The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1874-03-24

y
Il am carpenter; perhaps / can do
It."
He ttirned eagerly toward me.
II will make it worth your while
Take down that cross, and will pay
you hundred dollars. You will have
to ascend those ornamental blocks, and
I tell you candidly they are not to he
depended on They must be weak and
rotten, for they have been there for
years"
l looked up at the spire it was square
at the base and tapered to a sharp point,
while along each angle were nailed
small gilded blocks of wood
:'lt's dangerous place TO work."
said, "and there will be even more peril
in descending than ascending. Suppose
I succeed in moving the cross, and
then"
''If any accident happens to you, my
brave fellow, the money shall be paid
to your family. Ipromise you that
Give me your address"
"Here it is" / said, sand as you val
ue your soul keep your word with me
NV wife and children are starving, or l
would not attempt this work If Idle,
thev can live on the hundred dollars
for while, until my sick wife RECEIVERS
her strength Ha JaeF
"I'll make it a hundred and ffty,'
exclaimed the architect, "and may God
protect you" fl had the skill neces-
sary to ascend that steeple, would ask
no man to risk his life there. But come,
and keep steady hand and eye"
/ followed him into the church, then
up into the spire, until we paused be-
fore narrow window. This was the
point from which i must start on my
perilous feat which had undertaken.
Casting single glance at the people
in the street below-mere specks in the
distance-I reached out from the win
dow, and, grasping one of the ornanien-
tai blocks, swung myself out from the
spire. et' 10 hs q 1ia1 i.a,2o3 = z
For an instant my courage faltered,
but the remembrance of nv starving
| family came to my aid, and, with ST.
lent prayer for protection and success,
| I placed my hand on the next block
above my head, and clambered up.
From block to block ] went, steadily
and cautiously, trying each one ere I
trusted my weight upon it.
Two. thirds of the space had been
passed, when suddenly the block that
supported me moyed-gave away o,
heavens never, though 1 should live
to see hundred years, shall / cease to
shudder at the recollection of that ter
rible moment
Yet even in the midst of my agony Jas
I felt myself slipping backward, 1 die
not for one second lose my presence o.
mind. -,43J aii
/ 1t seemed to me that never before hai
my senses been so naturally acute a!
then, when horrible death seemed inc
vitable
Down, down. I slipped, grasping a
| each block as passed it by. until a
5 length my fearful course was arrested
and then, while my head reeled with th
sudden reaction, great shout cam
t tlfrom the people below
n "Come down! come down. Gale,
i. the architect from the window; s'hal
the sum shall be yours for the risk yo
have run, Don't try it again. Com
V down." 6v.fgsxlIgg
e But no; more than ever now l. wa
Y determined to succeed. ! was not on
to give up after having undertaken
It difficult task ......s-. ..,as.
Coolly but. cautiously Commence
IN the ascent once more, first seeking
1t vain to reach across to the next row {
lr blocks,for / did not dare to trust myse
!; again on that which had proved s
IS treacherous. This I was compelled
u do, however, until the space betwee
/ the angles became sufficiently small
re allow me to swing across, Accompls
/. ing my purpose at length, ! went l
3 more rapidly, carefully testing eat
80 block as proceeded
ofl Ere long reached the cross, an
e there / paused to rest, looking dow
from the dizzy height with coolne
d that even then astonished me. ,t
s. A few strokes with a light hatch
THAT the architect had hung at my bac
/ and piece by piece the rotten cross fl
ed to- the ground,
NV work was done, and, as the Ia
I'd fragment disappeared, / found 81
,e, pleasure in the thought that, should
ly never reach the ground alive, my de
ones would have ample means to su
rn ply their wants until my wife could fl
at Employment.
ad a Steadily and cautiously | lower
N, myself from block TO block, and
length reached the spire window amid
IT the cheers of those assembled in t
h street l II Has g ,a~a
s, : Inside the steeple the architect plac
ce, a roll Of bank notes in my hand. So
lin "You have well earned the money
he said. cit does me good to see
,r; man with so much nerye-but-blt
or me! what is the matter with your hal
ed 1t was black before you made the
ay cent, now it is gray
,ut And so it was. That moment of
tense agony, while slipping downwa
net had blanohed my hair, until il appear
like that of an old man. The work
ess years had been done in an instant.
ch, Entering the bare,l cheerless ro'
at which was now all / called my home
found visitor awaiting me--my
, employer. 80 4af
Harvey" said he, extending
by, hand, II have done great wrong.
ich cost me terrible pang to believe
md your gifilt, but circumstances were
an, strongly against you that ] was for
ing to believe it l have found the ct
me Harvey; it slipped under the SCI
oss drawer in my desk Can you tore
me, dear old friend ?" "a.
rev My heart was too full to speak.
'het silently pressed his hand.
irs, 81 will undo the wrong I have de