The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1902-02-06

sickening vision of the sharp-pointed
iron fence that surrounded the ca
thedral, on which he would probably
fall. He tried to grip the smooth,
slated surface of the roof; there was
absolutely nothing to cling to. He
could see only the sky, and he shut
his eyes, expecting momentarily to
feel the roof fall away from under
meath.
But after what seemed an incalcu-
liable time of agony the motion
stopped. Carter opened his eyes
again, and to his establishment per-
ceiycd that he had slid not more than
three or four yards. The slope of
the roof was very geutle-not more
than 40 degrees from the HORIZON
tal-and it was this fact alone that
had saved him from shooting off to
the brick pavements so feet below.
He had really moved with no great
rapidity, in spite of the slippery sur
face Now hope returned to his
heart. He had shut his eyes, expect
ing never to open them upon the sky
again.
His head swan from his inverted
position, and his first thing to do
was to shift to a more normal atti-
tude. One has "A strange sensation
of helplessness in lying with his
head lower than his heels. But at
the first, faintest movement he made
in this attempt his delicate tenure of
place was disturbed. and again he be
gan to glide gently down the slippery
states.
In vain he tried to check the fatal
motion that was carrying him nearer
and nearer to the edge. There was
nothing whatever to grasp at; not so
much as nal-head. Even where a
slate was cracked or broken he could
not work his fingers into the tiny
creviccs But after sliding six OF
eight feet he came to stop again,
and again lay motionless.
This time he was careful to lie alb
solutely still, hardly daring to
breathe, and he thought hard. He
must he reflected, be halfway TO
the edge by this time. 1t was highly
improbable that anyone would notice
his predicament below; the neighbor-
hood was a quiet, residential one, and
there were few people about the
streets that day And they'll be
keeping their heads down against the
wind instead of looking up into the
air." he thought, ruefully. The wind
would drown his voice, too; but, in
deed he dared not attempt to shout
lest the movement of his chest
As the blood flowed into his
head strange giddiness at
tackled him. The stone tower
rising high into the windy at
mosphere was all Of earth he could
see, and it appeared to reel and
swing before his eyes. 1t seemed to
! him that he was hanging over the
vast depths of the sky in peril Of fail-
4 ing into it's unfathomable depths.
/ His brain seemd to grow cloggcd, his
eyes full Of blood. and as he stared up
ward the gray clouds turned crimson.
He greatly feared that he would
| become unconscious, and would mdke
some Involuntary movement while in
that state that would carry him over
the brink. Probably this would, in
deed, have happened, but for his sal
walton violent bleeding at the
nose suddenly attacked him, covering
his face and hair with blood, but af-
fordjug instant relief to his brain.
Lucid vision returned at once. 1t
looked a long way now TO the top of
the roof lie could hear the loud
singing Of the telephone wires ON
the street, and il sounded as il it
were just below his ears But he
thought that If re could only turn
about TO lie on hi. face with head up
ward, he might contrive TO work his
way to the ridge, after all. 1t was
the violently unnatural position of
his body that disabled him. But
there was no sort of fulcram TO sup
port him in turning. and he did not
iarc 60 risk any more violent efforts,
He was too near the edge.
lie stretched both arms eau.