Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-08
THE GAZETTE: FORT WORTH. TEXAS, SUNDAY. JUNE 8.

shut out the voice Of consciousness that kept
| calling to him Back backl before II is too
latei Stain not thy young soul with such q
| crinel''
still he hurried down with flying step to the
| landing near the great bell, where he paused,
| crosss beams of the tower. Into the fierce, tur-
| bulent passions of the troubled face stole 3
| softeued expression, lighting up the swarthy
| lineaments like 81 cam of sunshine. II will
| go back and undo the horrid deed, F" he cried, as
| If in answer to the good angel pleading within
| his breast II am coming, Franz! God for
| give me!''
he had turned to make the ascent, and his
hand was stretched out to grasp the side OF the
ladder, when his toe caught in q coil of rope on
] the platform. and missing his hold he plunged
| down, down, into the space beneath.
In the meantime Franz had made his way
safely around the spire, and stood quietly with
the end of the Flagstaff on the ledge beneath,
waiting for the signal. It came In a few mo-
ments-the thunder of the great gun on the
| the flag and slowly waved it back and forth.
From the answering roar Of artillery, and the
| cheer upon cheer that foated up through the air
he knew that his salute had been seen.
With light heart he began to retrace his
steps, edging himself cautiously, inch by inch,
to the window. To his surprise the sliding
wooden panel was closed. With one hand he
grasped the iron ring fastened to the wall be-
meath the window, and with the other pushed
first gently and then with all mis- might, but the
panel remained fast. He then tried TO batter 1t
with the flagstaff, but soon found that in his
cramped position it only increased his danger.
Again and again he endeayored to force it open.
breaking his nails and bruising his finger tips
in his frenzy, but to no purpose. Suddenly tine
conviction dawned upon him that the window
was bolted from the inside. With despairing
sob he tottered backward, but his grasp on the
ring held, and with supreme effort he pulled
himself close up to the wall, and tried to collect
his scattered wits.
''It is no use to shout he said aloud ''It is
more than folly to attempt to make myself heard
from this height, l might as well save my
strength. All that remains for me to do is to
wait patiently. Someone will be sure to miss
me and come to my relief. In God is my trust!'
and his courage rose With the words.
The troops disbanded, and the people hurried
off to the brilliantly lighted cafes and theaters,
all unconscious of the pale, silent boy clinging
with desperate grip to the spire, with but mar
row shelf of stone between him and horrible
death.
The sunset faded into the twilight, and with
sudden wave darkness drifted over the earth.
The noise in the streets grew fainter and fainter.
The minutes heightened into hours, and still
the boy stood there the night wore on, occa-
sionally shifting his position to his cramped
and aching limbs. The night wind pierced his
thin clothing, and his hands were benumbed
with the cold. One by one the bright constel-
latlons rose and glittered and dipped in the sky,
and the boy still managed to keep his foothold
as rigid as the stone statues on the dome below.
Two, three, four, pealed the bells in their
hoarse, deep tones, and when the first glimmer
OF dawn tinged the eastern horizon with pale
yellow, he haggard face lighted with expect
ancy, and from the ashen lips which had been
moving al night IN prayer, came the words
''In God is my trust"
''What is the meaning of yonder crowd?''
asked one or two artisans, who had met while
hurrying across the plaiz to their work.
''Whatl have you not heard? All Vienna is
ringing with the news 1t was young Franz,
the goldsmith apprentice, who climbed out on
the spire yesterday and waved the flag. In
some way, the little window near the top was
fastened on the inside, and the poor boy was
forced to stay out all night clinging to the spire.
1t is only short time ago that he was discov-
he lad
After working over him a little while he seemed
all right and was carried to his home. And
there's another strange thing! Nicholas, old |
Jacob Wietig's nephew, was picked up, mangled |
and bleeding at the foot OF the tower stairs this
morning He has just been taken to the hos
pital.'
The next day Franz received summons from !
the emperor. As he followed the officer who had |
been sent to conduct him to the palace, to his |
You'd were lined on either side wife the soldiers
of the Imperial Guard, and as the slender bow |
ish figure, with its crown of golden hair, passed |
between the files, each mailed and bearded war |
rior reverently saluted.
On he went, through another chamber and |
into a spacious hall with marble floors and |
hanpinps OF rich tapestrv ON both sidee were |
rows OF courtiers and officers, the rich costumes |
and nodding plumes and splendid uniforms, |
with their jeweled orders contrasting strangely |
with the lads plain, home-spun garments. ut
is the emperor whispered tire guide as they
drew near canopied throne, and Franz dropped
He felt the hand which was placed on his
bowed head tremble, and kind voice said, |
Rise, my boy! kneel not to mel 1t is 1, the /
emperor, who should rather kneel to do thee
homage for thy filial piety. My brave lad, |
know thy story we'll. Ask Of me place near
my person, aid for thy sick mother-what thy
wilt, and it is granted theei And remember
that as long as the emperor of Austria shall live
he will feel himself honored in being known as
thy friend.'
In short time another summons came, this
time from the hospital. At the end of long |
row OF beds lay Nicholas with his arm bandaged
and strips OF plaster covering the gashes on his
forehead.
30, Franzl'' he groaned, 'If God has for
given me- why can not you? And you will be-
!ieve that speak the truth when tell you that |
was sorry for what had done. and 1 had
turned to go back and unbolt the door when ]
tripped and fell
Franz bent over him with bright smile. 81
forgive you everything, Nicholas - he said
sweetly, $50 please let us say no more about il.
It wasn't bad exchange. 1 lost an enemy, but
gained friend, - and the hands of the two
boys met in firm, loving grasp.