The herald., 1893-12-09
A MIDAIR FIGHT.

l am about to relate have never
AIRED in print Nobody but myself
4 possibly give faithful account
70 matter, andiI have only recently
yered from a nervous prostration
followed the event. / write this
unt now, not because it gives me
pleasure,to do so-oh the contrary,
ask is a very unpleasant and pain
ne-but SO many untruthful ver-
of the story have got abroad that
| it due to myself to@tate plainly
actually occurred.
was in August, and 1 was taking
asant walking tour in the south of
and. During the second week !
left Surrey behind me and was
ering amongthe fields, the wooded
and the winding lanes of West
x.
arried with me a little guidebook
81, county, merely for the sake of
lief information it gave me about
lurches and other points of inter
l employed noAitinerary, but let
ute work itself out from day to
without any ptearranged plans.
10 fact remains that but for that
book my terrible. adventure would
probability never have happened.
akfasting one morning at the lit
i at B, determined that my
walk should be ITO P, and
B d out my route on the map. /
d, however, that a little village
W lay about two miles out
way, and turning up the place
guide,I read, The tourist should
liss the church, which is early
b and exhibits some very inter-
features. l thereupon resolved
my route little in order to in
the village in my days progress.
sscriptionlof the place, its charm
,een and pretty cottages. is not
ary to mystory. The little church
upon a knoll and is prominent
in the landscape for miles around.
ig up at its graceful spire, at
noticed that just beneath the
,rcock. some slight scatfolding had
rected, and that ropes depended
t to the surface of the tower be-
Some repairs were evidently in
ION.
you repairing the spire2" !
IF three men who were seated on
: omb eating their frugal midday
~" was the somewhat surly reply
h man who appeared to me to be
eman.
ly the weathercock?"
g."
fellow now eyed me closely, as
sas were something in my appear
hat interested him. He was
er tall and powerfully built man,
i full black beard and rather Gu
s, deep set eyes. There was some
g about the eyes that fascinated
Surely l had fsen them before.
where? l had no recollection of
ing ever previously made the ac-
intance of steeplejack.
is manner suddenly changed toward
He rose from his seat and seemed
ious to converse.
Pretty country around here, sir"
agreed with him.
Lovely view from the top" He
tied with his thumb to the steeple.
~ get what they call a birdseye
v for miles around, and l believe
the sea this morning through that
TX yonder in the South Downs. -"
How do you go up?" l asked.
In sort of cage. | am just going
!, sir. Will you go with me? You
never get the opportunity again. -
thought he was probably right, and
it was a pity to miss such an ex-
ence.
But is it quite safe?" l inquired.
Bless you, yes. sir. I'll take care
OH right enough. " And he laughed
way that was certainly not pleas
but it struck me as being only
liar maDnerism.
consented to make the ascent, and
Ill mounted the belfry stairs and
out ON the belfry leads.
ID better go first, he said, land
1 can see you safely landed. The
will only hold one at u time.
, was soon hauled to tho top, and
/ he had disembarked the cage was
lown again for my reception.
n and proceeded to ascend up the
of the steeple. ! had not risen
7 yards before l began to feel very
ous. Ny life was absolutely at