National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1866-09-21

spoke about. made rush to get the
ladder, and he was i'll such Il horrid
fright that don't believe he'd got .
over safe, and besides / knew there .
was time for MS all to get away if .
things were done quietly; SO, con |
sideringaS it wasn't his turn. | held .
him back for the married man to 90
first to his wife. when the other one (
almost shrieking out with rage and /
fear.
Let him 90 frst,' says the mar
riod man. " I'll watt
faint his turn" says. rather
obstinate like. "Oyer YOU gO!'
and at such . time We cant he i'll
tertered with. and havingmadc my
YlanS so far didn't want them al
,ered. So. " Over you go r. says.
" 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 hurrahing and cheering
! !. a tremendous.
And up camethe flame and smoke.
and the roar and crackle and falling
III of timberS was getting terrible.
Every place was as light as day,
while as to the heat. declare it
seemed to scorch YOU tearfuliy.
The sooner you're across and
me with you the better | shall like
it." | says. and then took a look
round toSee how matters were, when
there came a crash and IA puff, and
in a moment the flames came wreath
ing and twirling up from underneath
where | stood. and Just rs the last
chap had his leg on the window sill
and | was going to tip the rope
round him. he gave a 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 have drag
ged at him but there was no me to
lose. | made the rope fast and got
him on the ladder with the flames
darting up through the rounds and
burning his hair: and then ! shout
ed to them to haul and haul they
did. with me trying to steady him
with my end of the rope, bat before
he was quite across something went
snap. and | Staggard back into the
room, holding on to 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 | saw that tney
/ were dragging in the last OF the sev-
; en-. and felt now as if I'd done a good
nights work and it waS time to save
t myself. I'm not ashamed to own it.
l | did feel frightened as | threw down
. that piece of rope and 1t must have
, been something like a cry of horror
. | gave when ! got hold of the lad.
= der and felt it burn my hands and
i. then as ! tried to hear upon it, felt
it crumbllng away, and that ! was
without way Of escape.
Far above the noise of the fire and
water came the shrek of che crowd
. as the burnt ladder fell away and
? hung blazing by one end against
| the opposite house, while there came
| such At rush Of fame past the win
: dow that could not look ont but
= directly after heard the fierce rusl
OF water. and could see that loul
. branches were deluging the window
| and all beneath; for my mates knew
t what a danger | was in.
; | ran to the window. and was
= beaten back by the water. while tht
> smoke that came out was quite
binding. Then | tried through tn,
/. hot vapor in the room to see if
r could get ont OF the door and reacl
the roof, but Just at that moment
:, there came Il dull fash through The
n smoke, and | could see that the bach
e of he house was on fire, while from
the way the flames rushed up agaiI
| in front and hlled the court, | knew
# that there was no help to be haC
t from the opposite for they mus
i have been beaten from the window
i Td been in some dangers i'll m,
|. time: but till now there had alwaN
|. seemed road out, and as ! tore iu
n riously around the place with tn
g sweat tripping ON me and the hol
q rible fear of death 80 close at hand
r. seemed to be regularly unnerved
It and fell to shrieking and crying OF
n that my mates had deserted me
Y. when they were on the roof and ha,
il let down n rope to me, but | cOul
T. not see it; and then at last one ,
them was let down, and tried to ge
N in ut the window. but the flame
r, beat him back and groan cam
+. from the people as they saw all tha
.h had been done.
N As | told You, | seemed quite (
ir loose my nerve. and ran ahor
w Shripking for few minutes, an
n then | .ell down on my face upo
" the hot floor: but directly after IN
| /: mind seemed to come again. and
Of felt that if must die should hay
We done my duty, and | had saved se'
en- poor creatures and tlougl
,s that, | rose to my knees, and son
~, words came to my hps--words thu
so came To my heart as thought
ys those who were once saved from I'll
m heat OF the burning, fiery furnace
nj and | prayed that too might !
tb saved.
go. 81 ,1 Il t,.ne avI fn t,rux. ttn