The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-10-14
How an Image was Repaired.


Directly opposite the Winter Palace in St.
Petersburg, and one of the most conspicuous
objects on the whole line of the Neva, IS the
citadel, or old fortress, in reality the founda-
ton OF the city-the golden spires of its
church shooting toward the sky and glitter
ing in the sun. This spire, which rises ia
pering till it seems almost to fade away into
nothing, is surmounted by large globe on
which stands an angel supporting a cross,
This angel, being made of perishabe mate
rails, once manifested syptoms OF decay, and
fears were entertained that 1t would soon be
numbered with the fallen Government be.
came perplexed how to repair it, 10 raise a
scafolding to such height would cost more
than the angel was worth. Among the crowd
which daily assembled to gaze at it from be-
low was rooier of houses who, after long
and silent examination, went to the Govern
ment and offered to repair it without any
scafolding or assistance of any kind. His
offer was accepted, and on the day appointed
for the attempt, provided with nothing but
coil of cords he assembled inside TO the gh.
est window, and, looking for moment at the
crowd below and at The spire tapering away
above him, stood on the outer ledge of the
window. The spire was covered with sheets
of gilded copper, which, to beholders from
below, presented only Il smooth surface OF
FURNISHED gold, but the sheets were roughly
laid and fastened with large nails which pro.
jec;e from the sides of the spire. He cut
two pieces of cord and tied loops at each end
Of both, fastened the upper loops over tive
projecting nails, and stood with his feet in
the lower; then clnchlng the fingers of one
hand over the rough edges Of the sheets of
"copper" raised himself till he could hitch one
of the loops on Il higher nail with he other
hond. He did the same for the other loop,
and SO he raised one leg after tAe other, and
at length assembled, nail by nail and stirrup
by stirrup, ill he clasped his arms around
the spire, directly under the ball Here ii
seemed impossible 10 go any farther, for the
ball was ten or twelve feet in circumference,
with small and glttering surface and no
projecting nails, and the angel was above the
ball, as completely out of sight as if 1t we're
in the hablations of its prototypes. But the
daring roOfcr was not dishertened Raising
himself in his stirrups, he encircled the splre
with cord which he tied round lils waist,
and, So supported, leaned gradually until the
soles OF his feet were braced against the spire
and his body fixed almost horizontally in the
air. In this position he threw cord over
the top of the ball, and threw ii so cooliy and
skllliully that on the first attempt ii fell down
on the other side just as he wanted it. Then
he threw himself up 10 his original position,
and by means of this cord climbed up the
smooth sides of the globe, and in few mo-
ments, amid ihunders of applause from the
crowd below-whlCh at that great height
sounded only like faint murmur-he stood
by the side of the angel After attaching a.
cord to it he descended, and the next day car
RED up with him a ladder of ropes and eff
fecied tie necessary repairs.-BoStoa Tran
script