon two of the projecting nails
above his head, and places his feet il
the Others. Then digging the fingers
of one hand into the interstices of thu
sheets OF copper, he raises one OF thu
stirrups With the other hand, SO as Il
make it estes :naif higher upsss fh'
same operation is performed on behal
of the other leg, and so on alternately
And thus be climbs, step, by step, ant
stirrup by stirrup, till his starting poin
is undistinguished from the golden sur
face, and the spire dwinflles in bis EN-
brace till he can clasp it all around.
So far so well. But now he has reach
ed the ball-a globe Of between min
and ten feet in circumference. The an
1 gel, the object of his visit, is above thi
ball, and concealed from his view bysit
smooth, round, and glittering expanse
Only fancy Telouehkine at this momen
turning up bis grave eyes, and grave
beard, to an obstacle that seems to def.
the daring and intrepidity Of man! e
But Telouchkine is not dismayed. II
is prepared for the difficulty, and th
means ile.usedfto surmount it exhibit
the same remarkable, simplicity as tn
rest of the feat. Suspending himself j
bis stirrups, he girds the "needle" wit
a cord, the end of which ne fasten
Iaround his waist; and so supported, b
leans gradually back till the soles of hi
feet are planted against the spire, ]
this position lie throws, by a strong e
lfort; coil Of rope over the ball; an
SO coolly and accurately is the aim 7
ken, that at the fist trial it falls in I'll
required direction, and he secs the en-
hang down on the opposite side. W
To draw himself into bis original p'
sition, to fasten the cord firmly aroun
the globe, and with the assistance I
this auxiliary to climb to the summit,
now an easy part of his task, and in
flew minutes more Telouchkinea stant
by the side, of the angel, and listens
1.-THE shout that bursts like sudden thu
der from the conconrse sbelow,yet com
to his ears like faint and hollow mu
lmur.
The cord. which he had an orport
nifty of fastening properly, enabled hi
to descend with comparative facility
, and the next day he carried up with hi
, a ladder Of ropes, by means Of whit
he found it easy to effect the nceessa
! repairs. eS S@lFsJf
Il ~ s.----.-- = ---