The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1917-03-22
Story Of a.
Steeplejack
And a Girl Who Was =
Clever Schemer.
By f. 4 mitchell


Now, Ill admit that steepielaek
is very unique individual. We
, have doctor, lawyer, merchant,
chief ad hbitum. but how many
steeplejacks Probably not one in
million citizens.
And ] am aware that while 3
steeplejack is very attractive to q
crowd he is g constant source Of
worry to his own family, who don't
know when his mangled body may
be brought to his home on a stretch
er or in q wagon. Taking him alto
gether, a steeplejack is not desir-
able member of a family.
That was the reason why Mr..
Davis, when / asked him for his
daughter. Molly. turned, faced me
squarely and said impressively:
IS, you may have Molly when
she viii 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, / suppose,
Mr. Davis / replied, shat / can't
have Molly at all and because / am
a steepleiack. Do YOU deny, sir,
that stecpleiack has heart the
same as any man
'T'm not interested in steeple-
jacks hearts / don't propose that
nv daughter shall marry q man out
Of whom she can never get more
than q bare living except by insur-
ing his life"
HIM I replied to this thought
fully. Not a bad scheme Now,
suppose
s-You get out Of here. / have
something else to attend to than
listening to airy schemes for my
daughters betterment. Good morn
ing, sir"
Being thus cruelty choked of, /
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 q success was to die. /
vent to Molly and told her what
had occurred between her father
and me. 1 was very lugubrious
about it and expected 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 nv
neck, exclaiming:
Stupid, get that woeful look of
your face" Molly laughed again.
Seriously" she said, did father
say YOU could have me when / was
wiling to marry you swinging from
the cross Of st. Thomas 2"
~Yes, he did"
@Then that's the way we must BE-
married. Grandma left me $4,000.
but I'm not to have it without IA
TIERS consent when / marry. We're
there any witnesses present when
he said this -
There vas some one in the next |
room, but ] don't know who."
aI'lI find out. I've got to be
come a steeplejack like you. That
is to say, I've got to learn to climb |
steeples. ! must get such control
Of myself that / can go up to the
cross Of St Thomas and hang there
long enough to be married"
Nonsense / exclaimed.
ssNo nonsense about it If Pm TO
marry Won. / know father well /
enough to be sure that if he says a
thing he'll stick to it. He has said, Il
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
are fulfilled, his consent
has been given
''How do you know that -
Il don't, but ] can ask lawyer,
can't II"
"But, good gracious, you can't
earn to climb steeples One must |
be born with a head for that; they i
Iay a steeplejaek has absolutely per-
'ect eyes"
well, can't YOU hoist me up
here at the end Of a rope with a
Jag over my eyes !" II
/ thought for some time before / /
answering this question. At last /
aid, II don't know but I might"
"COme in tomorrow. Meanwhile /
III find ont If we have q witness to 4
ather's conditional consent y
aBut I've been dismissed" In
sThat does not matter. Father | I
nows that l do a. / please. He is '
ware that his only hold on me is I
hat his consent to my marriage is q
ecessary to my getting my legacy. b
nd he's pretty sure / won't give b
. $4,000 for a steepIeiaek, and a b
cry simple one at that" y
Her last words cut me to the g
cart, but she put her arms around {
y neck and gave me a hug, which v
Iade me feel better. left her a