Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1874-07-22
Whole No. 154.

and set resolutely to work to find a
new employer.
Powerful is the breath of sland-
er; turn which way l might, I ever
found that the story of my dismiss
al for theft had proceeded me, and
application for employment uni
formly met with refusal.
Time went on; piece by piece Of
furniture, and every spare article
of clothing, found its way to the
pawnbroller's until at length even
this poor resource failed us, and
my children cried in vain for food.
Yet | did not sit down in idle dis
pair; | could not afford to do so !;
the life or death OF all / loved or
earth depended on my exertion,
and so, turning away with heavy
heart, | once more set out on the
weary search for work.
All in vain refusal after refusal
met my entreaties for employment,
and l was turning homeward with
a listless step, when passing an i'm
mense church was attracted by q
group of men at its base.
Impelled by some strange i'm
pulse, l approached and mingled
with them.
A workman was standing near
by, looking up at the great stecple,
which lowered aloft some two hun
dred and fifty feet above them,
while a gentleman evidently an
architect, was addressing him in
earnest language at the same time
pointing toward the golden cross
at the summit of the spirc.
II tell you y he exclaimed, as l
drew near, sit must and can be
done. The cross must be taken
down, or the first heavy gale will
send it down into the street, and
lives will be lost. Coward is this
the way you back out of job after
engaging to do it l
81 didn't know the spire was so
high up there. Do it yourself if
you want it done
Il would if l were able," said the
architect. "But go if you will ;
let it be. My honor is pledged to
have it done at any price, and I
can find a bravcr man than you to
do it,"
The carpenter walked OF with O
dogged, slouching step, and the
gentleman was about to move away
also, when l stepped forward.
"What is it you want done ?" I
asked. 81 am carpenter per-
haps ! can do it,
He turned eagerly toward me.
81 will make it worth your while.
Take down that cross and | will
pay you n hundred dollars. You
will have to ascend those ornamen-
tai blocks, and tell you candidly
they are not to be depended on.
They must be weak and rotten,
for they have been there for years"
looked up at the spirc it was
square at the base and tapered to
sharp point, while along each
angle were nailed small gilded
blocks of wood.
ats dangerous place to work"
l said "and there will be even more
peril in decending than ascending.
Suppose I succeed in moving the
cross, and then"
"If any accident happens to you
my brave fellow, tho money shall
be paid to your family. I promise
you that. Give me your address"
"Here il is" l said, "and as you
value your soul keep your word
with me. Ny wife and children
are starving, or l would not at
tempt this work. If / die they can
live on the hundred dollars for a
while, until my sick wife RECEIVERS
her strength"
IL will make it a hundred and
fifty" exclaimed the architect, "and
may God protect you. If I had
the skill necessary to ascend that
steeple, l would ask no man to risk
his life there. But come, and keep
a steady hand and eye
followed him into the church,
then up into the spire, until we
paused before q narrow window.
This was the point from which |
was to start on my pcrilous feat
which / had undertaken.
Casting o single glance at the
people in the street bclow-mere
specks in the distance reached
out from the window, and, grasp
ing one of the ornamental blocks,
s..,,,.,e. r,rsnlf n,,t from tho snirn