The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-01-11
A GYMNAST'S ADVENT URE.

had among my fellow students .
special renown for my skill in every kline
of gymnastics. Athletic exercise, in tht
widest sense of the term, was to me &
pleasure to which had surrendered my
self, body and soul, in consequence OF
which possessed, although not tall and
strong, some muscle and high degree
of confidence, while had acquired, in
perilous situations presence of mind, all
of which qualities form even now con-
siderable portion of my character.
When at last my studies were ended,
and / had obtained situation as pastor
in Western Germany, did not give up
my old inclination for gymnastics, and
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
cairessing his little son. possessed such
an article of humanity, since, on my
accession to the pastorate, l had steered
into the harbor of matrimony.
But my favorite diversion, when had
q few leisure hours, and the sun was not
too scorching, consisted in climbing to a
narrow projection on the lofty church
roof, and walking about there while
smoked my cigar.
What a magnificent place this old
church roof was! Quite another world
than that which lay far below me-a re-
gion of rock and stone, without vegeta-
tion or water, except when it rained,
and the cutters were filled, in which
case this special realm presented little
attraction. 1t was world where / had
often INDUCED in star-gazing.
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. 1t excited
in me a merry, perhaps boyish feeling,
as / thought what look my superin-
tendent 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
guttersof zinc, or on the pinnacles of tow
crs from which was presented wide
prospect, over a picturesque landscape.
Sometimes 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 / will re.
late, and which thoroughly cured me
for several months of my desire for rool
limbing.
must first inform you that around
the outside of the cathedral just where
tn proof terminated, ran a smooth pro
jecting edge about foot wide. Under
this, considerably lower, just above tn,
great entrance, was large stone projec
ton, which formerly supported larg'
colossal figure of st. Peter, holding ,
great iron lantern. The statue had Ion,
ago disappeared, and half the Lantern
was taken of, 80 that what was left hat
the appearance of an armchair withou
legs.
Standing on the stone caves one day
above this relic Of past centuries, th,
thought suddenly seized me that
would be an amusement of new an,
original kind TO swing myself down an,
enjoy my cigar in this fantastic arm
chair.
Without hesitating moment, turnc,
around, kneeled down, seized the cave
with convulsive grasp, and the mex
instant was dangling in mid air over tn
abyss, more than hundred feet fror
the earth.
As i looked, in this situation, unde
me at the defective lantern, found tina
was not directly over it-indeed, IL wa
two feet further from the wall than ha
thought.
This circumstance, however, caused m
Ettle anxiety. Giving myself swing
by which easily pressed one foot agains
the building, | sprung safely into m
resting place in the broken lantern.
Here | sat long time smoking m
cigar, drumming with my heels on th