Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-02-23
But rye been dismissed

Sary to my getting my legacy. And
he's pretty sure l won't give up $780,
600 for a ~steeplejack, and a very sim
pie one at that"
Her last words cut me to the heart,
but she put her arms around my neck
and gave me a hug, which made me
feel better. l left her feeling that she
had a more level herd on her shoulders
than l, even if she couldn't climb
steeples as l could. The next day 1
went to see her, and she said she had
discovered who was in the other room
when her father had been talking to
me-a plasterer who had brought him
an estimate for some work. She had
found the man and asked him if he
could repeat what was said. He gave
the matrimonial condition word for
word. Molly took it down in writing,
and he signed it. Molly is a mighty
practical girl and a very energetic
one.
There" she said. concluding her ac-
count of what she had done, we've
got father just where we want him"
at seems to me-" 1 replied dolefully,
that he's got us just where we don't
want to be-"
She laughed, and because l wouldn't
laugh with her she boxed my ears and
said Look pleasant" This made me
look worse than ever, but she kept
boxing my ears till l had to smile to
stop her. She's a great woman, Molly
ts-that is, in a certain kind Of way.
A few days later l received a note
from her saying that she had made an
arrangement to visit q cousin in NJ, a
neighboring town, where there were
several churches, all with steeples. She
told me to meet her there with climb
ing tackle and she would take her first
lesson. l put my ropes and pulleys
in a baggage car and went with them
to N. 1 found Molly in gymnasium
costume. She had taken prizes in gym
nastics, and she said she would go
right out to take a lesson. I sent my
tackle to the church with the lowest
steeple, climbed to the roof, fixed a
beam from which / hung a pulley.
then sang out to Molly to put the loop
on the end of the rope under her arms
and haul herself up. She didit without
any trouble. Then I went to a win
dow midway up to the steeple, fixed
another beam, and this time pulled
her up from below, and she got in at
the window. | was surprised that she
didn't vince. But. as I've said. there's
a lot of sand" in Molly.
Before we had finished the first les
son Molly was sitting on the base Of
the ball Gaping the steeple, a hundred
feet from the ground. A number Of
people had collected below, watching
her, and she kissed her hand to them.
l saw from this that she had a steeple-
jacks head as we'll as L.
I remained in n. a week. and every
, day we did some climbing. the last
day l was there going to the top
of the most difficult steeple of all to
climb. 1t was not very high, but there
was a long pull with no rests from
the base to the top of the spire. On
the apex were a ball and a cross, and
Molly hung from one side of the cross.
AS | looked at her hanging there it
struck me more than ever that for that
kind of girl Molly beat any one l had
ever tackled.
This was valuable preparation, but
the height was only $40 feet, while st.
Thomas was $50. But Molly said
that if she could hang 40 feet above
ground with her eyes open she could
hang $50 with them shut. She seemed
very happy over it all. and | wondered
whether she was glad because she was
going to get me and her $4,000. too.
or on account Of having demonstrated
her ability to climb.
Molly" I said. "it seems to me that
you're mighty pleased at the prospect
Of getting a man who is nothing but a
s%teeplejack."
We'll. I'll tell you why I'm so
pleased"
why"
Ever since l was a little girl. father.
in speaking to me of marriage. has
dinged it into me that I was to marry
high up in the social scale"
Niolt, l SNlu, Will ulLuSuItN Sou'
trolling my trembling voice. you've
crushed me to earth"
was pulling out my handkerchief
to wipe away a tear when Molly
kissed it away.
Never mind. JIM" she said. doubt
less there'll be lots of couples just like
us, but there'll be none more loving"
That comforted me awfully.
We went back home. l told Molly
that she must continue her climbing II
order to keep her head at grea'
heights. She said "All right" but
didn't lay any plans for any more o:
it. One day she wrote me that sh'
wished to see me at once. l wen
right round. I didn't see anything I'm
usual in her appearance, which sur
prised me when she told me why sh'
wished to see me. And what do yol
suppose it was? Her father had heart
Of her climbing and, very much as
tonished and angered, asked her wha
it meant, whereupon she told him hel
scheme. He fumed and fretted for /,
-11 A. kL1- po-@ - D,,% - ~