STEEPLEJACK'S ADVENTURES.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13417, 15 May 1912, Page 3

STEEPLEJACK'S ADVENTURES.

—ggyw. ——- ■ ■ I remember how I used to look, when a boy, with awe at tho figure of "Joe" Smith, the "King of Steeplejacks," as ho walked about the streets'. He was a man who thought no more of ascending a mill chimney than you or I do of crossing a street. He was the hero of a hundred strange experiences, some of which it would bo difficult to match in fiction, and although possessed of enormous strength of will and nerve—one had only to look in his resolute, clean-shaven face to roalise that—he was of a vci\y retiring nature and of. few words, and seldom spoke of his adventures. There is probably not one man in a million who would caro to undergo the experience which befel "Joe" Smith. Fie was engaged on the top of the chimney of an^nld mill, near the Rochdale railway station, and one day the assistant who was working with him suddenly lost his reason, and, uttering a terrible cry. tried to jump from the stage. "Joe," with great presence of mind, caught the madman's ankle as ho went over* avid theire for a moment or so tho \ man hung, depending for his lifo upon tho strength of another man's grasp. Mr. Smith succeeded in getting hold of tho man's bolt, and commenced to pull ■ him back ; hut the man struggled violently to ixci, free, biting his rescuer's thumb, and behaving in such a manner that it was impossible to drag him back to safety. The novel and alarming contest was witnessed from below by a large and gradually increasing crowd, and it seemed as though, after all, the unfortunate young man must pay the penalty with his life, and perhaps also end the life of tho man who was trying to save him. And just when it appeared that the rtrujrf.de must corns to a sudden and awful conclusion, the resourceful spirit of "Joe." made itself manifest. Picking up a join my. he hit the man over the hea.d v.ith it! It was the only way to rave thei man's life. And then Mr. Smith calmly lowered tho stunned madman to the ground.