The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-10-04

wouldn't want it.
Crash crash - didn't let my little
axe play round the sashes of that window,
and soon have clearance, for 1t was nailed
up, and then when the poor things heard
me, and saw the light shining on my he'll
met how they did shrek for help
Just then looked down at the depth, and
| [ caught sight of one fellow standing below
with a short ladder in his hand, which
might have been of use if the poor things
lhad been in the first floor +; and then
made ready to throw my rope across, when
lust as was going to let go, and then go
ling to try and catch it, thought struck
me, and Ilet the coil of rope fall down into
the court, all but one end as | kept hold OF,
land then when the poor things saw it let
down they shrieked again, and one OF them
! lfell back from the window. ~
cite on that LADDER / shouted, ''and
some of you come up;" and one of my
mates soon tied the rope to one OF the rounds,
and then with two or three more run into
the house, while hauled away till got
hold of the bottom of the ladder, for they
sent the heaviest end up first, and then
dragged it in at the window, and balancing
the other end up continued to push 1t across
and into the window Of the other house
lacross the court, and 30 made u sort OF
bridge, only it was all askew, for the houses
were not quite opposite to one another.
Just as I'd done this, in comes my mate
with two more men, and sets them to
work to hold the ladder while took hold
of the rope and then made ready to crawl
across on the thin bridge I'd rugged up
1t was for life and death, or | wouldn't have
ventured on the slight, bending wood for
though ladder set nearly upright may be
strong enough, it makes it a deal weaker to
lay it down level and then go and crawl
along it. | knew how it would be, though,
SO tied the rope round my body, and made
my mate hitch the other end round a big
hook in the wall, used for pulley, SO that
| in the event of fall, if the rope held good,
shouldn't have gone all the way. They
tied one end of the ladder, too, for to keep
| it steady, and then there | was scrambling
across, with the ladder bending and culver
ing, and the crowd underneath hurrahing
and clapping their hands, just as if was
doing bit of Blondin to please them.
How the ladder did bend so that [
thought it must give way, and me go crash
into the court but it didn't, and the next
moment was in the window ofthe burning
house, with the trembling women clinging
| to me.
CHOW, them" says, to one man, ''you
can creep across" and | pointed to the lad
der.
81 can't leave my wife" he says, holding
half-fainting woman against the window,
where the smoke wasn't quite so dense.
YOU'RE a trump, you are, +" thinks, and
then hauls more of the rope over, and
makes it fast round the poor womans waist;
and then we laid her on the ladder, and the
three on the other side hauled, and we held
on to the rope this end, and we got her half
across, when she slipped off the ladder, and
hung right over the court, while there arose
regular shrek of horror. But there was
people, you see, at each end of the rope, and
we loosened as the others hauled, and SO
they soon had her at the other window,
though the rope was 80 tight that it must
have hurt the poor thing terrible,
Then they loosened the rope again, and
we sent another woman over. and she was
insensible with fear, and We got her over
all right, though she, too, slipped off the
ladder Then there were two little girls,
one after the other; and it was sad to see
how they trembled and sbook-too much
frightened to cry, as well they might be,
for the heat was awful; and | knew that
anot her quarter of an hour would find the
room we were in red hot.
We got another over--a young man
and he was dragged over, too, for ne dared
not try to crawl across, and | suppose to
man as amt use to such things to creep
over place like that, all those feet over the
pavement, and when you've been frightened
to death nearly by waking out OF your sleep
to find the next place on fire, is rather try
ing and now there was only that chap,
whose wife was sent over first, and who had
worked all he could to help me, snd another
terribly cowardly chap, whom I'd had quite
set to with to keep back, SO as to save the
women and children first
And now this chap as I've just spoke
about made rush to got to the ladder, and
he was in such a horrid fright that | dou't
believe he'd got over safe, and beside | knew
there was time for us all to get away if
things were done quietly so considering as
it wasn't his turn, held him back for the
married man to go first to his wife. when the
other one almost shrieked out with rage and
fear.
'Let him go first, says the married man,
''I'll wait"
.I'Taint this turn" says, rather obstinate
like ''Over you go!" and at such time
one can't be interfered with, and having
madem plans SO far didn't want them al
tered. &c. ''Over you go !" says.
81 think can crawl" he says, and he got
out on the ladder but instead OF crawling,
he sat astride Of it and worked himself along
with the crowd hurraing and cheering ire
menduous.
And up came the flame and smoke, and
the roar and crackIe and falling in of timber
was getting terrible. Every place was light
as day, while as to the heat, | declare it
seemed to scorch you fearfully. sra
| ''The sooner you are across and me with
you, the better l shall like it." | says, aud
then took a look round to see how matte rs
were, when there came crash and q puff,
and in moment the flames came wreathing
and twirling up from underneath where [
stood, and just as the last chap had his leg
on the window SILL and | was going to tie
the rope round him, he gave yell and fell
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't dragged at him but there
was no time to lose. made the rope fast,
and got him on to the ladder, with the
flames darting up through the rounds and
burning his hair and then shouted to
them to haul, and haul they did, with me
trying to steady him with my end of the
rope, but before he was quite across some
thing went snap, and | staggered back into
the room, holding on by the piece of burnt
through rope, and with my heart sinking,
as felt that my own salvation was partly
gone
just then the flames was waited on one
side, and l saw that they were dragging in
done good nights work, and it was time
to save myself. Pm not ashamed to own it,
did feel frightened as threw down that
lpiece of rope, and it must have been some
thing like q CRY of horror | gave when | got