The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-03-07
A Daring Feat.

A Daring Feat.
Directly opposite the Winter Palace,
in st. Petersburg, and one of the most
conspicuous objects on the whole line of
the Neva, is the citadel or old fortress,
and in reality the foundation of the city.
| looked long and intently on the golden
spire of its church, shooting towards the
sky and glittering in the sun. This spire,
rising tapering till it seems almost to fade
away into nothing, is surmounted by a
large globe, on which stands an angel
supporting cross. This angel, being
made of corruptible stuff, once mani
tested symptoms of decay, and fears were
entertained that it would soon be num-
bered with the fallen. The Government be-
came perplexed how to raise it, to raise
a scatfolding to such a height would cost
more than the angel was worth.
Among the crowd which daily assemb-
led to gaze at it from below was a roof
er of houses, who, after long and silent
examination, went TO the Government,
and offered to repair it without any scat
folding or assistance of any kind. His
offer was accepted and on the day appoint
ed for the attempt, provided with nothing
but a coil of cord, he assembled inside to
the highest window and, looking for a
moment at the crowd below and at the
spire tapering away above him, stood on
the outer ledge of the window. The
spire was covered with sheets of gilded
copper, which, to beholders from below,
presented only a smooth surface of bur
nished gold; but the sheets were roughly
laid, and fastened with large nails, which
projected from the sides Of the spire. He
cut two pieces of cord and tied loops at
each end of both, fastened the upper
loops over two projecting nails, and stood
with his feet in the lower; then clenching
the fingers of one hand over the rough
edges of the sheets of copper, raised him
self till he could hitch one of the loops
on higher nail with the other hand; he
did the same for the other loop, and so
he raised one leg after the other, and at
length assembled nail by nail, and stirrup
by stirrup, til he clasped his arms around
the spire, directly under the ball. Here
il seemed impossible to get any further
for the ball was ten or twelve feet in cir
conference, with a small and glittering
surface, and no projecting nails; and the
angel was above the ball: as completely
out Of sight as if it were in the habita-
tons of its prototypes. But the daring
roofer was not disheartened. Raising
himself in his stirrups, he encircled the
spire with cord, which he tied around
his waist, and, so supported, leaned grad
ually, until the soles of his feet were
braced against the spire, and his body
fixed almost horizontally in the air. In
this position he threw u cord over the
top of the ball, and threw it so coolly and
skillfully that on the first attempt it fell
down on the other side, just as he wanted
it. Then he drew himself up to his
original position, and by means of his
cord, climbed up the smooth sides of the
globe. and in few moments, amid thun-
ders of applause from the crowd below,
which at that great height sounded only
like faint murmur, he stood by the side
of the angel. After attaching a cord to
it, he descended, and the next day car
ried up with him u ladder of ropes, and
effected the necessary repairs.-Rorer.
A PooRIY-DREssED, red-faced man,
about forty years old, yesterday entered
Woodward avenue store and asked to
be trusted for some tobacco. Being re-
fused, he stretched out his arm, rolled
up his eyes and called out:
II call upon heaven to witness that
don't care to live an hour longer"
People are dying every day." quiet
ly replied the merchant.
~ now solemnly declare that | will
at once sell my body to the medical
hospital for one dollar!' shouted the
man.
Let me give you hint" remarked
the merchant. ~ know of gardener
who will give you twelve shillings for
your carcass
What fori" was the hesitating query
FOR guano, to help start his spring
cucumbersl"
The stranger slammed the door with
what some folks would call IAN awful
heartiness Free Press.