The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-12-19

Ntt Wv - 49, -
country
"Ob, I'd let him go sir" says Joey,
"he can climb like squirrel
"More like q monkey" says Sam
Rowley, our wicket-keeper.
Never mind what can climb
like says Billy, 'I'm game to do it;
SO here goesn
But if you do get up." says Par
son, "you will want tools to take of
and oil the weathercock, and you can't
carry them"
/ just then message came from
tie rectory that Parson was wanted,
and he went away in q hurry; and
no sooner was be gone than there
was no end of chat about Billy,
which ended in bis pulling up his
belt another hole, and saying:
I'm going"
"And what are you going to do
when you get up there 2"
Nothing" he says, "but tie the
rope up to the top of the spire, and
leave it for some Of yon clever chaps
to do"
What rope shall you use?:" | said.
"The new well rope" says Bill.
Its over two hundred feet long"
Cricketing was set aside for that
day, for joey Rance went of and
got the rope, coming back with it
over his arm, and throwing it down
before Billy in a defiant sort of way,
as much as TO say
There now, let's see you do it."
Without a word. Billy picked uP
the coil ofrope and went in at the
belfry door, to come out soon after a,
top of the tower, and then. with one
end of the rope made into loop and
thrown over bis shoulders, be went
to the edge of the eight-sided spire
and began to climb up from erocket
to crocket, which were about yard
apart, and looking like so many or
namental knobs sticking out from the
spire.
/ We gave him q cheer as be began
to go up, and then sat on the grass
wondering like to see how active and
clever the fellow was as be went up
yard after yard, climbing rapidly
and seeming as if he'd soon be at the
top.
The whole village turEed out in s
state of excitement, and we had hard
work to keep two other brave fellow;
from going up to try at the otheI
corners Of the spire.
He'll do it-be'll do itl'' was tht
cry over and over again.
And it seemed as If be would, fol
se went on rapidly until he wa'
within thirty feet of the top; wher
all of sudden he seemed TO loos'
bis hold, and came sliding rapidly
down between two rows of crockett:
faster and faster, till be disappeared
behind the psrap-t of the tower.
We held our breath, one aad all
as we saw bin fall; and cold chll
Of horror came upon US. Ii was no
until be reached the top of the lowe
that We reused ourselves to run to th'
!, belfry door, and began to go up th
spiral staircase to get TO the poo
fellow, whom we expected to fin
half-dead
"Halloi" cried Billy's voice, as W
got halfway up the corkscrew
, I'm coming down"
: "Ain't you hurt then? 2" cried Joe.
, Rance
"No, not much" said Billy, as W
! reached him by one OF the loophole
10 the stone wall. Got some ski
!, IF, and Bit bruised"
"Why, we thought you were hal
killed." We said.
Not J." be replied, grufily; 9Th
rope caught over one OF the crockett:
!, and that broke MY fall Bit"
"Going TO try it again ?" said Joe
!, with sneer.
"No, | amt going to try agair
neither" said Billy, gruffly; II le
the rope up at the top there, thinkin
. you were so clever you'd like to go.
: "0b, | could d. ii If liked" sal
: joey.
: "Only you daren't," said Bill, rul
bing bis elbows and putting bis Liz
: to his bleeding kouckles.
= "Dsren't !" said joey.
And without another word |
:, pushed by Billy, and went on stead
- ly up towards the top of the towe
= : II hope bell like it," said Bill
= cbuckling. 1t amt SO easy as
:. = II inks. Let's go down I'm goo
- :, bit shook, and want drop of bra
- dy."
:. Poor fellow, be looked rath
- - white when We got down; and
our surprise on looking up, on bea
:, ing cheer, there was Joey hard
!" "" work with the rope over bis should'
climbing away, the lads cheering hi
&c again as be climbed higher and big
er, till be at last reached the gre
"A copper support of the weathercot
- and then, drawing himself up
a higher be clung there motionless
~ a few minutes, and We began to thi
:, be had lost his nerve and was afre
- to move.
or But that wasn't it-he was OIL
Y. gathering breath; and we gave
a cheer, in which Billy Johnston hea
he lily joined, as up there, looking
small as crow, the plucKy fellc
a gave the westhercock spin arour
n afterwards holding on by his LEI
a clasped around the copper suppo
= while be took the rope from
an shoulders, united the loop, and th
;or tied it securely to the great stro
er support
All this time be bad bis straw
m, on; and now, taking it of, be gave
he twirl away from him; and aw
"a, it went right out into space, to fall
last far from the foot of the tower.
.s Joey now began to come do
M, very slowly and carefully, as if |
10 coming down was worse than the
ID ing up, and more than once be 81
or ped; but be bad tight hold on I
., rope with one hand, and that ssv
ev him, go that be only rested, and Il
continued to come down.
lid You see the spire sloped so Il
II. be did not hang away from it,
on against the stone sides; and so