The ladder was about ten feet long, spanning the dome.

It was very easy to go up, because I was looking up all the time, and I was soon on top of the building.
I saw how far I could see, and saw the Alabama river, winding and turning until it seemed no larger than a silver thread.

Well, I am very poor at describing and going into ecstacies over fancies.

I want some abler pen to describe the scene.

I was not thinking about the scene or the landscape--I was thinking how I was going to get down that ladder again.
I would come to that iron ladder and peep over, and think if I fell, how far would I have to fall.