Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-12-12

y
to ascend by those ornamental blocks,
and tell you candidly they are not to.
be depended upon. They must be
weak and rotten, for they have been
there for years." .... 4. ",
= I looked up at the spire; twas square
at the base, and tapering to q sharp
point, while along, each angle were
nailed small gilded blocks OF wood.
cit is a dangerous place to work" !" I
said, and there will be even more peril
in descending than ascending. Sup
pose succeed in removing the cross,
and then" '...e .s.
eff any accident happens to you, my
brave fellow, the money shall be paid
to your family. I promise you that;
give me your address"
"Here it is," I said, "and as you
value your soul. keep your word with
me. My wife and children are starving,
or would not attempt this work. If I
die, they can live on the hundred dol
lars for while, until my wife RECEIVERS
her strength"
"Ill make it q hundred and ffty"
exclaimed the architect, and may God
protect you. If I had the skill neces-
sary to ascend the steeple, I would ask
no man to risk his life there. But
come and keep steady hand and eye. l"
I followed him into the church, then
up in the spire, uutil we now paused
before narrow window. This was the
point from which must start on the
perilous feat which I had undertaken.
Casting single glance at the people in
the street below-mere specks in the
distance-I reached out from the win
dow, and grssping one of the ornament
al blocks, swung myself out from the
spire. 7H.'' ~
For instant my courage faltered,
but the remembrance OF my starving
family came to my aid, and, with o 81
lent prayer for protection and success,
/ placed my hand on the next block
above my head and clambered up.
From block to block I went, steadily
and cautiously, trying each one ere I
trusted my weight upon it. ...
Two-thirds Of the space had been
passed when suddenly the block that
me moved-gave way. o
Never, then, should I live to
see hundred years, shall I cease to
at the recollections of that hor-
rible moment.
Yet even in the midst of my agony,
as I felt myself slipping backward, I
did not tor one moment lose my pres
ence of mind.
It seemed to me that never had my
senses been 80 naturally accute as then,
when horrible death seemed inevit-
able. .t.... ..t
Down, down I slipped, grasping at
each block as passed it by, until at
length my fearful course was arrested;
and then, while my head reeled with
sudden reaction, great shout came up
from the people below.
"Come downl come DOWN. called
the architect from the window; "half
the sum shall be yours for the risk you
have run. Don't try it again. Come
DOWN. 49,. ..'. " ~
But no; more than ever now was
determined to succeed. I was not one
TO give up after having undertaken a
difficult task. f.
Coolly but cautiously T commenced
the ascent once more, first seeking in
vain to reach across to the next row of
blocks, for I did not dare to trust my
self again on that which had proved SO
treacherous. This I was compelled to
do, however, until the space between
the angles became sufficiently small to
allow me to swing across. Accomplish
ing my purpose at length, I went up
more radidly, carefully testing each
block as proceeded. s--
Ere long reached the cross, and
there l paused to rest, looking down
from the dizzy height with GOODNESS
that even astonished me. ....
A few strokes with q light hatchet
that the architect had hung at my back,
and piece by piece the rotten cross fell
to the ground. a'r 'f.e H I'D s.
+. My work was done, and as the last
fragment disappeared, I found sad
pleasure in the thought that should I
never reach the ground alive, my dear
ones would have ample means to sup
ply their wants until my wife could find
employment. IN ,,4a ..i. ...T
Steadily and cautiously lowered
myself from block to block, and at
length reached the spire window amidst
the cheers of those assembled in the
street. 1,4',1 ,,is.i. TO- s...,... .. - ...-
. Inside the steeple the architect placed
a roll Of bank notes in my hand. 70
" "You have well earned the money
he said. i"It does me good to see q
man with 20 much nerve---but-blsss
me what is the matter with your hairq
It vas black before you made the ascent,
and now il is gray" .t .ai
n And 80 it was. The moment of in
tense agony while slipping 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 cheerless room
which was now all I called my home, I
found . visitor awaiting me---my late
employer. ,.f 'ra
Harvey" said he. extending his