The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1878-01-24

f.Not L. he replied, gruffiy; 'the
rope caught over one of the crochets,
and that broke my fall Bit
"Going to try againP" said Joey.
with sneer. ~
.sNo; l amt going to try again,
neither" said Bill, grufly. II left
the rope up at the top there, thinking
you were so clever you'd like to CO."
!" Oh, i could do it if l liked said
joey.
"Only yon daren't," said Bill, rub
bling elbows, and putting his lips to his
bleeding knuckles.
"Daren't IP'' said joey.
And without another word he pushed
by Billy, and went on steadily up to-
ward the top of the tower.
81 hope he'll like it," said Billy,
chuckling. cit amt 80 easy as he
thinks. Let's 60 down. I'm good bit
shook. S
Poor fellow, he looked rather white
when we got down; and to our surprise
on looking up, on hearing cheer,
there was Joey hard at work with the
rope over his shoulder, climbing away,
the lads cheering him again as he
climbed higher and higher, till he at
last reached the great copper support
of the weathercock, and then, drawing
himself up bit higher, he chung there
motionless for few minutes, and we
began to think he had lost his nerve and
was afraid to move.
But that wasn't 1.-THE was only gath
ering breath; and we gave a cheer in
which Billy johnson heartily joined, as
up there, looking as small as a crow,
the plucky fellow gave the weathercock
a spin around, afterward holding on by
his legs, clasped round the copper sup
port, while he took the rope from his
shoulders, undid the loop, and then
tied it securely to the great strong sup
port.
All this time he had had his straw
hat on; and now, taking it of, he gave
it skim away from him; and away it
went, right out into space, to fall at
last far from the foot of the tower.
joey now began to come down very
slowly and carefully, as if the coming
down was worse than the going up, and
more than once he slipped, but he had
tight held of the rope with one hand,
and that saved him, so that he only
rested, and then continued to come
down. You see the spire sloped so
that he did not hang away from it, but
against the stone sides; and SO we
went on watching him till he was
about half way down, when he stopped
to rest, pulling up the rope bit as he
Kill \<x xLo 81, L
legs.
We gave him another cheer, and so
did Parson, who just then came up,
when joey waved his hand.
As he did this, something occurred
which took away my breath; for, poor
fellow, he seemed to slip, and before
we could utter cry, he turned over
and hung his head downward, with his
leg through the loop, till his foot
caught; and he hung by it, fighting
hard for few moments to get back,
but in vain; and as we watched him
his struggles got weaker, SO that he
did not turn himself up SO far in try
ing to reach the loop where his ankle
was caught; and at last he hung there,
swinging gently to and fro, only NOV
ing his hands.
By this time Parson,. / and two more
had got to the belfry door, and we
ran painting up the dark staircase till
we got upon the leads.
:. Hold on, joey" 1 shouted, "rm
coming"
g Make haste" he cried back, faint
ly. "I'm about done.''
By this time l was about ten feet up,
and climbing as hard as could, for
getting all the danger in the excite
ment; for l don't think I should have
dared to go up on another occasion.
1t was very hard work, and as
climbed the wind seemed to blow terri
bly,; but got up and up. painting as
did SO, till at last was cfinging there
with one foot resting on crochet, won
dering what should do.
Look sharp, lad," said poor Joey.
" 1t seems as if all my blood was rush.
ing into my head.p
l leaned over and got hold of the rope
close to his ankle, but do anything
more, l could not, had all the will in
the world to help the poor fellow, but
it took all my strength 10 keep myself
with one hand from falling, and as to
raisinS my old companion, I neither had
the strength nor the idea as to how it
could be done.
The only way out of the difficulty
ecmed to be to take out my knife and
cut the rope, and then the poor fellow
would be killed.
leone down. cried voice below
me.
And looking toward the leads. there
was Parson, stripped to his shirt and
trousers. and, with coil of rope over
MS shoulder-for the new well rope had
proved to be long enough to let him cut
,ff some five and thirty feet.
Don't leave me,' groaned Joey, |
who was half fainting. ~ feel as If / |
should fall any moment. ] say, lad,
his is very awful.n
Here's Parson coming up,'s / said.
And SO it was; for he went to the row
# crochets on the other side of Joey,
Who now hung, looking blue in the face, |
md with his eyes closed.
He must make haste-make haste"
Re noaned, softly. fs
stopped, holding ON, while Parson
limbed up quicker than either Of us |
lad done 1t, drawing himself up by |
lis arms IN a wonderful way TIL be was |
breast of us two-pae holding on, and 7
'oey hanging by one foot.
AS soon as Parson reached us, he
aid few words of ENCOURAGEMENT to T
oey, who did not speak word. and
hon air., Ass.~ Ls<-h<~.s 80 49, n