Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-03-30

VVVTAS0Ue u0OuVN 0O1 VDO AAAO s11s - 1A1V-
ment. The handle Of the winch had been
imper:ectly secured; the jerk and the
subsequent weight had overcome the re-
sistance, and, trusting wholly to the
rope. he had slipped from his footing.
The hope occurred to me that the evident
resistance which still restrained the free
revolutions of the winch might prevent
the descent being so rapid Us to endanger
life or limb; SO that he would possibly
land in safety with only severe fright
and shaking. These thoughts crowded
pell nell upon my mind, at the first
shock Of surprise. But conceive my hor-
ror when, with loud jar, the noise Of
the wheels ceased, and the ropes ny
longer descended.
':How I started! lie has let 20,
thought I, and listened brcathlessly, in
sichening expectation Of the crash which
l conceived must follow. But all was
still; and mechanically I crawled up to
the edge Of the hole and leaned over,
thinking 10 sec his crushed body in a
CHASTITY heap below me.
"No! About five.and.twenty feet
down, vibrating in sheer space, was sus.
pended my poor friend, at a height Of at
least fifty feet above the stone flooring Of
the nave. He was in the very midst of
the stream Of the light that poured
through the clere.story windows. In
some way or another he had relieved the
strain on his hands by getting his leg
over the hook at the end of the rope. |
called to him to hold fast for while, and
to keep up his courage; but never shall
forget his dcspairing eyes. nor the hoarse
agonizing whisper that replied: 4 can't
hold on! I'm numbed. Loose the
winch! Be quick, for Gods sake!'
"Waiting for no further suggestion, l
rushed back again to the staircase and
found in the darkness, almost BY intui.
tion, the steps which led still upwards and
as panied in ascent, remembered that
| came to the edge Of sheer depth, and
l drew back. scarcely conscious of the
danger. I listened intently for any
sound from below, but heard nothing;
and at length, in what must have been an
incredibly short space Of time, breathless
and gasping, emerged on the rough un.
even flooring Of the higher story Of the
tower. Trembling, crept carefully for.
ward to the center of the space and found
the winch standing over an opening cor.
responding to the one below. I eagerly
looked down. and could just sec that
something was still suspended in the
now partially obscured light. l shouted
again and again words Of encouragement
and hope; but there was no reply. With
sickening thrill set to work to exam.
inc the winch, and found, as supposed,
that the handle had been cntangled in the
COTS Of rope, from which l had some
difficulty in the darkness in extricating
it. But once released allowed it to re.
volvc slowly, until I felt that there was
no further strain upon it. Scarcely, how.
ever, had the assurance Of Symes securi.
ty dawncd upon me as possibility when
deadly laintness crept over me, and
think for minute or two lost conscious.
ness.
'SHow succeeded in getting down With
out disaster through that perilous lab.
yrinth can form no idea, nor have any
recollection. remember devoutly thank.
ing God as stepped out from the door
OF the transcpt on to the floor Of the
nave.
'Here I am, old fellow - cried aloud
to Symes. and sprang forward into the
open space.
There was no reply. My heart beat
violently! Could he have gone home and
left me there! The moonbeams had
sloped farther up the building, leaving
the center aisle in deep gloom. Creeping
forward in vague terror I almost stun.
bled over the body of my fricnd, appa.
rcntly lifeless, but still clinging to the
rope. With trembling haste I Olsen.
tangled his limbs and drew him on to the !
mat beside the vcrger's bench, where I |
lett him for a moment while / rushed for |
assistance. But conceive again my blank |
dispair when I found the door, which shut !
with a spring, locked, and the key l |
couldn't tell where! I had prob.
ably laid it down in some forgctful mo.
ment, and was locked in, with man DIV |
ing or dead under my charge.
Il shouted; | beat l kicked; upon
the door, in the vain hope of being heard |
by some stray passenger but there was
no house within fifty yards, and I had
heard the clock strike ten some time IT,
fore. Wild with desperation, I ran back
to my inanimate companion. By this
time l had become so used to the obscu.
rity as to he able to discern that while |
had been away he had lifted his arm on
to the bench although there was still no
further signs of consciousness. Such mo.
ments, my dear fellow, make one religious
if nothing else does. I do not know
whether you have ever experienced de.
l'verancc from extreme peril but I as.
sure you that the conviction that poor /
Symcs was not dead brought me upon my |
knees. in thankfulness for the mercy |
that had protected US in such an awful |
crisis"
II was overcome with WEAKNESS and |
weakness holding the hand ofmy uncon.
sci5us friend, and almost think that l |
was DOING when heard the sound of an
opening door and friendly voices. Icried
aloud, and We were at once surrounded |
with lights and eager, frightened, inquir. I
ing faces, besieging me with questions, |
which for the time was altogether un
able to answer. Symes, still inscnsible,
was carried to his lodgings on the other |
side of the green, whittier l followed him
and waited for more than half an hour,
until the doctor came and told me that he
was partly conscious, but must not be on
any account disturbed or excited by see.
ing anybody. He said he would remain
with him through the night; and l re.
turned with anxious thoughts and OK.
hausted fra,ne,but with grateful heart,
to my own nome.
ut turned out that little Jimmy Ok.
ley had been the means of bringing us
the aid that we had despaired of. My old
had come into my room here
Two or three times during my absence
and could not understand my leaving the
light burning if I had intended to be away
so long. She went over to Oxley's and
the circumstance, on which
the vcrger said: why, my boy left
them in the cathedral an hour ago. And
you may depend upon it, he added that
they've agone and locked themselves in,
and that ere young fellow has been and
lost the key, and they can't got out !!
Which turned out to be pretty nearly
the truth. And now, let US have some
tea" sT~* ~4S'-1@ -.