The suburban citizen., 1901-08-24

" " Cornwall, Ontario, by the
Scotch-Canadian capitalists
who are now Lord Moun-Stephen and
Lord Strathcona-and-Mo Mount Royal,
their contractor for the building was
John Stacy. He was of great physi-
cal strength, nOtoriously "a tall man
Of his hands," and everything in the ma
ture of a practical joke was dear to
him, although he must have been
ffty-fve or sixty years old. SO no.
body who knew him was surprised
when he proposed a luncheon on top
Of the factory chimney just after its
completion.
1t cannot be truthfully said that
men came fiOcliing to his invitations.
The chimney, which stood about
twenty-five or thirty feet clear of the
Factory building, was a plain shaft Of
brick with an unrailed iron coping, and
to reach this top we had to go out on
a ladder, about thirty-fve or forty
feet long, which slanted from the roof
of the ten-stSry stair tower to the cop
ing. In high winds the tall stack OF
brick swayed distinctly, as all high
brick chimneys do at such times
ITS a wonder entirely what alb
sorbing business the gentlemen of
Cornwall do be having on the day of
me luncheon-pGrty," old Mr.. Stacy
told me, with apparent solemnity and
few touches Of brogue. Il was ex-
pecting the judge would come and re-
ply to the toast of the learned pro-
fessiOns, but himself is for holding
court steady all that day. Darby
Bergin darsn't be leaving his patients
for two hours, poor creatures!
when 1 axed ould Aleck Sandfeld
to ate wild us up there, he fed as one
man. Donald Ban McLennan say
twill be the height of impossibility
for him to get away from his office
that day at one o'clock.
And even me bowld John Ban
could promise no better than that he'd
be proud to partake of what would
be going If it was the luck of him to
be able to join me chimney party.
Sure, it's cloudy in his talk John Ban
can be at times! And ten or a dozen
more-'with one accord they made
excuse l dunno what's gone wrong.
There's seldom unwillingness among
them to partake of what's going at
me expense"
They're AFRAID of the height"
suggested, being young and innocent
enough to imagine that the contractor
might really be puzzled
Look at that noww he exclaimed
eyeing me with mock admiration. He
seen it at wanse! The foolish old man
am! 'Tis the fut of the chimney l
should have invited them to! And me
at the greatest of pains to instruct
them on the picturesque prospect form
the top, and about the enjoyment of
sitting foreninst yer provisions wild
one hundred and thirty feet of hole
under your toes and the same Of clear
air beneath your backbone!
And then" Stacy continued, "the
pleasure of climbing out on the ladder
with nothing, bar the rungs, betwlxt
your boot-soles ana the ground. Faith,
! discOorsed Of the height as an at
traction! And you think is scared
them! See the penetration Of the
youngw
"And so the party won't come off?"
1 said, ignoring his irony.
"Troth, it Will There's yourself
and your chief, Mr.. Bell. Ye will rep
resent the noble ART Of factory ar
rchitecture; and the superintendent, |
he climb anything with a good lunch |
Rt the top of it. It's manufacturing |
Industries he'll speak for, and me son
George can stand with yourself for
young Canada; and there's meself for
old Ireland; and then there's the re- |
porters, maybe, and Mr. MacDew,- |
that is the mayor,-and wee Macklem |
that wants TO be. Sure, they'll rep |
resent the pr.roud municipality Of |
"Macklem! Surely he won't try it, |
'And why notY
THAT little, nervous shvering store
keeper"
"Arrah, but you forget the ambi-
tion he has to be mayor! 1t Initiates |
him to that extent he might float like
n balloon. How did l get him to ac-
cept? All, that was aisy! just took
It for granted he wouldn't want to be
high places, and l went on
telling him how Mayor MacDew had
accepted, and how I'd arranged for
the Montreal Daily Gazette reporter,
md that the Cornwall Sentinel would
give two columns to my chimney party
and how the owners Of the factory
wished me success in it-them thm
will be able to influence so many Corn
wall votes hereafther, aud what pop
llGrlty the present mayor do be al