The Washingtonian., 1845-09-20

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from room to room despite the blaze and smoke
of the burning building. The key of his safe,
it appears, was not to be found in the usual
place, and disappointed in not being able to OBJ
tain the contents, he made an effort to remove
the safe itself; failing in this, he left the build
ing, and wildly entreated some of the bystand-
ers to aid him. All refused, for destruction
seemed certain. Again did he plunge amidst
the destructive element he had scarcely
reached the spot where stood the safe, when
two men, who had witnessed his previous
efforts, stood beside him, and vowed they would
stick by him to the last. The crowd thinking
the men had followed for the purpose of res
cuing the desperate nan from his dangerous
purpose, shouted: :" Knock him down"-"drag
him out "-"he'Il be killed"
With the assistance of the two men, the safe
was dragged close to the hatchway, and the
fall was about TO be made fast so as to lower it
down, when at the moment the rear OF the
store fell inward. huge mass of smoke and
fame ascended on high, and the hosting appa-
ratus fell, some part of the wood work having
been burned away. A cry of horror broke
| from the witnesses of the scene, as the three
men were enveoped in smoke and fire and hid
from view. Presently the two strangers emer-
ged from the building, and were greeted with
cheers by the crowd. The merchant, it was
thought was irredeemably lost; but not so.
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recovering, however, he was seen-when the
smoke consequent upon the falling in of the
rear wall, had cleared somewhat away-by the
chest, striving with all his might to tumble it
down the hatchway. The people collected
around, were amazed, and thought him crazy
and invunerable. The fire was above, below
and around him, and how the merchant stood
there alive, and seemingly unhurt, was mys-
terry no one could explain. On witnessing his
exertions at the chest, every one held his breath;
and save the cracklings Of the timbers and the
distant shouts of the firemen, not sound or
whisper could be heard. See! the chests
moves, and now comes tumbling down the
hatchway amid the applause of the crowd. 1t
rolled out at the door and fell into the entrance
of the basement. The merchant was lost for
moment, but he soon stood on the sidewalk,
blackened with smoke and flame, and again
asked for aid to remove his chest from it's then
position. The answer was-"come from be-
meath; the whole front is falling; you will
perish" He exclaimed: "then shall it cover
me, for the safe l will rescue, or be buried
with it" and then again rushed into the burn
ing pile. The feelings of those who beheld
him cannot be described.
He proceeded to place in his Office where
he knew was placed a small hatchet, took it,
climbed to the third story with astonishing
agility, and severed the rope from the burning
drum, to which it had been secured, but it was
not yet burnt off, and down he spraDg again
At times he was hid from the eyes of those as
sembled outside, and again he would be seen
fitting about as though he was proof against
destruction, and cheer would ascend. Soon
he was seen standing on the sidewalk with the
severed rope over his shoulder, but in an in
stant one side of the store fell in, and he was
again hidden by volume of fire and smoke
That cleared away, and he was seen hard at
work on the safe, endeavoring to thrust the
hook at the end of the rope through its handle.
He succeeded, and then carrying the other end
of the rope in his hands, came as far as it would
permit of towards the crowd, and was received
with the most vociferous acclamation. 1t is
needless to say there were plenty laid hold Of
the rope. The chest was dragged out amid
hurrahs and placed in safety.
"In the name Of Heaven" asked several,
"why risk your life thus for the sake of what
wealth the chest may contain Between dol
lars and life who but you would hesitate?''
"Hold," said the merchant. "Of my own
property | have lost about - dollars by
the fire; for that | care not. But that chest
contains large sum of money entrusted to my
care yesterday afternoon, too late to be deposit
ted in the bank, to meet drafts payable at sight
| care not for the loss of wealth, but had that
money been destroyed, | should have lost my
credit--for who would have known that it was
placed there And though left poor, trusting
in Providence, Was determined to place my
character beyond suspicion or perish in the
attempt. A laundering shout rent the air at