Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-01-23
A TERRIBLE FAIL.

Ned Wilson, fellow workman. conceiv
cd great dislike for me. We parted and
years after I set up for myself. Being
called upon to paint church tower / be.
thought myself of an assistant.
had forgotten Wilson-in fasA since
my establishment on my own account I
had never seen him, and rs time eiYoccs
very many of the animosities which un-
der the influence of an hour possess us,
SO, with me, had the recollection Of tho i'll
feeling ovinced toward me by him given
place to feeling of commiseration for
and, lastly, to forSstfulness of him
One day, when almost in despair Of
completing the work in the required time
for want Of workmen, was startled by
the appearance of man whose face wore
q familiar expression and which soon rc
called to be no other than Wilson. A
long, persistent course of dissipation had
told sadly on him and want spoke Through
tho battered garments of its continuous
presence. He soon made known the object
OF his visit by applying for work. Under
any other circumstances an indignant re-
fusnl would have met this proposal but
saw in his presence means to assist me to
the completion of the church, and forget
full of his old malice and deaf to tho in
ward monitor that bado me hesitate, en-
gagged him to commence work for mo on
the next day, taking occasion, however, to
require strict abstinence from intoxicat-
ing liquors as precedent to continuation
at work.
AG the usual hour the morrow Will
son was ut the church with brushes and
Kettles, prepared to commence work My
hands had given the first outside coat to
the tower, and on that morning were to
begin the application OF the second. High
up in the clouds raised the spire and from
Its top humanity below had assumed Lii
putian proportions. The scaffolding had
been placed in position tho evening before
and nothing prevented my workmen from
pursuing their labors.
Thls trestle was SO framed that by turn
ing screw 1t would widen or close at will
by means OF groove us to apply it to
any window, and by entirely moving tho
screw it could be taken apart. had fitted
1t to window, and securing short lad
der to 1t, was ut tho top of the ladder bnsily
engaged In my lnbors, my mind, however,
creating disturbed fancies, tho result OF
my encounter with Wilson,
How long n time had elapsed do not
know, but suddenly II feeling of insecurity
possessed mo. / cssaycd in vain to dispcl
it as an illusion produced by the excited.
state of my nerves, but the moro tried TO
believe it whimsical fancy the stronger
became impressed of impending danger
No longer able to resist the warning of
that inevitable monitor which at times at
tends every ono and forwarding of COM
ing evil, yet falling to indicate Il means of
escape, descended tho ladder, intending
to abandon my work until I felt sufficient
ly calm to resume it when-oh, horrors
upon the inside of the tower before mo,
with the nalignity of satan depicted upon
his face. stood Wilson. The screw had
been removed from the trcstle, and with
ono hand he held 1t over his head, while
with the other he balanced the thrcstle
Hn,' ha, haH' he screamed. s'I'vc got
you. Now's the time to square old scores.
BY the gods, you've but n minute more to
i've. so II you've any prayers to say you'd
better be quick
Rooted to tho spot and with hair stand
Ing on end l cssaycd to bog him for my
Bte but tho words chokcd In my thront
and refused uttcrancn. In vain / attempt.
cd to call to the workmcn on the opposite
side of tho tower for help. My lips refused
their duty. With the desperation of do
spair l sprang forward, hoping to reach
the window, when the upiiftcd screw fell
with crushing force upon my right shout
der, missing my head, ut which it was
AosNASA. "A UAiS oiiiLlc lHSttluI IuG UrCSLl5
slipped, and with my footing gono wild
~ flung my arms about
Oh, tho agony of that moment! soon
began to realize that hung suspended in
mldair and discovered that in my full I
had caught by the waistband of my pants
to spike which had been left by my
workmen. Still, my lips refused to utter
| sound of alarm. Above mo but u few
| feet stood Wilson. No relcnting look, but
tho same ficndish hatred beamcd down on
;sie.
| Too far below the easement to reach it,
hung suspended by the brittle thread
| Presently the blood commenced rushing
to my head, and then slowly the band be-
| gan to rip, q stitch at first, then, as il
gathering strength, two or three at
time. A few more brcakings of the thread
| md knew that would be dashed to the
hard pavement $50 feet below
| All this time, which occupied but fow
| seconds, yet which appeared of endless
duration, had been offering to God my
prayers for the reception of my soul An
| other break, and my life hung upon one
| moro thread. Casting one more look above,
my eyes, burning with pain and almost
blinded by the rushing of blood, rested
upon that same dreadful face. I once
more prayed to God and closed my eyes
Tho last thread parted, and downtown
-down--until my brain whirlcd and it
seemed rs ii the reverburations of 1000
beiehlng lannon's We're rolling through
| my head and my eyes We're starting from
their sockets. Then stillncss-thc seraph-
ic music from heavenly choIistcrs-struck
upon my ears, and then was-nwakened.
to find that had been dreaming and had
fallen from my chair But the evidence
OF my internal agony that night remained
with me, for my hair, which before was q
beautiful black, had in that short hour
changed TO white, and for u long time
there remained with me the impress of
that face as l saw it. looking down on
me.-New York News.
A German statistician says that of ever,
10000 chimieys three are struck by light.
ming, while Of the same number of towers
and windfnills 80 and so respectively arr,