The Meeker herald., 1918-01-12
A Steeplejack and
An Aeronautess
By WILLIAM CHANDLER


began to climb over the furniture. and
his mother was III dread lest lie get III
on to a window sill and tumble out
A few years later his pnce Of blssful
rest was a treetop. Then he got to
climbing water spouts and trellises Oh
to roofs, and by this time. being old
enough to go to work. lie became q
steeplejack.
Emily Radcliffe was built upon simi-
lar lines to Tom Gurley.
While Eben Radcliffe did not try to
prevent his daughter from rlsking her
neck In All nerOplane. he was very
much averse to her marrying Tom Cur
ley, to whom she had become attached.
what do you want to marry stce-
plejack for?" he asked. Hell break
his neck and leave you widow"
NO more than Ill come down-with 4
thump In an aeroplane and leave him a
'widower." was the reply.
Tom had one unfortunate trait He
was a spendthrift. Mr.. Radcliffe In
order to get the whip hand OF him en-
ployed an agent to lend the young man
all the money he wanted and draw the
papers in such way that II the funds
were not paid at maturity he could ar.
rest Tom and jail him. or course the
funds were not paid. and constable
was sent for Tom.
Emily got wind OF the move and
warned hel lover. Tom kept an eye
out for suspicious looking persons, and
when lie saw u man making bee line
for him he ran for his natural defense.
u church spire. A tall elm stood be-
side the building. and Tom. catching a
lower limb. pulled himself UP and was
soon in the topmost branches. The
constable followed him. and Tom.
climbing out on branch overlianging
the church. dropped to the roof.
The constable followed. and Tom.
who had climbed the steeple before and
knew every projection. climbed MP to
where the cone began. There was
lightning rod running to u point above
the apex, and Tom went up by 1t and
sat on the ball. holding to the weather
vane.
This was more than the constable
dared do. He descended by the way
lie had come and. once Oh the ground.
settled himself to starve out the cul-
prit. He had a good view OF Tom. who
must come down sooner or later and
give himself up.
Now 1t happened that Emily needed
to do some shopping TINT morning and
passing the church saw her lover cor
ralcd on the apex of tire church spire
and the constable below watching him
like dog eying a coon. She took In
the situation at once. She must help
her lover out OF his embarrassment.
but how? Various plans suggested
themselves. There seemed no way to
help him unless she could feed him.
and to convey food to the top OF a
steeple WINS not an easy thing to do.
81 have it, she said presently. and
away she went to put In practice
plan she Ind thought of. Going home.
she made up luncheon md put It In
pnstebonrti box. to which she attached
neroplane and. rising In the air. mndc
for n point above the steeple where
Tom was prisoner. Tom saw her and
took heart. Circling above the spire.
she gradually drew nearer to q point
where she could lower the box to Tom.
lie mnde several attempts to catch 1t
and Mt last succeeded. Then be broke
the Irvine. opened the box and proceed
cd to refresh himself.
The constable eyed the proceeding
with chngrin. He reported 1t to his
principal. who sent word to him that
the prisoner could not stay where he
was forever. even with food. aud TO
keep Oh the job. SO the constable Ind
his food supplied from a restaurant.
Tom looked down on his enemy eating
comfortably from n tnble brought him
for the purpose and wondered which
NJ the two could hold out the longer.
When night came several assistants
were thrown around the church to
prevent the prisoner escaping under
cover of the darkness. Tom WINGED.
The weather was chilly and lowering.
and he did not relish the kind Of n bed
he was subjected to for even single
night. Emily lny awake that night.
thinking OF her lover OH his perch and
worried lest he fall asleep. tumble on
and he dashed to death.
IT she could lower n box to Tom why
could she not lower rope to which he
might cling and thus Ike carried away
to safety? AS soon as day came she
arose. got out her aeroplane and. lash.
Ing stout rope to II. knotted at inter
yals and n moose at the end. sailed for
the stecple. When Tom saw her COM
Ing he supposed SHE was bringing him
his breakfast: but. seeing the dangling
I,n .t,ae NJ
and felt every confidence provided
Emily could place 1t within Ids reach,
As good luck would have II. she Sue
ceeded the first time she tried In snil
Ing right over him. and the rope grazed
his shoulder. The dangerous part Of
the mnneuver was leaving his seat
without the rope being wrenched from
his hold. He managed this dextrously