Year: 1869

A man will 60 blind, and mad toe


from fear; have seen it happen, and


You don't mind listening, will tell yo


the story. I was apprenticed to a build


er when left school, and soon got t


like the trade very much, espsciall.


when the work was perilous, and CAV


me chance to out-do the other lads il


daring. "Spider" was my nickname il


those days, given partly on account o


my long legs, for had outgrown m,


proportions, and partly because they
said I could crawl along root, like my
namesake. When was twenty three


| was working with the famous Mr.
and went down to Swansea with his
picked hands, to carry out contract he
had taken in that town. While there
fell in love with the prettfest girl
had seen In Wales, and that is saying 0
good deal. For a time l fancied she
liked me, and that 1 was getting on very
we'll with my love-making, but I soon
found my mistake, for an old lover OF
hers joined our men, and Mary gave
me the cold shoulder at once. You
may believe this sweetheart Of her.
(who was called Ben Lloyd and I were
not the best friends in the world; but |
am not the fellow to harbor malice, and
when the biddings to the wedding went
round, and l knew that my chance was
gone, made the best of it and kept my
sore heart to myself, and determined to
beat down jealousy, by being II great
chum with Ben.


l went to the wedding; Sld there
were not many days when 1 did not
steal half an hour to sit ny his fireside,
which was as bright and cozy and
homelike as you'd wish to see--Mary
being the soul of order and industry 1t
is not, perhaps, the usual way of driving
out envy, to go and look at the happiness
another man has done yoS out of, but
you know the proverb says, "What Is
one mans meat is another mans poi
SON." and so it was, l got to look upon
Mary as a sort of sister, and Ben had no
cause for jealousy, although there were
plenty of evil tongues ready to put him
up to it.


The contract was nearly up, when
the lightning conductor upon one of the
highest chimneys over at Llanelly
sprang, and the owner of the works
offered our master the job.


Its just the sort of thing for you,
Harry" said Mr.. -, when he told US
of it.


l touched my cap, and accepted it Off
hand, and then Ben stepped up and
said he'd volunteer to be the second
man, two being required.


"All right" said the master, "you are
the stcadiest-headed fellows | have.
The price is good one, and every pen
ny shall be divided between you. Wen
not fix day for the work, but take the
first calm morning, and get it done qui-
city"


So it was, that some four or five morn
ings after, we found ourselves at Llanel-
ly, and all ready for the start. The
kite by which the line attached to the
block was to be sent over the chimney,
was flown, and did its work well; the
rope which was to haul up the cradle
was ready, and stepping in, Ben and /
began the assent.


There had been very few people about
when we went into the yard, but as we
hirhar I fhat tho hoI
spread, and that the streets were filling
with sightseers.


"There's plenty Of star-gazers, Ben,'
said, waving my cap to them; 81 dare
say they'd like to see us come down with
a run"


Cannot you keep quiet 2" answered
Ben, speaking in strange tone; and
turning to look, l saw that he was dead
ly pale; and sat in the bottom of the
cradle, hudd!ed up together, with his
eyes fast shut.


YOU'RE not frightened, old chap" /
asked.


"What's that to you %


"Oh, nothing; only we are getting up
pretty quickly, and you'd have a better
head for work if you'd get gradually used
to the height"


He said nothing, and never moved.
Then looking up, saw we were close to
the top--a few yards more, and we
would be there; yet those who were
turning the windlass were winding with
unabated speed \ sudden chill run
through my blood, and set my flesh
creeping. They had miscalculated the
distance, and with the force they were
winding at the rope must inevitably
break when the cradle came i'm contact
with the block. There was no time to
attempta a signal, only an instant to
point out the danger to Ben, and then
to get hold of the rope, and by going
hand over hand, reach the coping be-
fore the cradle came up. This was
done almost quicker than l can tell
you; Ben following.


The cradle came on; then, as / antici-
pated, the rope gave shrill, pinging
sound, like rifle ball passing through
the air, and snapped. Down went the
\ 4