The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-08-03

thankful, and so awe-stricken. All
he said was, God bless you,' but
there was a whole sermon in those
three words, and [ slept better for
them.
"On Christmas night he paid me
every cent, and from that day till
left the neighborhood dealt with me
regularly. But times grew so much
better that / took store in q good
street at the other end of the town,
and one way and another saw no
more Of my policeman for three good
years.
Zone night, just such cold night
as that on which I first saw him star
ing at the hams, I was awakened
long after midnight by cry of fire,
and started up to see the flames
through the floor, and to know the
store down stairs was all ablazc.
The stairs were on fire, also, and
when, as [ opened the entry door,
the hot air and smoke rushed in and
almost smothered me, I gave up all
hope of getting my poor wife and
our helpless little ones out of that
burning building alive and safe
Help came to us, however, and
though in clambering down the lad
der I slipped and broke my arm. I
was thankful when I saw, as I
thought, all were safe. I was so
faint and i'll from the accident, you
see, that I hadn't all my wits about
me, and believed there was no one
missing. My blood ran cold when
my wife, clasping her hands, with an
awful look upon her face, screamed:
"Our little Lucy, our little Lucy is
lefv behind"
''She had slept with our hired girl
since her baby brother was born, and
the woman, in her fright, had forgot
ten the 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 I looked up at the
walls, q great, red and yellow sheet
of flame, with blue CLEANS here and
there, as though devilish heads were
peeping out and grinning ut u.s.
Still, hopeless as it was, 1 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 venture. It twould
be Il foolish sacrifice of life. they
said, for no doubt the child was
already smothcred by the smoke, and
though I raved and plead and made
wild promises, they shook their heads
and only bade me have patience.
Patience! I thought that I was
going mad as the face of my little
girl-my sweet, pretty pet-rose up
before me. But just then tall man
dashed through the crowd and came
towards me-
"Quick! he shouted, which room is
the child in-speak quickly-which
room?
''The back one on the upper
floor, groaned, and lie dashed away
from me, parting the throng with his
strong arms, and in another moment
l saw him mounting the ladder 1
heard them calling him to come back,
bidding him beware, and speaking of
him rs 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, 1
covered my face and prayed that the
angels who walked in the fiery fur
mace might go with him.
Perhaps they did. Something
stronger than an earthly thing must
have been there, for in a few
n.inutes-they seemed years to me
then-we saw him coming down the
ladder with something in his arms
The burnt body of my child, per-
haps, [ thought, but as he came
closer 1 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 my treasure was safe and that was
all cared for.
"What shall say or do to thank
YOU" said, rs / grasped his hand
m ruined man, and I can only
give you my blessing; but let me
know your name at least"
'Have you forgotten me? don't YOU
remember me?" he said, rs he bent
over me. look again
Il did. I saw pair of bright gray
eyes, q face, l knew, and something
glittering on his breast. And the
scene at the corner of the dirty little
street, on a wet December night.
came back to me, and 1 saw my
policeman once more
1T is YOU" I said, "and you have
| ,ov Il H..