Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1845-01-31
JOSEPH, THE FIREMAN.
A TRUE STORY

TRUE STORY.
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH j.. A. BouILLY ny
ALBERT ROWLAND.
do not know any profession more useful
and at the same time more worthy of praise,
) than that of those intrepid men, who hold
themselves constantly in readiness to ly
t wherever conflagration is lighted up, or
wherever the public voice calls them, per-
forming thousand feats Of valor confront
) ing every day, dangers as frightful as present
themselves upon the field of battle, and Join
ing to the most daring courage, the most no.
bic disnterestedness. These are the true
citizen soldiers, and experience great pleas
urc in relating the following noble action of
one of them.
Among the hremen of the faubourgh of
the capital, Joseph L--was remarkable
for his experlness in scaling burning build
ings, as for his bold talent of diving, which
had frequently procured for him the mex
presslble delight Of saving the lives of his
felow-beings. Fire and water appeared to
, be the elements in which he was to acquire
the reputation of the bravest and best OF
men.
fire broke out at night, toward the end
of Autumn, in 1929, in the vast warehouse
; of the purveyor- general to the royal guards
and from this building, filled with combusi-
5 Bile materials, before its progress could be ar
rested, it reached the sumptuous dwelling OF
the purvcyor, Baron Descarvllle. Baron
Descalvillc, the father of numerous family
thought only of saving his children, the
: youngest of whom he soon placed beyond the
' Il i,h th,o,tonnI a., L.,
, been forgotten in this frightful disaster,
4 pretty little girl, two years Of age, who sep
. IN a chamber, the only approach 10 which
in consequences of the progress the fire haC
d made, was through her fathers apartment
which was double locked. The piercin,
a cries Of the alarmed child reached the ear
. of Joseph, who instantly broke down with hi
axe the door of this room, which was tin
;, private cabinet of Baron Dcscarvle, reach
= ed the child, and bore her to the arms of he
= father. The Baron offered to recompens
# him for his generous devotion, but the fire
e man, faithful to the regulation of his corps
u u declared that he would accept nothing, as h
O had only performed his duty.
j. When Joseph mentioned the fact Of hi
o having been compelled to break down III
door OF the adjoining apartment, to reach III
v Guild, the Baron suddenly remembered tina
" IT, rad l"i' s"v,iai articles - value, anon
81 which was small pocket boul. containin
forty bank notes of considerable amount
/. As there was yet time, he FASTENED to remov
d them to "A place Of safety; but to bis erea
= surprise, when lie reached the room, he foun
= that the pocket book was gone. He search
10 ed every where with much anxiety, but coul
re discover no traces of it. Convinced that til
!" notes had become the prey of the iiremer
n the only person who had entered his cabinc
10 and determined not to give him sufficier
re time 10 dispose of the property, he wer
he Immediately to inform the captain of hi
I'd company of the theft which had been con,
Is mitted. Although it was with great effort h
VI could accuse the young man who had save
VI the life of one of his children, of IA crime, h
st yielded to the mperious circumstances, an
claimed the authority of the officer 10 oblal
n, Justice. The captain, on account Of the un
he formly irreproachable conduct of Joseph, dc
OF sired, in so grave and delicate matter,
- proceed with caution. He beckoned Josep
p, to follow, and conducted him to the apar
- ment where, beside himself no one was pre-
70 sent but the baron. Joseph trembled an
ar grew pale a, the charge made against hin
IN He attempted to speak, but the words die
A. on his lips. AS soon as he recovered fro
nd the terrible emotion which he experience
d. and which, in the eyes Of the Baron, seemt
", o' proof ofhs guilt, he demanded that he shou
cd be subjected to the most rigorous Search
1t was soon clearly ascerlained that Il
id pocket book which he was accused Of haviI
nd I,,o1 in
n Il knew he was innocent ! cried The oflic
va pressing his baud warmly.
','n 'He grew pale, however,, said NJ. Desca
nh vile.
No. lit was with Indignation replied Josep
ee with flashing eyes. This is an unexpect,
NO recompense for the service have rendert
you bu, if suffer under such an accus
al ton, you viii suffer still more; for you W
We be unable, during your life time to take 20
Us Us child into your arms without blushing at Il
nd thought of the manner in which you Outrage
its her prescrver.'
N. Il am sure monsieur lie Baron added Il
a officer, that, as ourselves, you will preser'
mt profound silence with regard to the sran!
Ve scene which has Just passed.
IT. III. AS for me, Captain, will promise not
iles S'"i'N' '''' INV
h. my comrades of the kind of recompense v
rat are TO expect for our services
md The fireman, indeed, related to his Cor
pr panions the insult which he had endured, al
en- carving his hand to his sword, he added:
he If il had not been for Baron Descarvillt
ng grey hairs, he should have dearly attoned t
eu this cruel insult: but had too many adva
I he tages over him, and am forced to hold HI
oil. in contempt
The Baron, however, entertained a secI
VIC suspicion which he was unable to Danish :;
he month rolled by, and in his heart, Joseph W
to still regarded as guilty. lie continually b
ent anced in his mind the proofs of his innocen
hle and the combination Of circumstances viii
1ns seemed to establish his guilt. Not bel
h a' conenied, therefore, to sustain loss of fo
OH, thousand francs, he was thinking of enteli
Sn. complaint before magistrate, when
day valet de ehambre, one morning upon emp