The morning times., 1896-10-18
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Great &
Arrow. +
The
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iSSSSSES
BY FRANK SCOTT ballard.
copyrighted, 1860

copyrighted, S96.l
Some years ago, in The city of Havrc.
one Of the largest seaport towns in France
lived a family Of tie name of Vinccnnes
There was tie mother and her eldest SON.
jacques, wclI-devclorcd lad Of fifteen.
and Jcanic, ccmely little daughter OF
,wclyc. and Bah and Betty, TWO chubby
checked baby twins.
Tie father had been a sailor in trading
vessel which sailed between Havre and
South American ports. But onc day, during
q violent storm NJ sea, me was washed over
beard and lost. leaving tic widowed mother
and tie boy, Jacques
Jacques was oliigud TO leave school ana
Seek employment on one Of tie cccks.
Thoach his work was not very Interesting,
occasionally there would he q short stop IN
tbe routine when one vessel had done with
Its cargo and they Were waiting for another
TO take its place, and then Jacques, With
others OF The boys who worked ON the DOCKS
wsuld Get aboard :he ships, and climbing
in.otEc rigging they would there chase e'th
otpcr about at an imminent risk Of break
ing thcir neckS or falling overheard. At
this last practice jacques became Woi'cef-
fully expert.
The little girl. Jcanic, had something
the matter with her eyes. 1t seemed 10
her as if there was always something
mDring before them. If she gaZed UP
into the sky or looked out over the sea,
there would come floating before her Vls-
ion myriads of >pecks and spots like snow
flakes. ana curious looking lines like tan
cled threads and bits of cobweb.
Bat the trouble went steadily onI ana
Jeanic was finally obliged TO leave school,
as she could no longer use her eyes 10
study: then a physician was called.
He shook his head gravely after he had
made his examination, and explained as
kindly as he could TO the awed little group
about him that an operation would be
Necessary to save her eyes. lie told them
what tie trouble was, but they could oply
understand that Jeanie would be blind for
all her life If her eyes were not operated
on, and that IL would be necessary for her
10 20 to Paris 10 great oculist o have her
eyes treated, and that the operation would
probably cost not less than 500 francs; n
hopeless sum this TO the poor family that
depended on a boy OF fifteen and a moth
er's scanty earnings for support.
But one night something happened.
great storm swept over Hayre. 1t tossed
the waves in the h6rbor mountain high,
and the shores were strewu with the wreck
age or vessels. 1t Uttered the streets with
broken gable ends and shOpkeepers' signs,
and when morning dawned over the.wind-
swepttown, 1t was seen tn a tthe great golden
arrow that surmounted the steeple OF St.
pauls b ad been dislodged from its SOCKET
and hung Imply, point TO earth, giving
detected, forlorn air to the mighty steeple,
the pride of the town. How TO fix 1t, that
was the question. Many plans were sug-
ees.ed, but all failed. As last resort the
authorities offered Il reward of 500 francs
to any one who would climb the steeple Of
St Paul's and put the gllded vane back IN
position.
jacques Vinceunes, returning from his
work one afternoon, chGnced TO pass near
St. Pauls, and, seeing a great crowd be-
fore the church, ran that way.
what is it, lie asked OF an acquaiut-
ance.
"a sailor just tried 10 climb the stecple,"
was the reply. He got as far as that third
window, whenhe slipped andfell but caught
hold of something as he went over and saved
himself. See, that's HIM up in the belfry.''
Now, as he stood thinking, little thrills
Of fheroic feeling swept over him. and young
though he was, thoughts of danger to be
braved. life 10 be risked for his sisters
sake took posScSsi on Of him, and noble
impulse made him for the time being some
thing hotter than Just Jacques. the wind
lass boy. Hardly realizing what he was
doing. he elbowcd his way through the
crowd. mounted the winding belfry stairs,
and with beating heart appeared before
those starding around the sailor, still faint
and white from his experience.
What do You want here?" inquired one
Of the onluokers Of Jacques.
Il am going to climb the steeple," he
replied. Conscious of the half absurd effect
Of such words coming from him.
YOU" sneercd the white-lipped sailor
cEagrIucd at the sorry showing he had
made. You had better 20 home to your
muther.''
The others paid little attention to
Jacques. who quietly slipped off his coat
and shoes. Then, seeing he was in earnest,
the man who had first spoken. told him
roughly To get back down stairs. But
Jacques. catching up a piece Of rope, slipped
itaruund his waist, stepped from Il window
onto the sill, and grasping the peak of
the cornice overhead. climbed up and rested
there, while the men in the belfry window
Shouted ia him 10 Come back, and the
crowd in the street hurried back at this new
zen satiUn.
But Jacques did not slip; his practice in
climbing the high inasts and rigging of
the sips al the deck served him Well now
Slowly, steadily, lie worked his way up
ward, from sill 10 sill, from window top to
window top, crawling on hands and knees
upsharp littieinclines, hanging by his hands
while he felt for sure footing for his feet,
the rough states bruising his knees and
the sharp corners paiBing his fingers.
Finally, he had reached the last of the
little windows on the tower and rested.
with both hands on the sill, his hands
clutching the top overhead There was
only one more circular cornicc and a row
of metal knobs above him: beyond these the
steeple was smooth TO the top. Below,
hundreds of feet, were the tagged pave