American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-01-10
A RASH ACT.


was found necessary to strengthen it.
For this purpose lofty staging was built
around it which reached from the ground
to the topmost point.
This was scarcely finished when one OF
the main 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 time, and took his workmen
elsewhere, intending to return in about
fortnight TO repair the spire. During
his absence the defective staging was TO be
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.
Il don't see why they left it," said one
of them. at seems strong enough"
ut seems that it aint strong enough, at
any rate" said another.
There's a great lot of planks and
posts there. too" said a third.
"What 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 staging's all right. 1 heard a
man say sou
Then if it is, why did the contractor
leave its"
20, that was only an excuse. He had
to attend to that bridge at once, SO he put
up this staging and then pretended il
wasn't strong enough. He wanted to
make the people here wait That's what
heard q man say"
Apvbow wouldn't like to trrs
myself on it,"
Pooh ~ said the speaker.
90, it's all very well to say pooh, Tom
Balch, but l tell you their amt many
men that would go up there"
Up therey" Why, I'd just as soon go
up as not.
Your"
A scornful laugh was the only rejoin-
der
I'D just as soon go up as not" repeat
ed Tom Balch.
I'd like to see you try it," said the
other, you look like it."
"Well, you may see me try it, for l m
going up there" said Tom, walking tow
ard the stag ing.
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 he had assembled to a height of
nearly forty feet
Tom Balch was known throughout the
village as a bolu. rash boy, capable of al
most any act of daring. He was not a
boy OF evil prOpensities; he was honest
and warm-hearted; but his love of ad-
ing so great, that he had frequently per
1ad his M har n
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 tegan to perceive that Tom was
in earnest, and that the matter was far
more serious than they had at first antici-
pated
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 a hundred feet.
The staging was divided into successive
stories, each of which about ten feet in
height 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, surrounding ladder after ladder,
and hurrying across the successive floor
ings at rate which made the vibration
of the staging very perceptible.
He thought this too triding to call for
special caution. 1t was nothing Che said
to HIMSELF more than would be produced
on any Staging by the tramp of man
walking upon its hoOrings; 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
scds 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 TIE vibrations ceased, and suddenly
the boards on which he stood seemed to
sink beneath him. His first thought was
that 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 groundl
As it fell, the boys screamed and fled
in different directions, and turning again
and looking up In awful dread, they saw
Tom clinging to the iron yane. His
hands clutched this firmly, aud he had
seated himself upon the ball, {. asping it
with his legs.
For some time not a 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 there?"
His back was turned to them where he
sat, so that he could not see them.
"Yesr' they shouted, in answer.
$50 and get help, quick !" was his crv.
AT this, the boys all started on the fItl
run for the village, and spread the news
In all directions Soon a crowd had
gathered, full of excitement and terror.
As they looked up and saw the boy ON his
giddy perch, a feeling Of horror took
possession of them. But after the first
shock was over, they called to him, and
found that he was not exhausted and that
he was not dizzy. These two facts in