Huntsville gazette., 1886-08-21

to which he had climbed being the
cross pieces nailed to the tall upright.
How was he to be brought down in
safetyp That was the question every
anxious watcher asked himself. A
dozen men gathered about the superin.
tendent, some making suggestions,
Others predicting the certain failure Of
any plan that might be adopted. He
abruptly silenced them by word, and
went on with his preparations in a way
that inspired confidence, in his men at
least.
Hundreds Of people were now in the
streets, all looking up to the dizzy
height where the poor madman clung
to the frail-looking timbers forming
the cross. None doubted that his hor-
rible death was inevitable. Men
looked up with blanched cheeks and
beating hearts. Women and children
and there were many of these
wrung their hands and uttered low
cries of distress. 1t was moment to
try the heart of the bravest. But the
superintendent was now ready to begin
his desperate task-the rescue of a
madman who clung to the top of a
steeple, q hundred feet in the air.
Throwing over his arm a long, stout
rope, he called two of his men and dis
appeared in the door of the church.
Five minutes later he appeared on
the top of the tower, where the wooden
structure began. but his men were not
with him. The madman was still
forty-fve feet above him, and the dam
gerous part of the rescue was now to
begin. When the brave superintend-
ent started up the cross-pieces the peo-
pie in the street below were horror
struck, and many cried out to him.:
"Come back! come backn' But he
stopped them with quick motion of
his hand and continued his perilous
course. They could see that he had
tied one end of the rope around his
him as he went up. Still his men did
not appear, and many persons in the
crowd cursed their stupidity that they
allowed their companion to attempt
such foolhardy task. The mailman
did not see him until he was about
halfway up, but when he did he
showed so many evidences of alarm
that the watchers expected every
minute to see him loosen his hold and
fall headlong to the ground. The res
cuer now stopped and appeared to be
talking to the mailman, but nothing
could be heard by those below. Ten
minutes passed thus-ten minutes Of
the most terrible suspense-and then
the spectators were amazed to see the
lunatic. with astonishing agility, aban-
don his position on the arms of the
cross and slide rapidly down the stem.
He now stood on the top of the up
rights, but there he hesitated and
looked down at the man who was there
to save him.
The superintendent must have
spoken few encouraging words, for
the mailman at once began to come
down the cross pieces. AS he ap-
preached the point where the super
intendent awaited him, the latter came
down step by step ahead of him, and
in few minutes they stood together
on the platform on top of the tower.
And then there went up from the hearts
of hundreds of people below a great
shout of relief, followed by warm
words of praise for the brave George
Simpson, the stoqt-hearted superin-
tendent, who hadHso heroically risked
his own life to save that of another.
Fifteen minutes later Simpson came out
of the church door alone. In few
words he explained how he had in
duced the mailman to descend from his
perilous position and follow him into
the tower. ''Of course" said he, II
expected to have some sort of struggle
with the man ON the spire and tied the
rope around my waist in the hope that
if we should lose our hold | SHOULD be
able to take a turn with the rope
around the cross-piece and thus stop
my fall.
''But I thought l would try ruse
first. / spoke to him quietly when
got near enough, and told him was
there to save him from the people below !;
that they intended to climb up and take
him, and | would prevent it if he would
follow me into the tower, where /
would hide him in safety. Fortunately
| hit upon the very thing, for he fancied
himself pursued by the people, who
would do him harm, and when / got
him into the tower my men, who were
left there for the purpose, seized him
and securely tied him. He is now in
the church, where [ shall keep him
until 1 can send him where he be-
longs"
1t was afterward learned that the
man had terrible attack of mania
a potu, and escaped from his home. By
the time his friends arrived he was
quiet snd tractable, and made no re-
sistance when they took him away
Philadelphia Cor. Cincinnati Enquirer.
Willing to Be Translated.