Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-09-07
ADVENTURE With 4 MADMAK.

swell, Tom, you don't mean to say
YOU funk it9 thought you had more
pluck than to stick at little thing like
That Suppose The spire is hundred
and fifty feet high; why, there are lad
ders all the way up, and isn't it just as
easy to mount the hundredth step as
the first 2" urged my adventurous COM
rade, as he looked wistfully mp at the
tall, tapering steeple which the work
men were then Iewly painting.
IL tell you what, Willie, l don't see
the use of running the risk of breaking
our neeks in the attempt. For you, who
have so lately recovered from brain
fever, it would be the height OF folly" "
eff so, Tom, it's folly's height itself
I'm going to climb to, and within ten
minutes I'll be astride of the weather
cock. Goodbye, my boy; I'm sorry
you haven't the courage to follow ); and,
whistling lively tune. Willie Bradney
walked toward the church porch.
Iwas now ashamed to hang back; l
knew that the next day Willie's sdven-
ture would make him the hero OF the
school-a position which we were ever
struggling for in jealous rivalry; so, ere
he reached the church porch, / overlook
him and signified my intention OF shar-
ing the adventure.
"That's right, old fellow" was the
retort; "but come, be quick, before the
workmen return from dinner" and,
passing into the belfry, he assembled the
steep winding steps of the tower, and
soon gained the battlements.
So far all was well. We had already
ascended one hundred feet from the
ground but above us rose the tall,
tapering spire to height of hundred
and fifty feet more-its Corinthian pin
nacle surmounted. by the glitterine
weathercock, which had been newly
gilaed. The ascent had to be made by
ladders, which were bound to each Other
and secured tightly to the stonework.
I glanced at Bradney. He seemed
cool and determined. His right foo
was already on the ladder.
eco on" said ;" If you are re
solved, I'm with you," and away h'
went, and after him.
There is nothing much easier thai
getting up a ladder. took care t.
grasp my way tightly with boil
hands, and neither to look up nor down
Willie, however, climbed much taste
than 7, though unaccustomed to tn
work. We both often paused to rest.
At last 1 heard him shout
"Here's a pretty GO, Martin ! thi
confounded pinnacle projects matte
of two feet above the top bar of the lad
der. I don't see how to Chamber owe
it."
"Come down, then, like sensibl
fellow" cried, for heartily wlshe
the adventure over.
ooh, 60 to Bath !" was the courteou
retort, and looking up l perceived BraG
ney's legs dangling in the air, as he er
deavored to Chamber over the projectln
stonework to reach the iron vane. -
In this he succeeded. l was equal
lucky. A moment later, aided by th
crossbars which marked the points OF tn
compass, we assembled the huge weather
cock and sat astride Of it facing eac
other.
It was then that the horror of our stu.
tion seemed first to burst upon each {
us. I looked down, and two hundre
and fifty feet below lay the town, an
the great space, filled with people, ev
IDENTITY intently gazing up at us, an
looking no bigger than dolls. Ter
aisucing at the churehyard beneath,