The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-09-09
A PERILOUS HOUR.

l was apprenticed to a decorative
painter, but being of bold, danger low
ing turn, ran away to sea before my
time was out. After some years 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 | was soon favorite hand with
my master.
We had on one occasion to fasten
lightning conductor which had sprung
near the top of a very high chimney, and
Mr. Staining chose myself and one
James Colly to do it as the most daring
of his men. About half dozen of US
went that morning with a hand cart con-
tanning the necessary ropes, blocks, the
kite and box or cradle. Having flown
the kite and dropped its line across the
top Of the chimney, we soon drew up
rope, at the end of which was block,
through which ran the line whereby we
were to be drawn up.
Colly had only been married fort
night, and as we stepped into the cradle,
the men banteringiy asked him if he
hadn't a last dying speech to leave for
his wife; and then, Mr.. Staining having
shaken hands with US, and bid us be
cool and steady, we were drawn slowly
up. 1t was known all over the town that
the conductor was to be fixed, and the
streets were thronged with starers.
Colly was very quiet, and when waved
my cap to the people he said snappishly
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 bet
ter fun than to see US meet with an acct
dent.
had come up in the best heart, think
ing indeed nothing about the danger we
incurred, but as we drew nearer and
nearer to the top, and had nothing, as it
seemed, belonging to this world near to
us but this straining rope, began to see
the peril of the undertaking. What
Colly thought of it / don't know. He
sat at the bottom of the cradle, never
looking out, though told him he would
do better to keep his eyes about him, SO
that he might grow used to the height.
Good heaven! what was this? Here
we were within yard of the top pro-
jecting coping, and still they were wind
ing away, without Stacking speed in the
least: / guessed in a moment that they
mistook our height, and that with the
great purchase of that windlass the rope
would be broken when the cradle came
RI ha block 7 Cr11opo nm ootob
ing the rope, climbed hand over hand
to the coping. Colly, too, sprang up
and followed me. He, too, got up safe;
and still they went ON winding up, till
the rope sung again with the strain.
Then it snapped, and cradle, hauling
line, and the main rope with its block,
fell down. Thus we were two poor
men left in a most desperate situation.
Poor Colly was completely dazed with
alright, and the moment he, got ON the
coping, which was only foot and hall
broad, he called out, Where can
pray? where can l kneel and pray?'
And SO said very solemnly. "Sit down
Jem; God will hear us if we pray to hin
sitting down."
The color of his face was Transparent
blue, and it was distorted aud twitchins
as if he was i'll fit. His eyes were yer,
wild and drawn into a squint, and b
couldn't sit steady, but swayed his bod,
backward and forward so that / fel
certain that he must topple over.
Come, Jem, lad" said, thinking t
take the fright off him; "it's bad enough
but it can't be mended. Hitch up bi
and put your arm around the rod-may
be it will steady you"
'Where are you? and where is thi
rod!' he asked, in very hollow voice
though he was looking straight at me
and the rod was only foot or two t
his left. By this l knew that he wa
gone blind with the fright; and SCI
preservation said, Don't go near hin
but then l remembered his new wedde
wife, and that taking him all throug
he was always very decent fellow; an
thought how | should have liked hiI
to have done if had been in his cast
so determined to run bit of risk i
his favor. Of course l burst not get O
my feet; but working myself ON by N
hands, l got to him, and putting ID
arm around his waist, and telling hin
as cheerily as could to keep cool, g
him with his arm around the rod.
had, however, sprung the stapling fl
FIVE yards down, and was so loose tn;
it swayed with him, and expected an
minute to see him falling head and hee
down and the rod tearing away wit
him.
There was great hustle down below
people were running around the yar
and pushing to get in, but as yet thel
were but some score of men at the fot
Of the chimney, and by close looking
saw them put somebody on board an
carry him gently away toward the el
CINE house. One of the men wake
after with a hat in his hand; 1 kne
then that somebody had been hurt /
the falling cradle, and that it must
poor Mr.. Staining, as none of our me
wore hats. Not face was turned up
us. learned afterward that our MT
were so taken up with sorrow that
good q man and so kind master shou
be killed, that for awhile they hs
never thought about US, and the De
pie outside imagined that we had con
down with the cradle, so thus we we
left In isolation for twenty minutes.
While l was watching them belo,
feeling very sorry for my poor 1naste
was startled by wild laugh from c,
ly, who began making cat calls al
yelling as if he was possessed. Their
knew that no t.