Father Maple and the Perpendicular Side Ladder

At the time i now write of, father maple was in the hardy winter of a healthy old age. When arrayed in a decent suit, he quietly approached the pulpit. Like most old fashioned pulpits, it was a very lofty one. And since irregular stairs to such a height would, by its long angle with the floor, seriously contract the already small area of the chapel, the architect substituted a perpendicular side ladder like those used in mounting a ship from a boat at sea. The wife of a whaling captain had provided the chapel with a handsome pair of red worsted man ropes for this ladder,. which, being itself nicely headed and stained with a mahogany color,