The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1917-05-31
Story Of a
Steeplejack
And a Girl Who Was a
Clever Schemer.
By F. A. Mitchell

0oOo w uC q oICCplCloCh.
Now, I'll admit that a steeplejack
is very unique individual. We
have doctor, lawyer, merchant,
chief" ad libitum, but how many
steepleiacks? Probably not one in
a million citizens.
And l am aware that while q
steepleiack is very attractive to a
crowd he is a constant source of
worry to his own family, who don't
know when his mangled body may
be brought to his home on stretch
er or in wagon. Taking him alto
gether, a steeplejack is not desir-
able member of a family.
That was the reason why Mr..
Davis, when 1 asked him for his
daughter, Molly, turned, faced me
squarely and said impressively:
'eYes, you may have Molly when
she will marry you, each one of you
swinging from an arm of the gilt
cross on the top of St. Thomas
church"
"You mean by that, I suppose,
Mr.. Davis" I replied, "that | can't
have Molly at all and because ! am
a steeplejack. Do you deny, sir,
that steeplejack has heart the
same as any man"
"I'm not interested in steeple-
jacks hearts. l don't propose that
my daughter shall marry man out
Of whom she can never get more
than bare living except by insur-
ing his life"
"H'mw l replied to this thought
fully. 'Not bad scheme. Now,
suppose,
something else to attend to than
listening to- airy schemes for my
daughters betterment. Good morn
ing, sir"
Being thus cruelty choked off, l
left him crestfallen. 1 thought it
very hard that he wouldn't even
permit me to propose my plan,
though III admit that the only way
to make it success was to die. I
went to Molly and told her what
had occurred between her father
and me. was very lugubrious
about it and expected a lot Of SYM
pathy. What did she do but burst
out laughing. This made me look
more disconsolate than ever, where
upon she threw her arms about my
neck, exclaiming:
Stupid, get that woeful look off
your face" Molly laughed again.
Seriously" she said, "did father
say YOU could have me when 1 was
willing to marry you swinging from
the cross of st. Thomas
eyes, he did,"
"Then that's the way We must be
married. Grandma left me 100000,
but Pm not to have it without ia
theirs consent when marry. We're
there any witnesses present when
he said this?"
"There was some one in the next
room, but I don't know who"
"I'll find out. I've got to be-
come a steeplejack like you. That
is to say, I've got to learn to climb
steeples. I must get such control
of myself that l can 60 up to the
cross of St. Thomas and hang there
long enough to be married"
"Nonsense." l exclaimed.
eNo nonsense about it if I'm to
marry you. | know father well
enough to be sure that if he says a
thing he'll stick to it. He has said,
or implied, that he will only give
his consent to our marriage under
certain conditions, which he meant
for a refusal. But in law, if the
conditions are fulfilled, his consent
has been given"
GLOW do you know that?"
T don't, but l can ask lawyer,
can't II"
"But, good gracious, you can't
learn to climb steeples. One must
be born with head for that; they
say steeplejack has absolutely per-
feet eyes"
"Well, can't you hoist me up
there at the end of a rope with q
bag over my eyes?"
1 thought for some time before
answering this question. At last l
said, 81 don't know but might"
"Come in tomorrow. Meanwhile
I'll find out if we have witness to
fathers conditional consent"
"But I've been dismissed"