Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-05-30

More than . quarter OF ton Il
weighed. 90 the stonecutters said.
No wind would ever blow the top on
that chimney. it was certain. The
whole thing would 60 first.
A strong derrick had been specially
rugged up on the top Of the chimney.
A great beam had been strongly
dashed In place, 80 as to project out
over the edge, with tackle block
fastened at the end and the capstone
was to be hauled up by wire cable
with two yoke OF oxen at the end.
1t always takes longer than ex-
pected to make ready for such an
operation. The crowd began to grow
impatient. Giles Sanders, however,
conspicuous on the top Of the Chin
ney, was in no hurry to have the
thing over, for as long az 1t lasted he
was bound to be the object Of all
eyes and the subject Of conversation.
1t was the greatest day and hour OF
his life.
At length, after much toggling and
testing, everything was pronounced
ready. Word was given. the driver
whipped up his oxen, the sturdy fell
lows strained at the yoke, the cable
frightened and slowly but surely the
heavy capstone rose from its resting
place into the air. steadied by the
workmen, and then went straight on
upward, as IL it had been q pebble.
A shout of exultation broke from
the crowd, and then all was quiet
again while every eye followed the
massive block in its upward course.
There was Giles Sanders up aloft
looking over the edge Of the Chin
ney, he too watching intently the
steadily rising burden. Half way
up-now three-quarters-n nearly
there. Only few a feet more and the
capstone will rest triumphant In it's
place.
Suddenly Giles Sanders waved his
arms frantically.
STAND from under down there, for
Heavens sake" he shouts. she's
breaking. she's breaking"
Something gives way. There is a
creaking, raspeng hum, followed by a
deafening crash OF timbers, and the
mighty stone comes tearing its way
to the earth, carrying away in its
fight the wooden scaffolding and
burying itself deep in the earth at
the foot of the chimney. The peo-
pie rush to the spot with one impulse.
Fortunately no one is hurt. Giles
warning shout and the creak of the
cable gave the workmen time to get
out of the way. No harm is done;
the stone is not even broken. But
stop! Now the crowd begins to re-
alize it, and there is buzz Of anxious
voices. How is Giles Sanders to get
down? There he is on top OF the
shaft nearly two hundred feet in the
air. The derrick is broken and fallen.
The scaffolding his other resource,
lies scattered On the groGnd, except
for a few struggling timbers that
still hang loosely in position. Jump.
it would never do. Ladders, none can
be spliced long enough to reach.
Yes, the scaffolding can be rebuilt;
but it vii! take two days to do it,
And all this time the poor man must
stay up there, with hardly room to
hang on, nothing to eat and no pos
sibility of sleeping. What IL, during
the night, he should grow weak or
unsteady and fall off? The bare pos
sibility is frightful to think Of
Ingenious fellows in the scrowd
puzzle their heads for some means to
rescue the unfortunate one. Tear
up your shirt into strips" shouts
some one, and tie 'em together.
and let down the end, and then well
fssten rope on for you" And
Giles sets to work yipping ana tear
ing and cutting, with fingers and
teeth and pocket knife. Then he ties
the lengths together, but no, they're
not long enough; they reach only
little more than half way down.
The case seems hopeless. Giles
must stay on the chimney until the
next night at least, without relief.
Already it is beginning to grow dusk,
and now the men set to work in
earnest to rebuild the scaffolding.
where's that good for nothing
Pete?' someone inquired. 'fLikely
of shootin' squirrels. He's never
round when anything's the matter"
answered another. NO" ventured
his mother, as she overheard the re-
mark, 'he was here this afternoon.
l saw him just before the accident. I"
Sure enough, here he comes
across the fields" assented the man.
but what's the boy got? 1t looks
like a:kite He amt got the heart to
go hyin' kites with his father up
there on that thing, has he? But it's
just like him. / don't believe he
thinks as much Of his father as he
does of his dog"
Mrs. Sanders put her apron to her
eyes and walked over to meet Peter,
who had meantime come running up.
what in the world do you mean.
Peter, by foolin' with your kite at
such q time as this?" she asked.
Just you wait, mother" answered
Pete, softly as he adjusted the tail
and guidestrings OF the kite.
Meantime the waiting crowd had
begun to gather around Peter, QUITO
curiosity to see what he was about.
What yon think you're tryin' to do,
Pretty?" inquired one and the un-
timely banter was greeted by an I'M.
timely laugh. But Peter kept un.
ruffled as he went on making his kite
ready.
There was just a soft evening
breeze stirring out of the south.
Take her and hold her up good, "
so;d pate IN another how stondino