News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-09-30
LOFTY PATRIOTISM.
How the Flag Was Fastened on st. Stephens
Cathedral in Vienna.

The emperors fete has been kept up
by patriotic enthusiast in an altogether
unprecedented fashion. At an early
hour in the morning the report spread
through tie town that large flag was
to be seen floating from the topmost ex-
tremity of the gilt cross that snrmounts
the steeple of st. Stephens cathedral.
The building is of Gothic structure, and
the steeple, which rises to a height of
450 feet. eliminates in a point, on
which stands gilt cross, measuring,
with the globe beneath it, about four
teen feet. 1t is quite inaccessible, ex-
cept by means OF special scaffolding,
which would have to be erected from at
least 100 feet below At first the re-
port was discredited, but the whole
town soon turned out to verify it for
themselves. 1t was found to be correct.
At twelve o'clock last night a Syrian,
named | richer, arS by trade repairer
of church steeples,' arrived on st. Steph-
ems place with large parcel contain
ing black and yellow flag, with the
inscription I" Long Live Kaiser Frank
Joseph" He had with him, besides a
strong rope, bottle of wine and water.
Taking off his shoes he began to climb
the lightning conductor which rises
from the ground to the summit of the
gilt cross. 1t was a moonlight night
and he was soon discovered from the
street below The awe stricken spec
tatOrs imagined they were in presence
of somnambulist, and did not venture
to call out to him, but fetched the
police and small detachment of
the fire brigade with canvass sheets
and fire escapes complete. 1t was i'm
possible to reach him with the latter, so
the sheets were spread out IN case he
should fall But on he climbed, resting
now and then upon the iron bars that
fix the lightning conductor to the ma
sonary of the steeple. About halfway
up there is a Waterman, who is in tele-
graphic communication with the fire
brigade, and reports to them any out
break within sight of his post of obser-
walton. He was terrified last night on
seeing human figure pass his window
in silence and continue its way aloft.
He not unnaturally inquired of Pircher
what MS business was, to which the lat
ter replied: "Don't make fuss, | am
only going to put flag on the top in
the kaiser's honor. | shall be down
again directly" He accomplished his
perllous undertaking without accident,
and thus performed one of the most as
founding gymnastic feats on record.
When he got to the bottom again he
found three constables waiting to take
him off to the next police station,
whittier he was obliged to proceed bare
footed, some dishonest and inconsider-
ate person having appropriated his shoes
while he was climbing the steeple. The
commissary of police, who had never
before been called upon to deal with a
case of that kind, very properly ordered
Pircher to be discharged, Directing to
reward such lofty patriotism with the
lookup. There have been one or. two
similar instances before, but in none of
them has the descent been effected in
the same way, the others having alighted
on the square tower level with the roof,
coming down thence by the stone stair
case.
A telegram was despatched to the
majesty of Pircher's intrepid feat, and a
subscription has been opened for him at
the Casino club, which amounted this
afternoon to over 200 florins. Pircher
is a cripple, having broken his left foot
by a fall while engaged in repairing a
church roof several years ago .-LOndon
Telegraph.