New-York tribune., 1903-06-08

low doorway upon the dwarf oattlements, IToHi
which sprang a spire some eighty feet nisn-
This spire was. IN fact. narrow octohedron, IT'S
sides hung with slate it's eight ridges faced with
Bath stone and edged from top to bottom with
ornamental crockets-
The service over bride and Bridegroom with
drew with their friends to the vestry for the
signing of the register: and there. while they
dallied and tnterchanged good wishes. we're IN
terrupted by the beadle. white-faced pew
opener and two draymen from the street. with
news (as of the draymen put II. snoutins
down the rest) that "one Of Scougalrs yellow
orphans was up a-clinging to the weathercock
by his blessed eyebrows: and was this a time
for Joking or for feeling ashamed OF themselves
and sending for constabe?"
The draynan shouted and gesticulated so
fercely with great hand flung upward tnat
Mr.. Scouga1I almost before comprehenolns-
precfpitated himself from the church Outside
stood his hired carriage with its pair OF grays,
but the driver was pointing with his whip and
craning his neck like the rest Of the small crowd
II may have been their outcries. but believe
IT was the ringing Of the dockyard bell for the
dinner hour which awoke me- In my dreams
my arms had been about some kindly neck (and
Of my dreams in those days. though but a
glimpse survived the waking. In those
gIirnpses dweIt the shade. If not the presence.
of my unknown mother)- They were in fact.
clasped around the leg of the weathercock IN
sympathetic support! But have known worse
friends A mercy It was. at any rate, that
kept my embrace during the moments when
sense returned to me. with visions Of the won
ders spread around and below.
Truly enjoyed a wonderful view-across the
roofs Of Plymouth. quivering under the noon
sun. and away 10 the violet hills Of Dartmoor;
and again. across the water and shipping OF
the Hamoaze to the green slopes Of Mount
Edgcumbe and the uassed trees slumbertnS IN
the heat Slunber. indeed and great quiet
seemed to rest over me. over the houses, the
ships. the whole wide land. By the blessing OF
Heaven. not so much the faintest breeze
played about the spire or cooled the copper rod
burning my hand (and. again. ii may have been
this that woke mel. I sat astride the topmost
crockett. and glancing down between my boot
heels spied the carriage with it's pair OF grays
fattened upon the roadway just beyond the
verge Of the battlernents. and Mr. Scougail him
self dancing and waving his arms like small
but very lively beetle.
Doubtless 1 had ascended by the narrow
stairway Of the crockets; but 10 descend by
them with lot of useless sense about me would
be a very different matter. No giddinesS at
tackled me as yet; indeed. knew rather than
felt my position to be serious For moment
thought of leaving my perch and letting myself
slip down the face Of the states. to be pulled up
short by the parapet but the length of the slide
daunted me. and the parapet appeared danger
ously shallow I should shoot over II TO GER
| tainty and go whirIing into air On the other
hand. TO drop from my present saddle into the
one below was no easy feat For this I must
back myself over the edge OF 1t. and cling with
body and legs in air while 1 judged my fall into
| the next To do this thirty times or so in sue
| cession without mistake past hoping for
there at least thirty crockets TO be manoeu-
vred. and single uliscalculation would send me
| spinning backward to my fate. Above all.
| had not the strength for IT.
\ So I sat considering for while; not terrified
! but with brain exceedingly blank and hope
less It never occurred to me that If 1 sat still
and held on. steepIejacks would be summoned
and ladders brought to me; and am glad that
II did not for this would have taken hours. and
I know now that I could not have held out for
half an hour inactive. But another thought
came. saw the states at the foot Of the wealth
ercock. that they were thinIy edged and OF light
scantling I knew that they must be nailed
| upon wooden framework not unlike ladder
| And at the Genevan Hospital I have re-
corded we wore stout plates on our shoes.
| I am told that IL was bad few moments
for the lookers-on when they saw lower NY
self sideways from my crockett and begin 10
hammer on the states with my toes; for at first
| thev did not comprehend. and then they rea-
soned that the states were new, and II / failed
TO kick through them. 70 pull myself back 70 the
crockett again would be desperate job.
| But they did not know our shoe leather. Mr.
Scougan whatever his faults. usually contrived
to get value for his money and at the tenth kick
| or so my toes went clean through the slate and
rested on the woodwork within Next the
most delicate movement Of all. for with less
certain grip on the crockett had TO kick a sec
ond hole lower down. and transfer my handhold
from the stone TO the wooden lath laid bare by
| my first kicks
This too with long poise and then flying
clutch accomplished: and with the rest OF my
descent I will not weary the reader. 1t was in
| tern1inably slow. and IL was IaborioUs; but 70
| speak comparatively. IT safe. My boots
! lasted me TO within twenty feet Of the parapet.
| and then. Just as had kicked my toes bare.
steeplejack appeared at the little doorway with
a ladder Planting 1T IN a jiffy. he scrambled
up took me under his arm. bore me down and
laid me against the parapet. where at first
began to cry and next emptied my small body
with throe after throe OF sickness.
I recovered. to find Mr.. Scougau and another
clergyman (the vicar) standing by the little
door and gazing up at my line OF holes on the
pay.
But no." said the vicar: I'VE will set the
damage down against the lads preservation:
that is. II don't recover from the contractor.
who has undoubtedly swtndIed US over these
slates'
Go be continued9