The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-10-16

but poor things they dared not,and what
to do could not tell There was the fire
blazing up higher and higher, lighting NJ
two of them old ely churches that you Sc
lost down those old courts, and looking as
Iif they'd been put there out o the way be
cause people didn't have any use for them
now. There they were lit up aud glowing
and the pigeons that lived up there scared
and flying round and round the fire. there
was the rush and the roar ofthe wind along
the court as it set toward the fte; and
there were the flames leaping up,the clouds
of sparks rising, the clouds of smoke rolling
away,and the cracking sputter of the states
as they flew with the heat, and then slid
rattling off into the court beneath, smash
upon the pavement. Every now and then
came a loud roar and crash as rafel
fell in, and sent the sparks up in the whirl-
wind. And there all that time were those
poor creatures uttering the widest piercing
shrieks for help you ever heard. Now |
have heard so much of that sort Of thing
that you'd expect | shouldn't mind it; but
| do though, and as | said about fires, |
don't think shall ever get to take it as
matter Of course; fer there is something
very awful in seeing fellow creatures, strong
and hearty, and yet dying before your eyes
and You not able to save them.
But | wasn't idle all this time-not a
bit of it-for every minutes worth some
thing at fire, and if you give it too much
timo it will beat you. Under the ciIcuu1-
stances, the first thing was to save life, and
whilst them that had branches did their
best to keep the fire back from them at the
third floor window, | got rope, and in at
the house opposite, and made my way up
stairs to the third floor, which like the rest
of the place was used as warehouse, and
crammed full of packages.
Being a strange house, it wasn't easy to
find yonr way, but | got up at last, and
opposite to the room where the poor things
We're all now huddled together at one win
dow, for the fire was gaining on them, SO
that unless they were soon helped they
wouldn't want it.
Crash! crashr' didn't I let my little
axe play round the sashes of that window
and soon have a clearance, for it was nailed
up, and then when the poor things heard
me, and saw the light shining on my he'll
met, how they did shriek for help.
Just then | looked down at the depth,
and I caught sight Of one fellow standing
below with a short ladder in his hand,
which might have been of use if the poor
things had been on the first floor; and then
| made ready to throw my rope across,
when ust as was going to let 90 and
then going to try and catch it, thought
struck me, and let the coil of rope fall
down into the court, all but the one end
that had hold OF, and then when the poor
things saw it let down they shrieked again,
and one Of them fell back from the window.
"Tie on that ladder" [ shouted "an.t
some Of you come up;' and one Of my
mates soon tied the ropes 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 tie ladder.
for they sent the heaviest end up first, and
then dragged itin at the window, and bal
ancing the other end up continued te push
it across and into the window of the other
house across the court, and so make sort
of bridge, only it was all askew for the
houses were not quite opposite to one
another.
Just as I'd doue this, in comes my mate
with two more men, and | sett 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 riggeu up IT.
was for life and dea b, or [ wouldn't have
ventured on the slight bending wood; for
though ladder set nearly upright may be
strong enough, it makes it t 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 round 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, to keep it s.
steady, and then there [ was scrambling
across with the ladder bending and quiy-
ering and the crowd underneath humahing
and clapping their hands, just as if was
doing a bit Of B!ondin to please them.
How the ladder did bend; SO that /
thought it must give way, and me 90
crash into the court; but if didn't, and the
next moment | was in the window Of the I
burning house, with the trembling women
cIinging to me.
Now, then" | says, 10 one man, @you
can creep across, and | pointed to the
ladder
"I can't leave my wife," he says, hold
ing a half fairtlng woman against the
window, where the smoke wasn't quite SO
dense. r ....e i.
"You're trump, you are" think, and
then [ haus more of the rope over, and
makes IT. fast round the moor WOman's