The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-01-01
A RASH ACT.

was found necessary to strengthen it
For this purpose loIty staging was built
around it, which reached from the ground
to the topmost point.
This was scarcely finished when one oi
+l.o r,~in supports sank down somewhat
and the whole staging was pronounced
unsafe. None Of the workmen would
trust themselves upon it. and so it be-
came necessary to take it all down and
rebuild it in a more substantial manner.
This, of course, involved delay; and as
the contractor had other engagements, he
left this for Il time, and took his workmen
elsewhere, intending to return in about
fortnight to repair the spire. During
left standing.
Two or three days after his departure a
crowd of boys stood looking at the spire.
staging, with its intricate network of
beams and boards, and discussing the sit
uation.
II don't see why they left it," said one
of them. ut seems strong enough"
1T seems that it ANT strong enough, at
any rate" said another.
There's great lot Of planks and
posts there, too" said a third.
What a row there'd be if it should all
tumble down." said fourth.
Tumble down." cried the first, with a
laugh. "A likely story! Why, man
alive, that stagins's all right. l heard a
man say So"
Then if it is, why did the contractor
leave it:''
80, that was only an excuse He had
to attend to that bridge at once, so he put
up this staging and then pretended it
wasn't strong enough. He wanted to
make the people here wait. That's what
/ heard a man say"
"Anyhow, l wouldn't like to trust
myself on it."
Pooh - said the speaker
80, it's all very well to say pooh, Tom
Balch, but tell you their amt many
men that would go up there"
Up there:" Why, Id just as soon go
up as not.
"You?"
Yes, me-"
A scorntul laugh was the only reioin.
der.
I'D just as soon go up as not" repeat
ed Tom Balch.
81 Id like to see you try it," said the
other. you look like it,
We'll, you may see me try it, for I'm
going up there" said Tom, walking tow
ard the staging.
The boys stood watching in silence,
thinking that it was only bravado, and
waiting with half smile for the time
when he would turn back; but to their
surprise, he began climbing, and in a few
minutes lie had assembled to height of
nearly forty feet.
village as bolu. rash boy, capable of al.
of 10
boy OF evil propensities; he was honest
and warm-hearted; but his love of ad-
miration was so strong, and his rash dar-
ing SO great, that he had frequently per-
lied his life for no other reason than to
make himself notorious. 1t was this
feeling that animated him to his present
enterprise, and it needed only the chal-
lenge of his playmates to send him up
the perilOus height of the church-spire.
The village had but one street, and the
church was at one end of it. The vii
Layers were all at work in their shops, or
on their farms, or were in their houses
and none were near except Toms friends,
who soon hegan to perceive that Tom was
in earnest, and that the matter was far
more serious than they had at first antici-
pa,ed.
The roof of the church was about fifty
feet high, and the spire rose fifty feet
above this, so that its whole height from
the ground was about hundred feet.
The staging was divided into successive
stories, each of which (about ten feet in
heigh) was formed by loose planks laid
across the raFters, that passed from the
main beams to. the house. Lad
ders passed from one story to another, so
that the whole could be easily climbed.
Up this staging went rash Tom Balch.
He assembled half way without perceiv-
ing any weakness in the structure; and
the impunity with which he had ventured
so far made him determined to go on to
the very top.
He looked back for a moment, waved
his hat triumphantly at his friends be-
low, and then continued his foolish un.
dertaking. The boys below looked up,
but gave no response.
Tom now went On with reckless rap.
idity, surmounting ladder after ladder,
and n@s at ras % afrSss ha floor
OF the staging very perceptible.
He thought this too trifling to call for
special caution. 1t was nothing The said
to HIMSELF more than would be produced
on any staging by the tramp of a man
walking upon its floorings; but as he as.
cended higher the vibration increased,
and this was accompanied by slight
swaying Of the whole structure, that in.
spired alarm at last in the breast of the
thoughtless climber.
A vague fear came to him. Something
Das the matter. But by this time he was
at the top of the staging, and close by the
peak of the spire, with its gilt ball and
iron vane.
But no sooner had he reached the ball
than tire vibrations ceased, and suddenly
the boards on which he stood seemed to
sink beneath him. His first thought was
that u plank had given way. Mechani.
cally he flung himself forward, and
grasped the iron rod of the weathercock
with both hands. The next instant there
was noise like thunder below him, and
down went the whole mass of woodwork
to the ground!
AS it fell, the boys screamed and fed
in different directions, and turning again
and looking up in awful dread, they saw
Tom clinging to the iron vane. His
hands clutched this firmly, and he had
seated himself upon the ball, clasping it
with his legs.
For some time not word was said.
Nothing, indeed, could be said. The
boys stood paralyzed, looking and expect.
ing to see Tom fall. But he held on firm.
ly, and at last his voice came down to
them from his lofty perch and reused
them to action.
Boys" he called, "are you therel''
His back was turned to them where he
sat, SO that he could not see them.
"Yes!" they shouted, in answer.
Go and get help, quick!" was his cry.
At this, the boys all started on the full
run for the village, and spread the news
in all directions. Soon . crowd had
gathered, full of excitement and terror.
As they looked up and saw the boy on his
giddy perch, . feeling Of horror took
possession Of them. But aftsr The nrst