Year: 1868

And laying his finger aside Of his nose


And giving nod, up the chimney he rose.


And away they all few like the down of thistle.
| But heared him exclaim ere hs drove out Of sight


MERRY CHRIs7xAs TO ALL ASD 10 ALL GOOD xIuHr ~
The Top OF = Long Chimney.


A man will 90 blind, and mad too, from
fear l have seen it happen, and if you
don't mind listening, will tell you the
story. was apprenticed to builder
when l left school, and soon got to like
the trade very much, especially when the
work was perilous, and gave me chance
to outdo the othe- lads ir daring. "Spi.
der'' was my nickname in those days,
given partly on account of my long legs,
for had outSrown my proportions, and
partly because they said 1 could crawl
along roof like my namesake. When l
was about three and twenty 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 pref
tiest girl had seen in Wales, and that is
saying good deal. For time f.ncied
she liked me, and that was getting along
very well with my love. making, bnt soon
found my mistake, for an old lover Of hers
joined our men, and Mary gave me the
cold shoulder directly. You may believe
this sweetheart of hers (who was called
Ben Lloyd) and l were not the best
friends in the world; but I am not the
sort of fellow to harbor malice, and when
the biddings to the wedding went round,
and knew that my chance was gone,
made the best Of it; l kept my sore heart
to myself, and determined to beat down
jealousy, by being chums with Ben..


went to the wedding; and there We're
not many days when l did not steal half
an hour to sit by his fre>ide, which was
as bright and cozy and home.like 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 60 and look
at the happiness another man has done
you out of, but you know the proverb
says "What is one mans meat is another
mans poison and SO it was, got to look
upon Mary as 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 q
lightning conductor was to be put upon
one Of the highest chimneys over at
Llanelly spring, and the owner of the
works offered our master the jop.


ats just the sort Of thing tor you, Har-


I touched my cap, and accepted it of.
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
-, L. r..
price is good one, aud every penny of it
shall be divided between you. Wen not
fix day for the works, but take the FIRST
calm morning, and get it done quietly"


So it was that some four or five morn
ings after, we found ourselves at Llanelly,
and all ready for the start. The kit by
which the line attached to the block was
to be sent over the ch mney, was flown,
and did its work well the rope which was
to haul up the cradle was ready, and STEP
ing in, Ben and began the ascent.


There had been very few people about
when we went into the yard, but as we got
higher, l saw that the news had spread,
and that The streets were filled with
sight>seers.


''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
rum"


"Cannot you keep quiet?' answered
Ben., speaking in strange tone; and
turning to look, saw that he was deadly
pa,e, and sat in the bottom Of the cradle,
huddied up together, with his eyes fast
shut.


"You arc not frightened, old chsp?" l
asked.


"What's that to your"


sob, nothing; only We are getting up
pretty quickly, and you'd have . better
head for work if you'd got gradually used
10 the height"


He said nothing and never moved. Then
looking up, saw we were close to the
top u few yards more, and we would be
there, yet those who were turning the
windlass were winding with unabatcd
speed. A sudden chill ran 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 breake when the cradle
came in contact with the block. There
was no time to attempt signal. only an
instant to point out the danger to Ben. and
then to get hold Of the rope, and by & ing
niHu UVcC manu-, IcHCu luc COpAuS DcIOSo
the cradle came up. This was done al.
most quicker than l can tell you, Ben.
following.


The cradle came on then, as antici.
pated, the rope gave q shrill, pinging
sound, like . rils.ball passing through the
air, and snapped. Down went tho cradle,
and there were We left, nearly 800 feet in
the air, with nothing to rest upon but .
coping barely eighteen inches wide.


Ben shrieked out that he was dead
man, and cried. "Tell me where l can
kneel, Harry show me where can pray
to Almighty God, for ! cannot die this
way I"


"Hush! lad" said, "don't lose heart
God can hear you just as we'll sitting as
kneeling; and if you try to get up. you'll
tumble to . mortal certainty. Think Of
Mary, man, and keep up."


But he only shook and swayed more and
more. groaning and crying out that he
was lost; and ! could 600 that il he did
not mind he would overbalanee.
OSHoS ~ - Il ~ aosA khs~ks~n