Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-01-01
A RASH ACT.

IOuUu nCtOcS0Ay w oeAS"SSAAA
For this purpose lofty staging was built
ground it. which reached from the ground
20 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 1t be-
came necessary to take it all down and
rehuilg 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 worxmen
elsewhere, intending to return in about
a fortnight to repair the spire. During
his absence the defective staging was to be
left standing.
Two or three days after his departure
crowd of boys stood looking at the spire-
staging, with its intricate network OF
beams and boards, and discussing the sit
uation.
81 don't see why they left it," said one
of them. at seems strong enough"
at seems that it amt strong enough, at
any rate" said another.
aThere's great lot of planks and
posts there, too" said third.
"What row there'd be If it should all
tumble down." said fourth.
"Tumble down." cried the first, with
laugh. "a likely storyt Why, man
alive, that staging's all right l heard
man say So"
"Then if it is, why did the contractor
leave it?'
30, that was only an excuse. He had
to attend to that bridge at once, so he put
wasn't strong enough he wanted to
10 fha papnln hero wait Ihafq what
heard man say"
aAnyhow, | wouldn't like to trust
myself on it,"
"Poohp said the speaker.
40, 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"
I" Yes, me-
A scornful laugh was the only rejoin-
der
"I'd just as soon go up IS not" repeat
ed Tom Balch.
sd like to see you try it," said the
other, 'you look like it,"
swell, you mag see me try it, for m
going up there" said Tora, 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 few
minutes he had assembled TO height OF
nearly forty feet
Tom Balch was known throughout the
village as bold. rash boy, capable OF al
most any act of daring. He was not
boy of evil propensities; he was honest
and warm hearted; but his love OF ad-
miration was SO strong, and has rash OAR
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 began to perceive that Tom was
in earnest, and that the matter was FAR
more serious than they had at first anticl-
pated
The roof of the church was about fifty
feet high, and the spire rose fifty leet
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
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, 80
that the whole could he easily climbed.
Up this staging went rash Tom Balch.
lie assembled half way without perceiv-
ing any weakness in the structure; and
the impunity with which he had ventured
30 far made him determined TO go on TO
the very top.
He looked back for moment, waved
his hat triumphantly at his friends be-
low, and then continued his foolish I'M
dertaking. The boys below looked up,
Dat gave no response.
Iem now went on with sreekless rap
ldity, surmounting ladder after ladder,
and hurrying across the successive floor
ings ct q rate which made the vibration
OF the.staging very perceptible.
He thought this too trifiing to call for
special caution. 1t was nothing (he said
to himself more than would be produced
on any staging by the tramp OF a man
walking upon its foorings; but az he as
cended higher the vibration increased,
and this was accompanied by slight
swaying of the whole structure, that In
spired alara at last in the breast OF the
thoughtless climber.
A vague feaa came to him. Something
was the matter But by this time he was
Ut the top Of the staging, and close by the
peak of the spire, with It's gilt ball ana
iron vane.
But no sooner had he reached the ball,
than TIE vibrations ceased, and suddenly
The boards ON which he stood seemed 10
sink beneath him. His first thought was
mat 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
aown went the whole mass Of woodwork
70 the ground!