Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-01-15
A Story for the Boys.

The sp,re OF The church at Benton had been
looseued during great gale, aud 1t wau found
necessary to strengthen it. For this purpose LOT
ty staging was built around 1t, whch reached |
from the ground to the topmost point
This was scarcely finished when one OF the main
supports sank down somewhat, aud the whole
staging was pronounced unsafe. Mono OF the
workmeu would trust themselves upon 1t, and SO
it became necessary to take it all down and re-
build it IN more substantial manner.
This of course, involved time and as the con-
tractor had other engagements he left this for a
time and took his workmen elsewhere, intending
to return In about fortnight TO repair the spre
Daring his absP Ice the detective staging was to
be lett ste nj ng.
Two or three days alter his departure crowd
of boys stood looking at the spirr staging. with
Its intricate network ot beams ana boards, and
discussing the situation.
81 don't see why they isit IT," sait one OF them
alt seems strong enough"
1t seems tnat 1t amt strong enough, NJ any
rate" said another.
There's great lot ot planks aud posts there,
too said thru.
"What a row thsre'd be if it should all tumble
down." said Il fourth
"Tumbe dowa7 :" cried the first with laugh.
"A likely story Why, man alive, that stagings
all right i heard man say So"
"Iheu, If it is, why did the contractor leave it
80 that was only an excuse. Ito mad to attend
TO that bridge at once, so he put up this staging.
wanted to iAake the people here WIT that's
what heard u man say.
"Anyhow, l wouldn't IKE 10 trust myself on it"
.'Pooh ~ SAID the first speaker.
80, it's all very well to say pooh Tom b.dCh,
but 1 can tell you there ami many men that
would go up there
"Up there Why Id just as soon go up there
as not"
'YouT"
A .cornluI LAUGH was the only rploinder
81 would Just soon 60 up as not" repeated
Tom Balch.
"Pd like to see you try it, sad the otLer
You look like IL
well, you may sac hue try it, tOr. I'm going up
there" said Tom. walking toward the staging
The boys stood watching in silence, thinking
that it was only bravndn, and waiting with a half
smile for the tim w;'"u he would turn back /;
but, to their surprs', hs began climbing, and IN
A few minutes hc .A! iscended TO height OF
nearly forty feet
Tom Balch WAS known throughout the village,
as bold, rash boy. capable OF almost any act OF
daring lie was not a boy Of evil propensties +;
he was honest and warm. hearted but his love OF
admiration was so strong and his rash daring 80
great that he had frequently ferlled his liie ior
no other reason than 10 make himself notorious.
1t was this feeling that animated HIM to his
present enterprise, and 1t needed only the chal-
lepge of his piaymatcs to send HIM up the peril
ous height OF the church spire.
The village had but one street. and the church
was at one end OF it, The villagers werei al work
in their shops on their farms or were in thelI
houses and none were near except Toms friends,
who soon began to perceive that .om was Is In
earnest, and that the matter was far more serious
than they had at first anticipated
The rooi of the church was about nifty ieel hien
and the spire fifty feet above this, so that Its
whole height from the ground was about a hun
dred feet The staging was divided into success
i've sto. es each OF which about ten feet in height
was formed by loose planks laid across the raft
era, that passed from the main Jeans 10 the house
Ladders passed from one story to another so that
the whole could be easily climbed.
Tn this staging went rash Tom Balcb. He as
cended Ealf way without percevins any weakness
In the structure; aud the mpunity with which
he had yentured 30 tar made hln determined
10 90 on TO the very top.
He looked back for II moment waved his ha
triumphantly at his friends below, and then con
tinued his foolish undertaking. The boys below
looked up, but gave no response
ION now went on with reckless rapidity, sur
mounting ladder after ladder, and hurryin.
across the successive loorngs at rate which
made the vibration of the staging very perceptl
bic.
He thought this too trifing to call for spccia
attention. II wes nothing, he said to himself
more than would be produced on any staging b,
the tramp OF man walking upon Its hoorlngs
hut as he assembled higher the vibration increased
and this was acco npanied by slight swaying o
the whole structure, that inspired alarm at las
In the breast of the thoughtless climber.
vague fear came to him. Something was th
matter But by this time he was at the top O
the staging and close by the peak OF the spirt
with It's gilt ball and iron vane.
But no sooner had he reached the ball than tn
vibrations ceased, and suddenly the boards o
which he stood seemed to sink beneath him. IL
first thought was that plank had given away
Mechanically he flung himself forward, and grasl
ed the iron rod of the weathercock with bot
hands The next instant there was noise hk
thunder below him, and down went the whol
mass of wood dwork to the ground
As 1t fell, the boys screamed and hed In dltfe
ent directions and turning again aud looking u
in awful dread, they saw Tom cllnging to the iro
yane His hands clutched this firmly, aud he ha
seated himself upon tle ball clasping 1t with
legs. ~,
For some time not word was said Nothin
indeed, could be said. The boys stood paralyze
looking and expecting to see Tom fall But
held on firmly laud at last his voice came dow
to them from his lofty perch and reused them
early actos.
"Boys," he called, 'ars you there"
Hus back was turned to them where he sat,
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 full run Tor q