Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1883-11-30
Mi5cellameoms.
BESsY's LIFE ROPE.

ptSepiu DdChJ Wuo was c6iCUTuJtu lot
working on high steeples, had daugh-
ter named Bessy, who had much of the
fearless, adventurous spirit Of her father
aud would carry up his dinner to the
dizziest heights without trembling. She
seemed to feel as safe as bird, and
would stand at the edge of the oftiest
scaffold, amusing herself by scattering
bits of paper in the air, laughing to see
her little pigeons fly, for so she called
them.
Once upon time fash of lightning
struck Rempton spire and displaced the
cross and globe which surrounded il,
also doing great damage to the upper
courses of fine stone work, and Steeple
Jack had to repair it. This he did by
ascending the tower as high as the bell
chamber, then placing ladders within
the hollow spire, until the highest loop
holes were reached through which braces
we're put crosswise. On them slight
flooring was laid, which supported two
light ladders reaching up to the ball.
Day after day Bessy climbed, with her
fathers dinner in u basin slung in II
handkerchief, to this aerial scaffold. IL
was only by calling her Bet" which
was her fathers way Of showing earnest
displcasure, that she was prevented from
scaling the slender ladders which went
still higher
At length the job was completed. A
new copper ball, brightly gilded, super
seeded the old one, and glittcring cross
surmounted the graceful stceple Jack
had done his work 50 well that the vicar
and church wardons resolved. in addition
to his pay. 10 present him with a new
coat, vest and hat, and sort Of village
fete was 10 bo held in honor Of the oc-
cason Drinking one night at the Red
Lion, jack had Dragged that he would
put these clothes on on top Of the ball /;
and he was not the man TO risk being
twittcd for cowardice from not making
his rash promise good.
This intention Of jacks got abroad
and on the fete day quite crowd from
, be adjacent villages and farms gathered
= witness the exploit. Jacks wife was
way working alone at a farm house
bme two miles from the village. aud
!, Icssy had accompanied her. for she knew
> rat her husband would in all probabili-
spend the day in dissipation, and she
ID all she could to conceal his evil bab.
y from the little maiden
With the bundle Of clothes in his hand,
Jack started up the tower, the crowd
eagerly watching him until be emerged
from the loop hole on to the scaffold he
came out, and pulling of his old hat
flung it down among the people, then
taking rope, in which he had made
moose, in his hand. he assembled the lad
ders. FlingiDg the rope over the ball,
the moose passed around the cross, and,
tightening it, Jack managed to get be.
You'd its bulge, which projected over the
noriated final Of the stceple, and stood on
the very top Of the cross, while tho huz-
zas of tho crowd below came up like the
buzziDg Of bees to the elevated regions
Of his proud ambition.
BY some unlucky accident, while Jack
was divesdng himself Of the old Jacket
and vest, having made his bundle safe
on one Of the arms Of tho cross, the moose
Of the rope slackened and the rope itself
slipped over the ball, leaving him with
out any possible means Of overcoming
its rotundity. A cry Of horror made
Jack look down, and he at once under
stood the desperation Of the position. -
His pride was humbled, and vertigo
seized bis brain aud he would have fall
en- il he had not clutched The cross ---
What was 10 be dono2 Among the
whole crowd there was not one with sufii-
cient courage even 10 brave the scaffold,
much less TO mount the lettering ladders
which led from it 10 the apex Of the
stccple
Concentrating all his energies into
one Shrek of agony, Jack exclaimed !:
"send for Bessy?'
There was movement ia the crowd,
and soon farmer in his buggy drive Off
10 Dawson's, at the WASTE" for the
little daughter Of the entrapped steople
climber.
What an hour Of waiting was that
When Bessy arrived she showed no fear,
but, taking on her little arm little coil
Of rope, she passed through the crowd
which readily made way and assembled
the stairs. Soon, her graceful form was
seen upon the scaffold; and without n
moments hesitation, she assembled the
ladders. Standing on the topmost rung,
with one arm around the slender stone
work she flung the rope. Jack clutcbed
it, and the little maiden descended the
steps. All the danger was over Jack
| made the rnna fast and WAC snnn unnn