The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-09-19
a CLOSE SHAVE.
The steeplejack's Story of His Worst
Experience.
London Tit-Bits.)


Il was apprenticed to a decorative
painter, but being of a bold, danger-lov-
ing turn | ran away to sea before my
time was out.
After some years of knocking about 1
got tired of a maritime life, and having
married and determined to stick TO the
shore, l got work with builder, whose
peculiar line lay in erecting tall CHM
neys. | had always very cool head and
could stand on elevations that made most
men dizzy, and so ] was soon faYorlte
hand with my master.
I'VE had. on one occasion, to fasten
lightning conductor which had sprung
near the top of a very high chimney ana
Shaw to do it, as the most daring of his
men. About half dozen of us went that
morning with a hand-cart containing the
necessary ropes, blocks, the kite and d
box or cradle.
Having flown the kite and dropped its
line across the top of the chimney, we
soon drew up rope, at the end of which
was a block. through which ran a line
whereby we were to be drawn up.
Shaw had only been married a fort
night. and as we. stepped into the cradle
the men banteringly asked him If he
hadn't a last dying speech to leave Tor
his wife; and then, Mr.. Osborne having
shaken hands with us and bid us be cool
and steady. We We're drawn slowly up
II was known all over the town that the
conductor was to be fixed. though, as the
day had not been named, | did not eN-
pect that we should have many spectat
ors. but as we got higher, and the view
opened under our feet | saw that the
streets were already thronged with star
ers. Shaw was very quiet, and when
waved my cap at the people he said, snap
pishly, that this was no time for such
Of better things than how to amuse these
gaping idiots. who. he dared say, desired
no better fun than TO see us meet with
an accident.
Il had come up in the best heart, think
ing, indeed. nothing about the danger we
incurred. but as we drew nearer and
nearer to the top, with nothing, as it
seemed, belonging to this world near to
Us but this strainng rope. | began to see
the peril of the undertaking. What Shaw
thought Of il | don't know; he sat at the
bottom of the cradle, never looking out,
though ] told him he would do better to
keep his eyes about him, so that he might
grow used TO the height.
Good gracious. What was this? Here
we were within ii few yards of the pro-
lecting coping, and stiH they were wind
ing away without slackening speed in
the least! ] guessed in moment that
they mistook our height, and that with
the great purchase of this windlass. the
rope would be broken when the cradle
came to the block | sprang up and,
hard to the coping. Shaw sprang up,
also and followed me- he. too, got safe:
and still they went on winding up. till
the rope sang again with the strain there
was upon it.
Then IL snapped, and cradle hauling
lire and the main rope with its block fell
down. Thus were We TWO poor men left
in a most desperate situation.
Poor Shaw was completely daZed with
alright and the moment he got on the
coping. which was only foot and half
broad. he called out:
Where can | pray? Where can l
kneel and pray?
And SO | said, very solemnly:
Sit down. Jim; God will hear US If
we pray to him sitting down
The color of his face was OF a trans
parent blue. 8nd it was distorted and
twitching as If he was in n fit His eyes
and he couldn't sit steady, but swayed