The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-06-21

- eHd'i never forget tlae man lace IN |
all my life, SO wondering, so thankful and |
SO awe-stricGen. All he said was God !
bless YOU but there was q whole sermon |
In these words, and I slept better for them |
"On Christmas night he paid me every
cent, and from that day until | left the |
neighborhood dealt with me regularly
But times grew so much better that |
took store in good street at the other
end of the town, and one way ard another
saw no more of my policeman for three
good years.
"One night, just such cold night as
that on which | first saw him staring on
the hams, | was awakened long after mid
night by cry of fire. l started up to see
the flames through the floor, and 90 know
the store down stairs was all ablaze. The
stairs were On FIRE also, and when, as [
opened the entry door, the hot air and
| smoke rushed IN and almost smothered
me, | gave up all hope of getting my poor
wife and helpless little ones out of that
burning building alive and safe. [ was
so faint and i'll from the accident, you
see, that | hadn't all my wits about me,
and believed there was no one missing
My blood ran cold when my wife, clasp
ing her hands, and with an awful look
upon her face, screamed:
"Our little Lucy, our little Lucy is left
behind.''
"She had slept with our hired girl since
her baby brother was boru, and the wo-
man in her fright had forgotten her little
one. There she was at the top of that
burning building, out Of the reach of any
human help it seemed to me, as l looked
up at the walls, great red and yellow
sheet of fame, with blue CLEANS here and
there, as though deyilish heads were
peeping out and grinning at US. Still,
hopeless as it was, / should have gone
back into the burning house and saved
my baby or died with her if [ had been
able to stand. No one else would ven
ture 1t would be foolish sacrifice of
life, they said, for no doubt the child was
already smothered by the smoke, and
though I raved and pleaded and made
wild promises, they shook their heads and
only bade me have patience.
"Patience! !" thought that | was going
mad as the face of my little girl-my
sweet, pretty pet-rose up before me-
But just ther tall man dashed through
the crowd and came towards me.
"Quick ~ he shouted, (Which room is
the child in-speak quickly-whieh
room Z"
''The back one on the upper foor," l
groaned, and he dashed away from me,
parting the throng with his strong arms,
and in another moment l saw him mount
ing the ladder | heard them calling him
to come back, bidding him beware, and
speaking OF him as though he were dead
already But he never needed them, and
as I saw him hidden by the black smoke
which poured from the window, l covered
my face and prayed that the angels who
walked IN the fiery furnace might go with
| him.
"Perhap6 they did Something strong
er than an earthly thing must have been
there, for in a few minutes-they seemed
years to me then-wc saw him coming
down the ladder with something in bis
arms. 'The burnt body o: my child, per-
haps,' | thought, but as he came closer |
saw that it was my own laughing, living
darling, with her blue eyes open and her
little arms about his neck.
"The roof fell in the next moment, but
nv treasure was safe and that was all
cared for.
"What shall 1 say or do to thank you"
1 said, as L grasped his hand. IN
a ruined man, and | can only give you my
blessing; but let me know your name at
least"
"Have you forgotten me don't You re-
member me ?" he said, as he bent over
me. "Look again"
81 did and | saw pair of bright gray
eyes, face [ knew, and something gilt
terlng on his breast. And the scene at
the corner Of the dirty little street, on
wet December night, came back to me,
and [ saw my policeman once more.
alt is you," [ said, "and you have saved
my child from such an awful death"
"ADd what did you save re and mine
from 2" he said, with tears III his eyes
"Starvation, ruin, utter degradation. |
should have been a felon, aud my dear
ones paupers this night, but for you |
have not paid the debt [ never can but
when heard that it was your child that
| lay at the top of that burning building, |
prayed that | might save it, and l know
| God heard me-"
"And then be told me what had bro't
him to the neigEborhood on that mig ht Of
all others in the year.
fU had lost all, for | was not insured,
but he was prosperous aud stood by me
| like brother; nursed me through my
| illness, and loaned me money for new
start in life. SO that in little while
| things grew bright again, and here l am,
| you see, as comfortable as most people"
"And the policeman 2" [ asked,
"His hair is as white as my own now,"