The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-10-03


The fire was above, below, and all
around him, and how the mcrchan,
stood there alive, and seemingly UNI
hurt, was mystery no one could
explain. On witnessing his exer-
tons at the chest, every one held
his brcath--and save the cracking
of the timbers and the distant shouts
of the iircmcn, not ii sound nor a
whisper could be heard. See, the
chest moves and now comes tumb-
ling down the hatchway, amid the
applause of the crowd. 1t rolled
out of the door and fell into the en-
trance of the basement. The mcr-
chant was lost sight Of for mo-
ment, but soon he stood on the side
walk, blackencd and burnt with
smoke and flame, and again asked
for aid to remove his chest from its
then position. The answer was,
"come from beneath-thc whole
front is falling-you will perish"
He exclaimed-"Thcn shall it CO.
yer me, for the safe | will secure, or
be buried with it," and then again
rushed into the burning pile. The
feelings of those who bcheld him
cannot be described.
He proceeded to a place in his Of
fee, where was placed a small hat
Chef, took it, climbed to the third
story with astonishing agility and
severed the rope from a burning
drum, 10 which it had been secured,
but was not yet burnt off, and
down he sprang again. At times he
was hid from the eyes of those as
sembled outside, and again he would
be seen flittering 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 instant 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 the han
die. lie succeeded, and then car
rying the other end of the rope
in his hand, came as far as it would
permit off towards the crowd and
was received with the most vocifer-
GUS reclamation. 1t is needless to
say there were plenty laid hold of
the rope. The chest was dragged
amid the hurrahs, and placed in
safety.
"ln 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 hest
tate ?"
"Hold,' said the merchant. "Of
my own property | have lest about
- thousand dollars by the fire
for that | care not. But that chest
contains a large sum Of money en-
trusted to my care yesterday after
noon too late to be deposited in the
bank, by an eastern house, to meet
drafts made payable at sight. |
care not for the loss of wealth, but
had that money been destroyed, |
should have lost my creda-for who
would have known that it was plac-
ed there? And, though left poor,
trusting in Providence, | was deter
mined to place my character beyond
suspicion or perish in the attempt"
A laundering shout rent the air at
these words, and before it had sub
sided, the walls fell in and the store
was heap of red hot ruins.
The clothes of the merchant were
burnt from his body, and he was lit
orally naked. He was conveyed to
near house, where his burns were
dressed and every possible attention
paid him, and we are happy to say
that he walked to his home in this
city, in a few hours after the occur
renee.
The above is a good story, al
though it seems little apocryphal.
HEr.MS1IAN eE LAKE. EruE