Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-09-08
ADeed Of Noble Daring.


as one of the events attendant on the destruction,
by fire, of the Imperial Theatre, 10 the city of
Moscow
From the suddeness OF this melancholy occur
renee, and from the number of employees per-
manently living with their families in the house,
many lives were lost. Three skeletons were found
in the ashes. Just at the commencement of the
fire, three woIkmen " no had been engaged in the
upper stories, finding no means to descend by
the staircase-so rapid was the progress of the
hames-jumped out of the window to the lower
roof, which being Of iron, soon became so intense.
ly hot that two of the unfortunate beings, not
capable of enduring the heat threw themselves TO
the ground, and were killed by the fall The
third, with more presence Of mind, made his way
over to the front roof, aud there remained for
some ten minutes, till the greedy element, not
contented with the number of its victims, made its
appearance close by him. The poor man called
loudly for help. Ladders were procured, but they
did not reach the height at which he Stood He
saw it, and raising his arm to heaven, he made
the cross, and began to approach the edge of the
precipice before him. In an instant more he
would become corpse Thousands of people
stood all around, gazing with horror at the I'M
mense pile, upon which the poor man remained,
helpless and hopeless. Silence like that of the
grave, reignec among the multitude. His fate
90 Stay a moment, my good fellow PRAY TO
God Almighty, and I'll endeavor to save youi''
All eyes were turned to the spot from which
those sentences were uttered A group Of three
meh were obseTved-common peasants-two of
them holding by the arms and shoulders a third
who struggled to break from the hold ofhs friends
"Let me go, my lads said he, my heart is
burning within me; l cannot bear the sight of
christian soul thus perishng!'' And, with a
powerful effort, he broke loose, and darted for
ward. The dense crowd gave way as he ran 10
the burning building, pulling from himself and at
the same time throwing away his shoot (sheep
skin) and his hat. In an instant he was at the
foot of the ladder; there he took off his boots. al
tached rope round his waist, and seizing an
oven fork which h. opened to be cuse by, he be-
gan to ascend the ladder, which did not reach, at
the utniost twothirds Of the height at which stood
the victim. Having attained the upper footstep.
the generous man took hold OF the rain gutter
Apparently, 1t was not very safe means of as
cent, as it bent and ratified under his weight.
But the man was resolved; he made the sign of
the cross, and began to climb up A cloud of
suffocating smoke whrled around him: the flames
were fast approachng- burning timber, red hot
sheets of roofing iron were falling down liom
every sde-but. VIII, TO him was all this His
heart was burning within his breast he could
not bear the sight OF christian soul thus perish
ing.
1t was frosty day; the rain gutter was cold
as ice; his warm, sweaty palms and fingers stick
and freeze to the iron tube; he tears them off.
leaving the bloody marks at every hole. and as
cends hg her and higher, until he puts his foot up
on projecting cornce. From thence, by means
OF the oven fork, he handed the rope to the poor
man above him. ''Te it fast to the hook which
supports the gutter That's right Now des-
cend! And he held the other end of the rome.
and preceding The man, still supporting him
down the gutter he placed him upon the ladder.
The man was saved.
During all this time the multitude stood breath
less; but when they them both out of dancer
all hats were taken off, and sign OF the cross at
every breast testified general thanksgiving, and
loud shont approved the act of generosity
Every one pressed forward to see the hero of this
scene. The first who approached him, an officer
in the army, gave him rs roubles of silver, (about
20 dollars.) The example was followed noble
men, merchants, peasants, took out their purses;
some gave him gold, some silver coin; some threw
into his hat few copper copecks; all gave what
they could. g God bless you, noble friend -
was heard from every side
The name Of this generous man is Basil Marin.
a native Of the government Of Taroslaff Being
rooier by trade, he for many years lived in ST.
Petersburg, pursuing his vocation; but after.
wards engaged himself as a boiler maker at The
government foundery of Kolpino. Last year he
took leave of absence, and visited his native wi.
age. Having spent few months with his friends
he was returning to st. Petersburg, by way Of
Moscow, TO avail himself of the railways. He
came to the ancient capital the day before the
fire, and not having caught the train, he was OBJ
liged to remain till the next day As this was his
first arrival in Moscow, he took the opportunity
OF seeing the Kremlin, the old fortress, and to yis
it its venerable cathedrals There, from some
passers by he heard of the fire, and FASTENED 70
the spot where he so nobly distinguished himself
AT three O'Clock in the afternoon of the same
day he took his seat in railway carriage. On
the 18th of the same month he reach st. Peters,
burg, and again enlisted himself in the number
of workmen at Kolpino. In two DAYS after he
was summoned to the office of the general police
master of the capital, where he was told that the
Emperor desired to see him. He was according
y taken to the palace. His Imperial Majesty re-
ceived Marin in his cabinet, and was pleased to
say to HIM when he entered, 81 thank YOU for
good action. Embrace me, and relate how Won
did It." In simple words Marin told his story.
and when he finished the Empeor, dismissed him.
saying, snow you may go, but in case of need
come to me atany time" Soon afterwards Mar.
rim was rewarded with medal and sum of $50
roubes Of silver.