Middletown transcript., 1903-01-24


before my time was out
After some years ! tired OF q
maritime life, and, having mar
ried and determined to STICK 10
the shore, I got work with a
builder whose peculiar line lay
in erecting tall chimneys. ! had
always a very cool head and
could stand on elevations tnat
made most men dizzy, and SO
/ was soon favorite hand Win
my master.
We had on one occasion 10
fasten a lightning conductor
which had sprung near the top
Of a very high chimney, and
Mr.. Staining chose myself and
one James Colly to do it as the
most daring Of his men. About
half a dozen of US went that
morning with handcart con-
tanning the necessary ropes
blocks, the kite and a box OF
cradle. Having flown the Kite
and dropped its line across the
top Of the chimney, we soon drew
up a rope, at the end Of which
was a block, through which ran
the line whereby we were to be
drawn up.
Colly had only been married
a fortnight, and as we stepped
into the cradle the men banter
ingly asked him if he hadn't q
last dying speech to leave for
his wife, and then, Mr.. Staining
having shaken hands with US
and bid us be cool and steady,
we we're drawn slowly up. lt
was known all over the town
that the conductor was to be
fixed, and the streets below we're
thronged with starers. Colly
was very quiet, and when !
waved my cap to the people ne
said snappishly that this was
no time for such folly and that
he thought I might think OF bet
ter things than how to amuse
these gaping fools, who, he dared
say, desired no better fun than
to see US meet with an accident.
I had come up in the best
heart, thinking indeed nothing
about the danger we incurred,
but as we drew nearer and nearer
to the top and had nothing, as
it seemed, belonging to this
world near to US but this strain
ing rope began to see the peril
of the undertaking. What Colly
thought of it I 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, 50 that he
might grow used to the height.
Good heavens! What was this?
Here we were within a yard Of
the top projecting coping, and
still they were winding away
without Stacking speed in the
least. I guessed in a moment
that they mistook our height
and that with the great pur-
chase of that windlass the rope
would be broken when the era
die came to the block. | sprang
up and, catching the rope, climb
ed hand over hand TO the coping.
Colly, too, sprang up and fol
lowed me. He, too, got up safe.
And still they went on winding
up till the rope sung again with
the strain.
Then it snapped, and cradle,
hauling line and the main rope,
with its block, fell down. Thus
we were two poor men left in
a most desperate situation.
Poor Colly was completely
dazed with alright, and the
moment he got on the coping,
which was only a foot and a
half broad, he called out: "Where
can 7 pray? Where can I kneel
and pray?" And SO I said very
solemnly: "Sit down, Jem. God
will hear US if we pray to him
sitting down"
The color of his face was a
transparent blue, and it was
distorted and twitching as if he
was in a fit His eyes were very
wild and drawn into a 5quint,
and he couldn't sit steady, but
swayed his body backward and
forward, SO that | felt certain
that he must topple over.
"Come, Jem, lad, II said, think
ing to take the fright off him.
ssIt's bad enough, but it can't
be mended. Hitch up a bit and
put your arm around the rod.
Maybe it will steady you"
"Where are you, and where
is this rod?" he asked in very
hollow voice, though he was look
ing straight at me, and the rod