The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-09-23
JOYS or sTeEPLe CLIMBING.
How One May Get Accustomed to tn,
Danger-Views of a workman.

How One May Get Accustomed to tn,
Danger--views of Workman.
With bated breath and upturned faces
large crowd stood the other day watch
ing man who was slowly ascending the
steeple of an uptown church. He seemed
to go over the delicate scaffolding like q
snail. The crowd below were expecting
every moment to see him fall. When he
reached the end of the scaffolding and
Fstood upon a piece of framework that
looked in the distance as if it was about
a foot square, he leaned far over and
shouted something to another workman
about half way down. The spectators
shuddered, but could not take their eyes
from the little climber, who had left the
scaffolding and was still going up the
| steeple. When he reached the top he
remained for few minutes, examining
the steeple on every side, and then re-
traced his steps. When he got safely
back on the scafold he waved his hand
| to the people and smiled. He went to
the top of the steeple several times in the
course of an hour, and every time a
crowd gathered.
you think it hazardous, said the
steeple-climber to reporter when no
came down to the ground. Though he
looked so small when in the air, he was
considerably above the average height,
slim and wiry, all bone and muscle, with
clear, steady eye and hand, and per-
feet confidence in himself. His eye
sparkled as if he was in love with the
word as he continued: People who are
not used to being at great heights, and
who feel dizzy when few feet from the
ground, naturally look with wonder
upon man working high up in the air,
and think he must feel as they would.
probably go upon more steeples and other
elevated places to adjust ornamental de-
signs than any other man in the business,
and feel just as much at home stand
ing on a narrow board 200 feet from the
ground as 1 would on a rock feel
perfect sense of safety and never think.
of falling.
"But I was not always without fear.
When l first began the business
folding with trembling legs anda qual1-
ing heart, and many times I have
not gone to the top but returned with
some excuse for not going up just then.
An old man who had been climber in
his day saw me on one of these occasions
when my heart was weak, and gave me
a bit of advice that cured my faintheart-
edness in time. He said when starting
up always fix your mind intently on the
work you are going to do, and keep
every thought of fear, or that something
is going to happen out of your mind.
This was just the thing, and 1 found
from experience that it is thinking about
fear that makes man afraid, and over
caution has given many poor fellow
tumble where boldness and seeming
recklessness would have carried him
through all right. There are only
q few expert climbers. Hundreds quit
she business in short time because they
cannot overcome their nervous dread.
have seen stout-hearted fellows, who
would march up to a cannon's mouth
without a quiver, when they got to the
place where the scaffolding ends, and
from which point they would have to
shin to the top, try to step up, but
ton of lead had been hooked to their foot
and it would not go up an inch.
Il have known men who, when they
got into ticklish spot would have black
specks come before their eyes, which
would move up and down and in a cir
Gle, and they would fail down and hug
a plank like a long-Iost brother. Their |
heads would seem to be in a whirl. This !
is where a man gets ratified, and it re-
quires the greatest exercise of the will |
to overcome the feeling. I have felt !
this way many times, and even now |
sometimes have a sudden desire when |
on the pinnacle of a steeple to jump off,
but 1 aways laugh at the idea, and it
goes away as quickly as it comes. A
man who drinks stimulants is out of
place on a steeple, where a false step
will send him headlong hundred feet
or more below. So, also, is a fat man,
for climber must be light, agile and
muscular. Dark haired men with
'warthy faces usually make the best
climbers"
Does it prevent dizziness when going
% a great height to keep the eyes turned
upward Z"
That is popular notion, but there is
nothing i'll it except that the attention is
.urned from the idea of falling, and this
viii keep man from tumbling. But
he place for the eyes is upon the road
% be travelled to see that everything is
n position. A high wind sometimes
'enders scaffolding unsafe, and if man
las his eye on the sky he would never
zee it."
Did you ever fall?"
Tive had many narrow escapes but
,nly one good fail. This was about
seventy feet. 1 had a sick child home
md was thinking about her and was
lbsent-minded. 1 started off sideways
between the scaffOld and steepIe and in
wo or three seconds was at the bottom.
thought l would be killed, and in
ecOnd my whole life flashed through
ny mind and also the future of my
amily, and how they would all look
fter the children were full=grown. 1
new that | was humping against the
imbers of the scaffold, but there was no
'ain and 1 was overcome apparently by
oothing influence and never had more !
'leasant journey in my life. 1t seemed
s if l was falling for hours. 1 knew
vhen 1 struck the bottom and felt
hook at the sudden stop, but it was not
had enough pain after
yard, though, and it took about six
months to patch up my body. Both arms
nd one leg were broken. I made up my
nind to give up the business when 1 got
yell, but in little while the old fasci-
alton came back and went to climb
lg again.-New York Tribune.
A FAMILY COLONY SYSTEM. 2