The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-06-25
A PBRILOUS HOUR.

but being of a bold. dangeT-lOVlDs turn L
ran away to sea before my time was out.
After some years l tired of maritime life,
and having married and determined to stick
to the shore. l got work with builder
whose peculiar line lay in erecting tall
chimneys ] had always a very cool head
and could stand on elevations that made
most men dizzy, and so l was soon a favor
tie hand with my Master.
We lad on one occasion to fasten light
ning-conduct0r which had sprung near the
top of a very high chimney, and Mr.. SIAM
ing chose myself and one James Colly, as
the most daring of his men. to do it. About
half dozen of us went that morning with
hand-cart containing the necessary ropes,
blocks, the kite and bOX or cradle. Hav-
ing flown the kite and dropped its line
across the top Of The chimney. we soon drew
up a rope at the end Of which was block,
through which ran the line whereby we
were 10 be drawn Up.
Collv had only been married a fortnight,
and as we stepped into the cradle the men
banteTingly asked him If he hadn't last
dyingspeech to leave 10 his wife; and then,
Mr.. Staining having shaken hands with rs,
and babe us be cool and steady, we were
drawn slowly up. Ii was known all over
the town that the conductor was 10 be fixed,
and the streets were thTOnEed with staTeTs.
COly was very quiet. AMI when l waved my
cap TO the people he said Snappishy that
this was no time for such folly, and that
he thought | might think OF better things
than how to amuse these gaping fools, who
he dared say, desired no better fun than TO
see Us meet with an accident
l had come up IN the best heart, thinking
indeed nothing about the danger we III
cured. but as we drew nearer and nearer
10 the top, and had nothing, as il seemed.
belonging TO this world near TO Us but this
strainjng rope, 1 began TO SEQ the peril OF
the undertaking. WHAT COlly thought Of
il don't know. He sat at the bottom of
the cradle, never looking out, though l told
him he would do better 10 keep his eyes
about him, SO that he might grow used to
the height.
Good heaven! what was this? Here we
were within q yard OF the top projecting
coping, and still they were winding away
without slackening speed 10 the least /
guessed In a moment that they mistoOk our
height, AID that with the great purchase of
that WindlaSs the rope would be broken
when the cradle came to the block / Sprang
up aud, catching the rope, climbed hand
over hand 10 the coping. COlly sprang up
and followed me. De, t0O, got up safe, aud
still they went on winding up till the rope
sung sgain with the strain.
Then 1t snapped, and cradle, haulBg-lne
and The main rope, with its block. fell down.
Thus we were two poor men left IN a most
desperate situation. Poor COlly was com
pietey dszed with alright, and the moment
he GOT on the coping which was only q foot
and half broad, he called QUIT
Where can pray? Where can l kneel
and pray"
So l said very sOlemnly:
''Sit down, Jem; God will hear US If we
pray 10 him sitting down"
The color Of his face was a transparent
blue, and it was distorted and twitching AS
if be was IN fit. His eyes were very wild
and drawn into squirt, and he couldn't sit
steady, but swayed his body backward ana
forward so that felt certain that lie must
tOpDle over.
'Come. Jem. lad 1 said thinking to
take the fright of him; its bad enough,
but it can't be mended. Hitch up bit and
put your arm round the rod-maybe it will
steady you"
Where are you9 Where is this rod ?"
he asked, In a very hollow voice, though he
was looking straight a NE. and the rod was
only foot or two to bis left
by THIS l knew that he was gone blind
with the fright, and self-pTeseTyatidn said,
Don't 60 near him." but then l remem-
bered Dis new welded wife, and that taking
him all through lie was a very decent fel-
low; aud thought how I should have liked
him 10 have done If / had been in his case,
so / determined 10 run bit OF a risk in his
favor. VI course l burst not get on my
ieet, but working myself on by my hands
/ got TO him, and putting my arms around
could 10 keep cool l got him With his arms
around the rOd. II had, however, sprung
the staDling for five yards down, and was
90 loose that II sWayed with him, and |
expected any minute to see him falling head
and heels down and the rod tearing away
with him.
There was a great hustle down below;
people were running around the ward and
pushing 20 get in, but as vet there were
some score Of men at the foot of the chin
b -nfa~ Ill T
somebody on board and carry him away
toward the engine-hOuse. One of the men
walked after with a hat in his hand I
knew then that somebody had been hurt bv
the falling cradle and that ii must be poor
Mr.. Staining, as none Of our men wore hats
Not face was turned up 10 us. l learned
atteTWard that our men were 30 taken mn
with sorrow mat so good a man and so kind
master should be killed that for awhile
they had never thought about us and the
people outside imagined that we had come
down with the cradle, so thus we were left
IN isolation FOR twenty minutes.
While vas watching them below. feel
ing very sorry fOT my poor master | was
startled by a Wild laugh from Coly. who
began making catcalls and yelling as II be
Was possessed. Then l knew that he had
gone mad. Even now | tremble when I
think OF that time; ii was horrible to near
down the shaft, black and sooty and yawn-
Ing, and scarcely less so to look outside
ana see flight OF pigeons sweeping around
~ considerable less height than we were.
men Colly-thank God, be was so dazed
that ne could not see me-ealied nv mama
three times. as l sat fairly cringing In dread
that his sight might clear. and with a
CHASTITY grin and chewing with his mo1th
ne began working himself over toward me
worked away from him as noiselesslv as
could, with every hair Of my head stand
Ing on end. He followed me twice aronnd
that horrld coping making most hideous
noises, and then having come a second tira
70 the rod he got an idea 10 his muddled
mead That l had fallen over. for he never
losI sense OIL where he was all through
this trying time. Then he tried 10 pet On
his feet, but at the risk of nv own life T
eOulq not let the poor fellow rush to certain
deatn without one more effort, so | cried
out LOT MIN to sit down. He covered like a
whipped dog, all trembling. I suppose it
had been put into his head that was dad
man speaking to him.
mat morning my wife had got letter
from her sister IN Canada and as there weTe
parts we could not make out / had mt n in
ny pocket, Intending TO get our timekeeper
~ Le@I ~ Ior me II had scrap OF I'M
covered paper al the bottom and nv another
good providence l happened to have bit
OF req lead pencil ia my pocket I wrote on
the paper, Get US down-COlly's gone
mao, ana this l shut in my tobacco-box
ana was fortunate enough to drop il at the
u w iilCu VIII were Standing by the
enGine-h house door. y 'N0
Directly all was hustle to rescns They
got the kite uD again, and [ watched It
mounting slowly-sloWly; and when the
SLACK t"lne fell between Colly and myself
LOOK u Ia my hand and could have kissed II
tooE Colly, with bis teeth chattering still
fdneleo was spirit, and did all / conld
10 favor tat idea until thew got snotGar
cradle qD 70 Us. Then having GOT him in
ScrhmD bed In myself, and clutching him fast
shouted Tor them to lower; and 80 we were
got qown. he wrestling and Fighting with
me ali the way. " -"
de was in a madhouse far anna r,,.,,L.
ana then went TO scayeneerIpg far he
never would face any height again: and
that adventure. eau Sinee
Gmad