Year: 1874

stepped forward.


"What is it you want dones" | ask
ed, i am carpenter; perhaps | can
do it,"


He turned eagerly toward me.


81 will make it worth your while.
Take down that cross and | will pay you
hundred dollars. You will have to as
cend by these ornamental blocks, and |
tell you candidly they are not to be de-
pended on. They must be weak and rot
ten, for they have been there for years"


looked upat the spire it was square
at the base, and tapering to a sharp
point, while along each angle were nailed
small, gilded blocks of wood.


1t is dangerous place to work" l
said, "and there will be even more peril
in descending than in ascending Sup
pose | Isucceed in removing the cross,
and then"


If any accident happens to you, my
brave fellow, the money shall be paid to
your family. promise you that; give
me your address"


Here it is" said, land as you val
ue your soul, keep your word with me-
My wife and children are starving or |
would not attempt this work. If | die
they can live on hundred dollars for
awhile until my sick wife RECEIVERS her
strength"


"Pll make it hundred and fifty +"
exclaimed the architect, land may God
protect you. If had the skill neces-
sary to ascend the steeple, / would ask
no man to risk his life there. But come
and keep steady hand and eye"


l followed him into the church, then
up into the spire, until we now paused
before narrow window. This was the
point from which | must start on my
perilous feat which | had undertaken.


Casting single glance at the people
in the street below-mere specks in the
distance-I reached out from the win
dow, and grasping one OF the ornament
al blocks, swung myself out from the
spire.


For an instant my courage faltered,
but the remembrance of my starving
family came to my aid, and, with 81
lent prayer for protection and success, 1
placed my hand on the next block above
my head, and clambered up.


From block to block | went, steadily
and cautiously, trying each one ere l
trusted my weight upon it.


Two thirds Of the space had been
passed, when suddenly the block that
supported me moved-gave way. o
heavens Never, then, should | live to
see a hundred years, shall l cease to
shudder at the recollection of that terri
| BILE moment


Yet even in the midst of my agony as
felt myself slipping backward, / did
not for one moment lose my presence OF
mind.


1t seemed to me that never before had
my senses been so naturally acute as
then, when horrible death seemed in
evitable.


Down, down slipped, grasping at
each block as passed it by, until at
length my fearful course was arrested
and then, while my head reeled with the
sudden reaction, great shout came up
from the people below.


"Come down come down. called
the architect, from the window "half
the sum shall be yours for the risk you
have run. Don't try it again Come
down


But no; more than ever now was i
determined to succeed. was not one to
give up after having undertaken diff
cult task.


Coolly but cautiously l commenced
the ascent once more, first seeking in
vain to reach across to the next row OF
blocks, for | did not dare to trust myself
again on that which had proved so
treacherous. This | was compelled to
do, however, until the space between the
angles became sufficiently small to allow
me to swing across. Accomplishing my
purpose at length, went up more rap
idly, carefully testing each block as l
proceeded.


Ere long l reached the cross, and
there l paused to rest, looking down
from the dizzy height with coolness
that even then astonished me.


A few strokes with a light hatchet that
the architect had hung at my back and
piece by piece the rotten cross fell to the
ground.


My work was done and as the last
fragment disappeared l found a sad plea
sure in the thought that should | never
reach the ground alive, my dear ones
would have ample means to supply their
wants until my wife could find employ
/