Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-09-01
THE EVENING STAR.
THE STORY OF A HERO.
BY sEoReE NANvILLE FxNs.

a. matter Of course, sir-takIng il coolly'sout
of he question. Here we are living about as
exciting 3 life as man can lead-always on
duty, and ready at a moment to have aset-to
with The worst fire that ever broke out. No: L
shall never get to take II as matter OF course;
for It's all dark. rush and excitement: and 1
love 10, sir. Flash comes the news TO N by tel
eeraph, most likely: ont comes the horses;
tnere's a hight put 10 the ready trimmed fire;
hind Us, as the fire roars. ard the steam's get
ting up, away gallop the horses. Az; It's "Hi.
hoI! hoiio." and they clear tn . road Tor rs; and
away we 90 full gallop down the streets, with
the horses hoofs striking fire, the crowd shout
ing, and the running mob increasing al every
step. There's something in IL as warns ones
blood: and as to the danger-weil, of course. it's
dangerous; but when we feel that we're doing
our duty, and know what's before us, why,
somehow We don't remember the danger, but
20 at II in earnest.
Now, there was only last week, sitting an
was waiting for call-there il was at LAST, late
on in the night, when the streets were clear
and away We tore al something like a pace
oxford street, Holborn, down the Hill, up
simmer street. and Newgate street-whoop.
q, bless you, ana flashing out till it's hard to
say whether they didn't make more sparks
ihsn the fire under the boiler. We wanted no
more Instructions, for there was the red glow
on ahead and we got nearer we could al.
most see the sparks; and at last we did see them
come pouring and rolling along with the smoke
and beng heavy, hot night, hanging like a
thick starspsngled cloud Just over our heads
Two engines were there. and as il happened
go late there were not so many people as might
have been expected but as soon as got there
saw as something particular was the matter,
and this is what it was-The fire was in quite
q narrow court, where they couldn't get the
dea,h: while above the shouting OF the mob
and clankpg of the engine hard at work you
could hear their awful cries for help.
Now. don't you suppose that I'm proud OF
all this m going 10 tell you, because I'm not.
Now. If you were 10 dash in and save any ones
life. why, no doubt IL would be brave and GAL
we txkd hnna ~
true compassion for q suferin z fellow creature;
but then with me IT'S quite different I'm paid
so much week 10 save life and property from
fire; consequently, only do what's my duty
TO do.
runs up the court axe in hand, and soon
sees the state OF affairs. One house was in a
blaze from Top 70 bottom, and the flames had
worked through into the ext, and were attack.
ing he one opposite, while, with their escape
regularly cut on, there were about half
dozen people al the upper windows Of the
second house, and no way of getting to them.
There was no back door TO the place, being in
one OF those crowded city places; while the
door IN front and stair case were now fast
getting into state of glow, of which the water
sfuttered and steamed without making any
There was no time for ladder or ANYTHING
else but the sheets, aud them we got stretched
but for the people to jump into. but, poor
things! they dared not, and hat 10 do / could
not tell There was the fire blazing up higher
and higher, and lighting up two of their old
city churches that you see lost down those old
out of the way because people didn't have any
use for them now. There they were lit no and
glowing, and the pigeons that lived up there
scared and flying round and round the fire;
there was the rush and roar OF the wind along
the court "a II set owards the fire: and there
were me hames ieaPing up, the clouds OF
SPARKS rising, the clouds OF smoke rolling
away, and the cracking sputter OF the states
as hey flew with the heat and then Slid rat
tlns OF into me court beneath, smash upon the
pavement Every now and then came alouder
roar and a crash rafter or beam fell in and
sent the sparks mp In a whirlwind. And there
all that time Were those poor creatures utterfng
the widest piercing shrieks foy helm Won ever
heard Now. I've heard so much OF that sort
OF thing that you'd expect shouldn't mind it;
but do though; and as said about fires L
don't think ever shall get to take il as MAJ
ter of course for there is something very
awful in seeing fellow creature strong and
heNty, ana YET dying before your eyes, and
you not able 10 save them.
But wasn't idle all this time-not bit of
II, for every minutes worth something at a IRE
and n you give II much time u will beat YOU
Under The circumstances the first thing was to
save life, and willis: them had the branches
did their best 10 keep the fire back from them
AZ tne tnlrd noor window, got hold OF a rome
and in ar the house opposite. and made INV
way up stairs TO the third floor, which. like
the rest Of the place, was used as a warehouse
and crammed full of packages
Being strange house il wasn't easy to find
your way, but got up AT last. and opposite to
me room where the poor things Were all now
huddled together At one window, for the fire
was gaming on them, so that Vi less they were
s-cn helped they wouldn't want it,
Trash! erash"' Didn't L let my little axe
play round the sashes of that window and
soon haze clearance, for il was nailed up
anu then when the poor things heard me- and
saw me hgnt SHINING on my helmet, how they
Just then looked down a. the depth, and I
caught sight of a fellow standing below with a
snort ladder IN his hand, which might have
nern or use II the poor things had been in the
hrst floor; and then / made ready to throw nv
rope across, W hen just as was going to let 20,
ana then going to try and catch it, q thought
struck me, and let the coil of the rene fan
down INTO the court, all but one end as / kent
hold OF, and then when the poor things sawit
fell back from the window.
lie on that ladder shouted, sand some
OF you come up;" and one of my mates soon
tied the rope 10 one Of the rounds, and then with
TWO or three more run into the house while 4
hauled away until got told OF the bottom of
the ladder, for they sent the heaviest end up
mrs., ana then dragged 10 in at the window
and balancing the other end up continued 10
push II across and into the window of the other
mouse across the court, and so make q sort of
bridge, only 10 was all askew for the houses
were not quite opposite 70 one another
just as I'D done this In comes my mate with
Two more men, and se,s them 10 work to hold
the ladder while took hold of the rope aud
then made ready to crawl across on the thin
orloge I'D rugged up. IL was for life and death
or wouldn't have ventured on the slight
oenolng WOOD; Tor though a ladder set nearly
upright may be strong enough it makes in \
deal weaker 10 lay IL down level and then go
anu CfdWi dlOng IL Il know how wOuid he
though, so tied the rope round my body and
made my mate hitch the other end round n big
nook In the wall. used for pulley, so that in
me event 81 fall, II the rope held good, L
SHOULDN'T have gone all the way. They tied
one end Of the ladder. too, for 10 keep IL steady
and then there Il was seram bling across with
the ladder bending and quiyerlng, and the
crowd underneath hurraying and clappline
InrH nanos Just as II i was doing a biz of
Blondin 10 please them.
How that ladder did bend: so that thought
IL must give way, and me 60 crash into the
court; butIt didn't; and the next moment was
IN lhe window of the burning house with the
trembling women clinging 10 me.
Now, then," says. TO one man, Lyon can
creep across, and pointed 10 the ladder
81 cant leave my wife, he SAYS holding
hsli fainunE woman against the wiudow
whrIe the smoke wasn't quite so dense
iou re a trump, you are" i thinks: and
tnsh bauis more OF the rope over, and makes
~ fast around the poor woman's waist. and
then We laid her on the ladder and the three
an me other side hauled. and we held on 20 the
rope TINS end, and so we got her half across
when she slipped of The ladder, and hung