Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-01-25
A GYMNAST's ADVENTURE

I had among my fellow students s
special renown for my skill in every
kind of gymnastics. Athletic exercise
in the widest sense of the term, was tt
me a pleasure to which I had surren
dered myself. body and soul, in conse
quence ofwhich possessed, although
not tall and strong, some muscle and 8
high degree Of confidence, while had
acquired, in perilous situations, presense
of mind, all of which qualities form even
now a considerable portion Of my
character.
When at last my studies were ended
and I had obtained a situation as pastoi
in Western Germany, did not give uI
my old inclination for gymnastics, ant
there was considerable talk one fine day
over the circumstance that the young
clergyman Of the church Of St. Blasius
had been seen hanging in his garden by
his legs. and in this headlong position
caressing his little son. I possessed
such an article of humanity. since. on
my accession 10 the pastorate, 1 had
steered into the ha-bor of matrimony.
But my fayorite diversion, when l
had few leisure hours, and the sun
was not too scorching, consisted in
climbing to narrow projection on the
lofty church roof. and walking about
there while I smoked M cigar.
What a magnificent place this old
churcl! roof was! Quite another world
than that which lay far below me-a re-
sion Of rock and stone, without vegeta-
ton Or water, except when it rained.
and the cutters were filed, in which
case this special realm presented littls
It was world where
had often INDUCED in star-gaz;ng.
I regarded this airy region as my
special providence. where l reigned in
solitary majesty over my subjects. con-
sisting Of davis and swallows-often
very noisy and intolerable ones. It
excited IN me a merry, perhaps boyish
feeling, as thought what a look my
would put on when he
heard Of my excursions in the narrow,
gloomy towers, and the great grinning
stone heads. fat cherubs. scaly dragons,
and cutters of zinc, or on the pinuacles
of towers from which was presented
wide prospect, over picturesque land
scape. ....
Sometimes I climbed down in the
broad gutter in the middle of the roof.
from which nothing was to be seen
above but the blue heavens and the
swarming swallows, and below the
broad paved church square, on which.
one hundred and twenty feet beneath
people crept about like ants.
1t was during one Of these excursions
that the event occurred which 1 will re-
late, and which thoroughly cured me for
several months Of my desire for roof
climbing.
l must first inform you that around
the outside Of the cathedral just where
the roof terminated, ran smooth pro-
.jecting edge about foot wide. Under
this, considerably lower, just above the
great entrance, was large stone PRO
lection, which formerly supported a
large colossal figure Of st. Peter, hold
ing great iron lantern. The statue
had long ago disappeared, and half the
lantern was taken off, so that what was
left had the appearance of an armchair
without legs
Standing on the stone caves one day.
above this relic of past centuries, the
thought suddenly seized me that il
would be an amusement of new anc
original kind to swing myself down anG
enjoy my cigar n this fantastic arm.
char.
Without hesitating moment, turned
around, kneeled down, seized the caves
with convulsive grasp, and the next
instant was dangling in mid air over the
abyss, more than a hundred feet from
the earth.
As 1 looked. in this situation, under
me at the defective lantern. | found
that l was not directly over it-indeed,
it was two feet further from the wall
than I.had thought.
This circumstance, however. caused
me little anxiety. Giving myself a
swing, by which L easily pressed one
foot against the building, sprung safely
into my resting place in the broken
lantern.
Here l sat long time smoking my
cigar, drumming with my heels on the
wall, and complacently enjoying the
cool of the evening and the magnificent
prospect.
The sun was setting before 1 thought
OF undertaking my return, which was
especially induced to do by the sight OF
one or two persons, who were standing
below gazing up at me.
1t was not three minutes before quite
a crowd of people had gathered. about
them to enjoy the spectacle of a mar
sitting in st. PETERS lantern.
''Hallo ~ thought I, sit is now time
to return. Some one will find out who