The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1866-10-31


enough, it makes it deal weaker to lay ii
down level and then go and crawl along IT,
know how it would be-, though, so | tied
the rope round my body, and made my
mate hirch the Other end round big hook
in the wall, used for pully, 50 thar in the
event of fall, if the rope held good, |
shouldn't have gone all the way They
tied one end to the ladder, too, for to keep
asteady. and then there was scrambling
cross, with the ladder bending aud quiver
ing, and the crowd underneath hurrang aud
clapping their hands Just as if | was doing a
bit Of Blondn to please them.
How that ladder did bend; so that |
thought that it must give away. and me tn
crash into the court; but it didn't, and the
next moment was in the window of the
burning house, with the trembling woman
cliningng to me.
Now, then, | says to one man. you
can creep across, and pointed to the lad
der.
Il can't leave my wife" he says, holding
Il half tantea woman against the window,
whe the smoke wasn't quite so dense.
You re 'rump, you ar. thinks;
AMI then hauls more of t one ove", and
makes it fast aronfd the poor womnn' $
W s., aud hen wa laid heI on the ladder,
and the three mn the other side hauled, and
we he'd on to the rope this end, and so we
got her half across, when she slipped off
the Ia, der, and hing right over tn" court
while there arose aregular Shrek Of horror
But there were people, you see, at each
end of the rope. and we losSened as the
other hauled. and so they soon hal her
in at the other windcw, thoug the rope was
so tight that it must have hurt the poor
thing terrih e.
Then they loosencd tho rope again, we
sent another woman over. and she was in
sensible with fear, and we get her over all
right, though she, too, slipped off the lad.
der. Then there were two little girls, one
alter ;he other, and it was SD to see how
they trembed and shook--too much fright
ened to cry, as well they might be. for the
heat was awful and knew that another
quarter of an ht ur would find the room we
were in red hot,
We got another over--a young man land
he WIS dragged over, too, for he dale not
try to crawl across, and sup ose to a man
that ain t used 10 such things to.crrcp over
a place like that, all thnse feet over the
pavement, and when you We been frightcn
ed to death nearly hy waking out OF your
sleep to find the next place On fire, is rather
irving; and now there was ony that chap
whose wife had been sent over first, and
who had worked all he could to help ne
an'r another terribly coward'y chap. WI ON
| had quite sct-tn with to keep back, so
rs 10 save nomcn and children first
And now this chap, as I've just spoke
about. made such rush to get at the lad
der, and he was in such horrid fright that
| don believe he got over safe, and be-
sides knew there was time for US all to
get away, il things were doUe quietly; 50,
as it wasn't his turn, | held
him back for the married man to 60 first to
his wife, when the other one almost shrek
ed nut with rage and fear.
Let him g" first says the married
man, "l'll wait -
'"Tair't his turn" l Gays, rather ohsti-
nate i've. Over you go!E and at such a
time one cant be interttred with, and hav-
ing made my plans sol far diin twant them
altered. So, Over you go! ; | says
Il think | can crawl" he says, and he
rot out on tie ladd I: hut instead Of crawl
ing, he sat aStrde of it and worked himself
along, with the crowd hurrahing and cheer
Ing hlnltremt nd0uSIy.
And IN came the flames and smoke, and
the roar and cracklc AID falling in Of TIM
bcrs was getting terrible. Every place was
light as day, while as to the heat, | declar-
cd it see ned to scorch you teattully.
"The sooner YOU re across and me with
rou, the better shall like it," says, and
then took lock round to see how mat
ter. were. wlieh there csme crash and
puff, and in mcmcht the flames came
and twirling up frcm underneath
where stood, and Just as the last chap had
his leg on the window sill and | was going
to tin the rope round him, he gave yell
and tell back or rather pulled him back
into the smoky room and he tainted dead
away.
He must have gone down crash into the
court if | hadn' dragged at him; but there
was h tire to loose. made the rope fast
and got him on to the ladder. with the
Aames darting up through the rounds and
burning bis hai, and then | houted to
hem to haul. and haul they did, with me
irving to steady him with ny end of the
rope but before he was quite across some
hing went slap and | staggered back in the
room. huldng on to the oiece Of burnt
.hr, ugh rope, and with my heart sinking a
felt that my own salvation was partly
gone. .......
Just then the flames were waited on one
side. and saw that they We're dragging IN
he last of the seven, and | felt now as ii
had dcne good nj ght'S work, and 1t was
time to save myself. I'm net ashamed to
own it. did feel frightened as threw
down that piece frOpe, and it must have
been something like cry OF horror gave
when | got hold of the ladder and felt it
burn my hands; aud then as ] tried to Tear
anon it. felt it crumble and give awuy, and
hat | was without u way 10 escape.
Far above the noise OF the fire and wa :.
er came ,he shrek Of the crowd as the
,urned lauder fell away and hung blazing
, one end gts.l>t Il G rposi house. while
here came up such rush OF fame past
he window that | could not look OUT but
ii,ecty after heard the firt ce rush Of wa
er. and could see that four branches were
Ielugihg the window, and all beneath; for
NY mates knew what danger wa ir
| ran to the window, and was beaten hack
Nv the water, while the smoke that came up
was quite blending Then | tried through
he hot vapor in the room 70 see ii could
yet out Of the door and reach the roof; but
u,t at hat moment there came dull flash
through the smoke, and could see that the
back Of the house was on fire, while from
he way The flames rushed up again in front
md filed the court. knew that there was
10 help to be had from opposite, or they
must be beaten from the window.
Id Hem in me- dangers 10 my life time,
out till now there ad ALWAYS seemed a road
nut; and as | tore furiously around the
,ace, with the sweat dripping off me-, and
he horrible fear Of death 50 close at hand,
seemed to lie regularly unnervei, ard fell
% shrieking and crying out that my mates
mad deserted mt, when they were on the
,oof ard had let down rope to me, but ]
,ould not see it, and then at last one Of them
was let down, and tried to get in at the win
low, but the flames beat him back, and a