Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-02-02
ON THE ROOF.
Exchange.

Toe gray in q single night OF course |
',n maze. The old story books are full
,l,cb tales. | can remember dozens Of |
.a,,s-storics rocking with goro and |
,-.Lvith dunrcons, and growsomo with 4
eso.ts ADD other uncanny things. The
Zinc. and sometimes the hero goes to
Ii IA night with hair rs black ~ tho
s.r.ns wing. and along in tho night
e., ,be horrors, whatever they arc, aud
A. ,be morning tho raven hair has turned
A snowy white. i
rsn remember. too, that lnevor used
D.. ,ste any stock In such stories. used
,obr,r them read, and get up quito
,.'rsetable thrill at tho most horrible
,1rtions. especially when tho CANDID
e,skerel awhile. leaving everybody In
,,,ai darkness. just as a dccp groan was
Nh OF long. laundering cry. like tho
,risd through the weeping willows in
graveyard .,.- -....r,.
torehing passages like those, and used
\ 4, hurry up 90 bed and tuck my head
rpdor Tho clothes and SILVER with tho
mot tiinid OF them But somehow or
e,b,r could not accept tho hair turning
4 t,n Of the story | know that hair,
Mel or white. could stand on end, but
4 a,ta good head Of black hair would
4 Mach itself ont between dark aud day
E,ht was little too much 20 swallow.
+ / know better now. have had lit
tlo experience Of my own which-hut
prhar It IS best 20 tell the story as Il
occurred.
It was on the roof Of the cathedral at
Milan. Wo had climbed tho stairs In
,ho late afternoon OF beautiful spring
liy. after paying the custodian tho in
fniGcaut price no asked for all the
sogos visible from the elevated station.
We had looked through tho telescope
OK another fce-and had each assured
| ,he others that we raw Mont Blanc per-
ie.ly we'll. without for moment bo-
Ag,ing what tho others said or conyinc'
Ing them that we told tho truth, and
tal ended our climbs by ascending TO
the highest point undcr the lantorn-if
4 g u lnntern-by tho corl,scrcw stair
case. which will scarcely permit any but
Che ,hinncst persons 10 pass whom ono 10
going up and tho other coming down.
We were party OF four, and whom
tho roof was reached the youngest pro-
POSI- q mmblo over that portion Of tho
structure. 10 this all but myself as
eutei was tired aud proposed TO
rs. awhile at tho foot OF the tower
rtr,, whore tho other were 20 pick me
up On their return. so that wo might all
descend to.y,thur. This was satisfac.
tory and OF they started.
For time was quito comfortable,
and paid no attention 10 tho passage OF
time; bat Suddenly noticed that It was
4 getting dark and that my companions
had not returned. called 10 them first
IN moderate tonc Of voice, thon more
q loudly. but received no answer.
Fearing that they would DO bclatcd on
a Tho roof started in search Of them.
4 walked the entire length Of tho ridge Of
4 tue main roof aud pocred down all the
adc passages In tho gathering dusk, but
Z caught no glimpse Of my companions
Then desoondod TO tho roof Of the aisle
and made a search there which was also
iuitoas. became alarmed rs the light
4 failed, and ran from one point 10 an.
other, calling ont as ran. until found,
tony great distress, that had lost my
way could see far below me the lights
q tho great city and hear the distant
rmbling Of the carriages as they drove
last on tho stony streets
Bu, was as oifcctually lost for the
moment as u had been in tho heart OF
an African jungle without compass
and no Stanley on the.alort 10 hunt me
up In the oxcitcinSnt aud despair
which tho CONSEQUENCES of this fact pro.
ducad, rushed about 30 wildly that
slipped and foil on long flight of stone
stops wet with tho dow which had be.
gun to fall. | Twas not conscious of amy
ieHous injury from tho fall, but when |
brought up AZ the foot of the stairs and
tr'cd to regain my footing, found, to
my despair and horror. that | was utter.
" unable to move my linha. | was par
aly1el.
Tho raca.al agony suffered Is incon.
eeiyable. Yet ouriously enough spent
lae first moments in specializing as "a
tae exact nature Of the injury had sus,
Ainod. Had broken my back or sim,
ply injured my spinal cordg tried Ia
recall what had heard my docto:
lalnds say about injurics OF similar
enaiactor, but could not soom TO romcm
1er anything definite. Tho words, ''thC
MN pair flashed into my mind mud ap
Fdrod 70 connect themselves In somt
way with my condition. but whcthol II
was the eth pair Of nerves or ribs. or oil
something else, could not mako out,
leould not understand other how
could have been 90 seriously injured
without amy sensible shock, but that ml
power OF locomotion wns gone thcrn wa
NO doubt. could move my hands and
Inegan 10 speculate on the number OF
innings ono could do with ones hand,
alone This occupied mo for what
seemed TO be an hour but as tho train
o. thought was interrupted by clocl
Hking tho hour o. midnight, | con
Guided itmust have bson much longer
ala wondered ! had not heard tho Pre-
eeding hours.
suddenly tho full horror Of my condi
non flashed upon me. was not only
uooined TO remain where was, holplosi
aHd alone, during tho long chilly hour.
o' tho night, but there was no ccrtaint,
mat l would oyor got away alive. Nj
u'snds would never dream that wan
ulfs They mat undoubtedly con
e'uded that ! had gone down. and Il
ney missed me would search every
yhere but in the right place. II might
~ uaya before tho particular spot il
winch l lay would bo visited. md /,
u'"' case 1t would be too lato Stnrvn
uon would do for mo, ovon II tho iniur,