The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-11-05
ON THE CHIMNEY.

ON THE CHIMNEY.
Twas when I was courting Kate that
the accident l am going to tell you
about happened. But for that same ac-
cident don't think Katie an l would
be man and wife this day, for you see
my father was set agin' the match, Ka-
tie being only laborer's daughter,
while he himself was foreman in the
mills, getting good wages and thought
deal of by his employers. An if
wasn't for. Katie don't think I'd be
here now to tell you about it. for twas
she that saved my life through hitting
upon plan that never once came into
the heads of me or my comrades-ay,
or of those that you'd have thought
would know better than any of us.
Twas brought up to my fathers trade,
having been taken, when young, by
brother of my mothers, a master brick
layer living in the town. When my un-
Gle died came to Lisgarvan for bit.
just to see my father, and, finding that
they were at work on the new buildings
at the mills, looked for employment
there. an got it at once. Lisgarvan
mill is -four mill, and pretty place it
was in those days, with the river running
Just by the old red brick buildings, an
the big water wheel always going round
an round. The river falls into a lar
ger one little down, an the tide comes
up as far as the mill, SO tis in boats that
most of the corn is brought in an car
RED away. 'Tisn't half so pretty place
now; there are big whitewashed build
ings alongside of the old brick ones, the
big wheel is stopped, an you hear the
| whirl of the engine instead of the sound
of the water. But they makes power
of money there, an gives deal of en-
ployment.
AS was saying. got taken on as q
bricklayer, Katie's father was work
ing there, too. an used to see her
bringing his dinner, and, after bit, I
began to think I'd like to have her
bring me mine, too. She was as pref
ty girl then as you'd see anywhere
she's good looking to this day-an'
soon became that fond of her that I'd
have done anything Almost to get her.
She herself was willing enough; twas
my father that made the difficulty. He
was a proud man, as proud in his way
as any gentleman, an he was right
down mad at the notion of my marrying
q laborer's daughter. To be sure,
was earning good wages, an might
have married without asking anyone s
leave if I'd been so minded but didn'1
like to go agin the old man that haG
always been good to me. Besides
Katie was just as proud as himself, ane
: would have nothing to say to me unles!
! he was satisfied, l got the master tt
speak to him, but sure 'twasn't a bit o
use. How would you like, SIR b,
says to the master, ..If | had daugh
ter to have Master Philip take up will
her, and would that be the same thingP'
I.believe that the master didn't thinl
it would be all the same thing, but IN,
father wouldn't hear to reason from
him any more than from me SO Kat
and / had just nothing for it but t.
wait in the hope of his coming round
and very little hope we had of tina
same.
As we were putting up steam en-
q AiilIl, wv AtN, Va SooLoSs Y
have big chimney. an we got ma
from town to build it-one of ther
chaps that builds chimneys an nothin
else, an thinks nobody knows anythin
about it but themselves. was work
ing along with him, and, indeed, 'twa
that built the most OF it, an . rigf
i, good job it was. Twas finished b
Christmas-ten years ago this Chris
mas coming on--:.ll but the lightnin
conductor, and that was not put U
owing to the masters wanting to max
inquiries when he'd go to London, al
see for himself what would be the be
kind to use. The master was
scientific sort of q gentleman. an hs
ideas of his own-sometimes they'd
better than other peoples, sometime
: may be not SO good. At any rate thel
was delay about the conductor. an
the meantime the engineers were
work. an the big chimney was smokir
away like blazes. Mr.. Brown. Il
strange workman, had gone ava
saying very condescending like that
was sure Jim Forde (that was m
would be able to fasten the rod to t
chimney as well as he could do it hil
or self. He took all his scaffolding wi
'in' him, but before he went away he fix
a beam with pulley to it to the top
In. the chimney an left a long rope han
fM ing through it, so that man conld
hoisted up at any time; an there
nd nnt rope hung dangling, week after wee
ILL 'M.e until the master come, bringing I
the rod along with him.
Once it had come there was no go
:. losing any more time in fixing it, so o
Nv, Saturday afternoon in January up
}, went on plank, slung securely at
As'' end of the rope, my tools along W
me, an settled myself astride on
stone coping. Twas rather late in
cur. day, but the morning had been ratl
ter. wet an stormy to work, an the mas
SaI ,caI was as impatient to get the job done
Il II hadnff bean himself TINT was