Year: 1860

InfllllnS AOVemGuTes


"Father will have done the great chimney
tonight, won't lie mother ?" said little Tommy
Howard, as he stood waiting for his fathers
breakfast. which be carried to him at bis work
every morning.


"He said that he hoped that all the scaffold-
ing would be down tonight" answered the
mother, "and that'll be a fine night, for never
like the ending Of those great chimneys; it is
so risky for father to be last up"


"Oh, then, but I'll go and seek him and
help 'em 10 give a shout before he comes down."
said Tom~.


"And then," continued the mother, elf all
goes on WE'LL we are to have .frolic to-mor-
row, and go into the country and take our din
ncr, and spend all day long in the woods.'


"Hurrah l" cried Tom as he ran off to his
fathers place of work, with a can of milk in
one hand and some bread in the other. His
mother stood at the door, watching him, as he
went merrily whistling down the street, and
she thought of the dear father he was going to-,
and the dangerous work he was engaged in.


James Howard, the father, and number Of
other workmen, had been building one Of those
lofty chimneys which, in our manufacturing
towns, almost supply the place of other arch-
tectural beauty. The chimney was one of the
highest and most tapering that had ever been
erected, and as Tom shaded his eyes from the
slanting rays of the setting sun, and looked up
in search Of his father, his heart sank within
him at the appalling sight. The scaffold was
almost down, and the men at the bottom were
removing the beams and poles. Toms father
stood alone at the top.


He then looked to see that every thing was
right, and then, waving his hat in the air, the
men below answered him with long, loud
cheer, little Tom shouting as loud as any of
them. AS their voices died away, however,
they heard different sound, cry of horror
and alarm from above. The men looked around,
and coiled upon the ground lay the rope, which
before the scaffolding was removed, should
have been fastened in the chimney, for Toms
father to come down by! The scallolding had
been taken down without remembering to take
the rope up. There was a dead silence. They
all knew it was impossible to throw the rope
up high enough to reach the top Of the Chin
ney, or even if possible, it would hardly be
safe. They stood in silent dismay, unable to
give any help, OR think ofany means ofsafety.


And Toms father! lie walked round and
round the little circle, the dizzy height seeming
more and more fearful, and the solid earth
further and further from him. In the sudden
panic he lost his presence Of mind, his senses
failed him. He shut lis eyes; he felt as if the
next moment he must he dashed to pieces on
the ground below.


The day passed as industriously as usual
with Toms mother at home. She was always
busily employed for her husband Or children in
some way or other, and to-day she had been
harder at work than usual, getting ready for
the holiday tomorrow. She had just finished
her arrangements, and her thoughts we're ST.
lcntly thanking God for the happy home, and
for all those blessings, when Tom ran in.


His face was white as ashes, and he could
hardly get the words out: "Molhcr! Motherl
he can't get down."


"Who, ladthy fathcr?" asked tie mother.


"They have forgotten to leave him the rope"
answered Tom, still scarcely able to speak
The mother started up, horror struck, and stood
for moment as if paralyzed, then pressing her
hands over her face, as if to shut out the horri-
BILE picture, and breathing prayer to God for
help, she rushed out of the house.


When she reached the place where her hus-
band was at work, crowd gathered around
the foot of the chimney, and stood quite help
less, gazing up with faces full of sorrow.


"He says he'll throw himself down."


"T Thee munna do that, lad," cried the wife,
with clear, hopeful voice; thee munna 10
that-wait a bit. Take off they stocking, lad.
and unravel it. and let down the thread with q
bit of mortar. Dost thou hear me, Jcm?"


The man made sign of assent; for it seem
ed as if he could not speak--and taking off his
stocking, unravelcd the worstcd yarn, row after
row. The people stood around in breathlcss
silence and suspense, wondering what Toms
mother could be thinking of, and why she sent
him in such haste for the carpenters ball of
twine.


Let down one end of the thread with bit
OF mortar, and keep fast hold of the other,"
cried she to her husband. The little thread
came waving down the tall chimney, blown
hither and thither by the wind, but it reached
the outstrctchcd hands that were waiting for it.
Tom held the ball of twine, while his mother
tied one end oft to the thread.


SHOW, pull it slowly" cried she to her hus-
band, and she gradually unwound the string
until it reached her husband.


snow, hold the string fast and pull,' for
Tom and his mother had fastened thick rope
to it, They watched it gradually and slowly
uncoiling from the ground and the string was
drawn still higher


There was but one coil left. It had reached
the top. "Thank God exclaimed the wife,
She hid her face in her hands in silent PRAYER.
and tremblingly rejoiced. The iron to which
it should be fastened was there all right--but
would her husband be able to make use off t.?
Would not the terror of the past have so un-
nerved him as to prevent him from taking the
necessary measures for safety? She did not
know the magical influence which her few
words had exercised over him. She did not
know the strength that the sound of her voice,