Middletown transcript., 1903-01-24
CAUGHT ALOFT !.

So I determined to run bit OF
risk in his favor. Of course 1
burst not get on my feet; but,
working myself on by my hands,
I got to him, and, putting my
arm around his waist and telling
him as cheerily' as I could to
keep cool, | got him with his
arm around the rod. It had.
however, sprung the stapling
for five yards down and was SO
loose that it swayed with him,
and I expected any minute to
see him falling head and heels
down and the rod tearing away
with him.
There was great hustle down
below. People were running
around the yard and pushing
to get in, but as yet there were
but some score of men at the
foot Of the chimney, and by close
looking | saw them put some
body on a board and carry him
gently away toward the engine
house. One If the men walked
after with a hat in his hand.
I knew then that somebody had
been hurt by the falling cradle
and that it must be poor Mr..
Staining, as none of our men
wore hats. Not O face was turn
ed up to US. I learned afterward
that our men were SO taken up
with sorrow that so good a man
and SO kind a master should be
killed that for awhile they had
never a thought about us, and
the people outside imagined that
we had come down with the era
die, so thus we were left in iso-
lation for twenty minutes.
While 7 was watching them
below, feeling very sorry for my
poor master, I was startled by
a wild laugh from Colly, who
began making catcalls and yell
ing as if he was possessed.
Then [ knew that he had gone
mad. Even now I tremble when
I think of that time. It was
horrible to peer down the shaft,
black and sooty and yawning,
and scarcely less so to look out.
side and see a fight of pigeons
sweeping around at considera.
bly, less height than we were.
Then Colly-thank God, he was
SO dazed that he could not see
me--called my name three times
as I sat fairly cringing in dread
that his sight might clear, and
with a CHASTITY grin and chewing
with his mouth he began work
ing himself toward me.
I worked away from him as
noiselessly as I could, with every
hair Of my head standing on end.
He followed me twice around
that horrid coping, making most
hideous noises, and then, hav-
ing come a second time to the
rod, he got an idea in his mud
died head that had fallen over,
for he never lost a sense Of
where he was all through this
trying time. Then he tried to
get on his feet, but at the risk
Of my own life | could not let
the poor fellow rush to certain
death without one more effort,
SO I cried out for him to sit
down. He covered down like a
whipped dog, all trembling. I
suppose it had been put into his
head that I was a dead man
speaking to him.
That morning my wife had
got a letter from her sister in
Canada, and as there were parts
we could not make out I had
put it in my pocket, intending
to get our timekeeper to read
it for me. It had a scrap of
uncovered paper at the bottom,
and by another good providence
I happened to have a bit Of red
lead pencil in my pocket. 7
wrote on the paper: "Get us
down. Colly's gone mad" This
| shut in my tobacco box and
was fortunate enough to drop
it just at the feet of two men
who were standing by the en-.
gine house door.
Directly all was hustle to res.
cue us. They got the kite up
again, and I watched it mounting
slowly, slowly, and when the
slack twine fell between Colly
and myself I took it in my hand
and could have kissed it. Poor
Colly, with his teeth chattering
still fancied 7 was a spirit, and
I did all I could to favor that
idea until they got another era
die up to US. Then, having got
him in, scrambled in myself
and, clutching him fast, shout