The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1884-10-29
The Worsted Stooking-A True
Story.

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The following incident happend in
one of those great manufacturing districts
near Manchester, England:
Father will have done the great
chimney tonight, won't he, mother p
said little Tom Harvard, as he stood wait
ing for his fathers breakfast, which he
carried to him at his work every morn
ing.
!" He said he hoped all the scaffolding
would be down tonight" answered his
mother " and that'll be fine sight, for
l never like the ending of these great
chimneys, it's so risky; thy fathers to be
last up"
"Eh, then, but I'll 60 and see him,
and help EN- to give shout afore he
comes down" said Tom.
And then," continued his mother,
" if all goes right, we are to have frolic
tomorrow, and go into the country, and
take our dinners, and spend all the day
amongst the woods.
"Hurrah - cried Tom, as he ran off to
his fathers place of work with can OF
milk in one hand, and some bread in the
other.
His mother stood at the door watching
him as he went merrily whistling down
the street, and then she thought of the
dear father he was going to, and the dan
gerous work he was engaged in; and then
her heart sought its sure refuge, and she
prayed to God to protect and bless her
treasures.
Tom, with light heart, pursued his way
to his father, and, leaving him his break
fast, went to his own work, which was at
some distance. In the evening, on his
way home, he went round to see how his
father was gstting on. James Harvard,
the father, and number of other work
men, had been building one of those lofty
chimneys, which, in the great manufac-
turing towns referred to, almost supply
the place of other architectural beauty
This chimney was one of the highest
and most tapering that had ever been
erected; and as Tom, shading his eyes
from the slanting rays of the setting sun,
looked up to the top in search of his
father, his heart almost sunk within him
at the appalling height.
The scafolding was almost down the
men at the bottom were removing the
last beams and poles. Toms father stood
alone on the top. He looked all around
to see that everything was all right, and
then, waving his hat in the air, the men
below answered him with a long, loud
cheer, little Tom shouting as heartily as
any of them. AS their voices died away,
however, they heard very different
sound-a cry of alarm and terror from
above. "The rope the rope /" The
men looked around, and coiled upon the
ground lay the rope, which, before the
scafolding was removed should have been
fastened to the top of the chimney for
Toms father to come down by The
scafolding had been taken down without
their remembering to take the rope up.
There was a dead silence. They all
knew it was impossible to throw the rope
up high enough, or skillfully enough to
reach the top of the chimney; or, if it
could, it would hardly have been safe.
They stood in silent dismay, unable to
give any help, or think of any means OF
safety.
And Toms father-he walked round
and round the little circle, the dizzy
height seeming every moment to grow
more fearful, and the solid earth farther
and farther from him. He shut his eyes
he felt as if the next moment ne must be
dashed to pieces on the ground below.
The day had passed as industriously
and swiftly as usual with Toms mother
at home. She was always busily en-
ployed for her husband and children, in
some way or other and to-day she had
been harder at work than usual, getting
ready for the holiday tomorrow.
She had just finished all her prepare
tons, and her thoughts were silently
thanking God for her happy home, and
for all the blessings of life, when Tom
ran in. His face was as white as ashes,
and he could hardly get his words out
a." Mother, mother, he Gamma get down"
Why, laddie, thy father ?" asked his
mother.
They've forgotten to leave him the
rope ? answered Tom, still scarcely able
to speak.
His mother started up, horror struck,
and stood for a moment as if paralyzed !;
then pressing her hand over her face, as
if to shut out the terrible picture, and
breathing q prayer to God for help, she
rushed out of the house. When she
reached the place where her husband
was at work, crowd had collected
around the foot Of the chimney, and stood
there quite helpless, gazing up with their
faces full Of sorrow. He says he'll
throw himself down. exclaimed they, as
Mrs. Harvard came up. &" He is going
to throw himself down"