The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-01-25
On The Verge of Death.
From the New York Herald.

From the New York Herald.
A GYMNAsT's ADVENTURE.
Ihad among my fellow.students a
special renown for my skill in every
kind of gymnastics. Athlete exercise,
in the widest sense of the term, was to
me pleasure to which I had surren.
dered myself, body and soul, and in
consequence OF which I possessed, al
though not tall and strong, some mus
Gle and high degree of confidence,
while had acquired, in perilous sit.
uatiOns, 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 a situation as pas
tor in Western Germany, did not give
up my old inclination for gymnastics,
and there was considerable talk one
fine day 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, who was crawling under
him on the ground. possessed such
an article of humanity since, on my
accession to the pastorate, had enter.
ed into matrimony:
But my favorite diversion, when l
had a 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 l smoked my cigar.
What magnificent place this old
church roof was Quite another world
than that which lay far below me-a
region of rock and stone, without veg
citation or water, except when it rain
ed, and the cutters were filled, in
which case this special realm present.
ed little attraction. 1t was a world
where I had often INDUCED in star.
gazing.
1 regarded this airy region as my
special province, where reigned in
solitary majesty over my subjects, con.
sisting Of davis and sWallows--often
very noisy and intolerable ones. It
excited in me merry, perhaps some.
what boyish feeling, as thought what
a look my superintendent would put
on when he heard of my excursions in
tho narrow gloomy towers, and the
great grinning stone heads, fat cher.
ubs, scaly dragons and cutters of zinc,
or on the pinnacles of the towers, from
which was presented wild prospect
over 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,
100 feet beneath, the people crept
about like ants.
It was during one of these excur-
si0ns that the event occurred which
will relate, and which thoroughly
cured me for several months of my de-.
sire for roof climbing.
must inform you that around the
outside Of the cathedral, just where
the roof terminated, ran a smooth pro.
jecting edge about foot wide. Under
this, considerably lower, just above
the great entrance, was a huge stone
projection, which formerly supported
a colossal figure of St. Peter, holding a
great iron lantern. The statue had
long ago disappeared and half the Ian
tern was broken off, so that what was
left had the appearance of an arm.
chair without legs.
Standing on the stone caves one
day, above this relic of past centuries,
the thought suddenly struck me that
it would be an amusement of new
and original kind to swing myself
down and enjoy my cigar in this fan.
tastic armchair.
Without hesitating moment turn
oil 1o1
the caves with a: convulsive grasp, and
the next instant was dangling in mid.
air over the abyss more than 100 feet
from the earth.
As I looked in this situation, under
me at the defective lantern, found
was not directly over it-indeed, it was
two feet further from the wall than
had thought.
This circumstance, however, caused
me little anxiety. Giving myself a
swing, by which l easily pressed one
foot against the building, sprang safe
ly into my resting place in the broken
lantern.
Here l sat long time smoking my
cigar, drumming with my heels upon
the wall, and complacently enjoying
the cool of the evening and the mag.
nifcent prospect.
The sun was setting before I had
thought of undertaking my return,
which I was especially induced to do
by the sight of one or two persons who
were standing beneath and gazing up
at me.
1t was not three minutes before quite
a crowd had gathered around them to
enjoy the spectacle of a man sitting in
st. Peters lantern.
"Hallo,' thought l, sit is now time
to return! Some one will find out
who am, land then there will be pref
ty gossip in the place." but suddenly
became aware that my return was not
10 easy.
My seat was so constructed that l
could not raise in my usual way. The
sides of the lantern were Of smooth
iron, and so high that I could get no
hold. There was nothing left me but
to press my hands on the seat behind
me, and raise myself so, and draw my
legs after me until they could rest
between my hands upon the lantern.
Then could raise myself up to my
full height and turn around on my own
axis.
This way of raising yourself every
gymnast knows and practices, but
every one knows, too, what an exer-
ton of muscular strength in hands and
arms is necessary in this procedure,
and that any mistake would occasion a
failure-perhaps, too, a fall below.
Now, there is vast difference be.
tween a bar erected on level ground
and an iron lantern on the wall of a
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