Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-08-21
VOL. xxx, NO. 4l.-wHOLE NO. 2O27.

emerged from the building, and were greeted with
cheers by the crowd. The merchant /, was ,honub,
was lrredeemably lost but not so. lie had fallen
down in stupor, but quickly 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 1t down the hatchway. The people collected
around were umazed and thought him crazy and
lnvulnerable. The fire was above, below and all
around him. and how the merchant stood there alive,
and seemingly unhurt, was a mystery no one could
explain. On Witnessing his exerlions AT the chest,
every one held his breath and save the cracking
OF the timbers and the distant shouts of the frenen
not a sound or a whisper could be heard. See the
chest moves aud now comes tunibling down the
hatchway, amid the applause of the crowd. 1t rolled
ont OF the door and fell into the entrance Of the
basement The merchant was lost sight of for a
moment, but soon no stood on the side walk black
ened and burnt with smoke and flame, and again
asked Tor aid to remove his chest from its then po-
sltlon The answer was, come from beneath -
the whole front is falling-you will perish" lie
eNclalned-" then shall it cover me, for the safe
VIII rescue, Or be buried with it," aud then again
rushed into the burning pile. The feelings OF those
VINO hcheld hun cannot be described.
lie proceeded To u place in his office, where
was placed small Ratchet, took it, climbed to the
third story with astonishing agility and severed
the rope from the burning drum to which it had
uNNh SNNhlN''i buL was IlOL yet UuIW anu UOWT
he sprang again. AT tunes he was hId from the
eyes of those assembled outside and arain he
would be seen Hitting about as though he was proo
against destruction, and cheer would ascend
! soon he was seen standing on the sidewalk will
the severed rope over his shoulder, but in an in
slant side of the store fell in and he was agar
hidden 10y volume of fire aud smoke. That clear
ed away and he was seen hard at work on the safe
endeavorlng to thrust tie hook at the end of III,
rope through IFS handle. He succeeded, and ther
carrying the other end of the rope IN his hand,
as far as It would permit OF towards the crowd ant
was received with the most voclfeIous occlama
ton. 1t is needless to say there were plenty laiC
hold of the rope. The chest was dragged annie
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 dollars and life, who
but you, would hesitate ~
"HoId, >" said the merchant. "Of my own prop
erty have lost about -- thousand dollars by
the fire for that care not But that chest con
tulns a large sum of money entrusted to my care
yesterday afternoon, too late TO be deposited in The
bank, by an Eastern house, to meet drafts mad,
payable at sight care not for the loss of wealth
! but had that money been destroyed, should have
lost my credit--or who would have known it wa
placed there? And though left poor, trusting II
Providence was determined to place my charac
Ter beyond suspicion or perish in the atiempt.' 4
numbering shunt rent the air at these words, an
before it had subsidized tie walls fell IN aId the stor
was heap Of red hot ruins.
'rhe clothes of the merchant were burnt from
his body and he was literally naked. He was con
veyed to neighboring house, where his burn
were dressed aud every possible attention paid hin
and are happy to say that lie walked to his hon
IN this city, few hours after the occurrence.
The above is good story, although it seems
little apocryphol