Maryland free press., 1867-04-11
HAGERsTOWN, MD, THURSDAY, APRIL II, 1867.

was no one missing My blood ran colo
when my wife, clasping her hands, will
an awful look upon her face, screamed /:
"Our little Lucy is left behind !"
"She had slept with our hired cir
since her baby brother was born and tht
woman in herg fright had forgotten her
little one. There she was at the top O.
that burning building, out of the reacl
of any human help and it seemed to me
as looked up at the walls, a great red
and yellow sheet of fame, withlblue CLEANS
here and there, as though the devilish head
were noeping out and grinning at u.s.
till, hopeless as it was I SHOULD have
died with her if I had been able to
stand. No one else would venture il
would be foolish sacrifice of life, they said
for no doubt the child was already
smotherod by the smoke, an
though l raved and pleaded, and made
wild promises, they shook their heads,
and only bade me have patience.
'Patience p I thought I would 60 mad
as the face of my little girl-lny sweet
pretty pet-rose up before me. But just
then tall man dashed throgh the crowd
and came toward me.
"Quick !' he shouted, (which room is
the child in-speak quickly which
room 2"
"The back room on the upper floor,
| said and he dashed away from me, part
ing the throng with his strong arms, and
another moment he was mounting the
ladder. I heard them calling him to come
back bidding him beware and speaking
of him as though he were dead already.
But he never needed thom, and as he be-
came hidden by the black smoke which
poured from the window, | covered nv
face, and prayed that the angels who walk
ed the fiery furnace might 60 with
him.
"Perhaps they did. Something stron-
ger than an earthly thing must have been
there, for in few momcnts-they SEEM
ed years to nae then. We saw him coming
down the ladder with something in his
arms. "The burnt body of my child,
perhaps I thought, bnt as he came clos
er. saw that it was my own laughting,
living darliug, with her blue eyes open
dUOuh HIS ucCh.
1.-The roof fell in the next moment, but
my treasure was safe, and that was all
that I cared for.
What shall pay or do to thank you ;
I said aSI grasped his hand. "1'm a
ruined man, and can only give you my
belssing, but let me know your pame at
least
"Have you forgotten me don't you
remember me /? he said; as he bent over
me. Look again
"Idid, and saw pair of bright gray
eyes, face I knew, and something gilt
tering upon his breast, And the scene
at the corner of the dirty little street, on
wet December night, came back to me
and I saw my policeman once more.
"It is you,' said. and you have
saved my child from such an awful death.
"And what did you save me and mine
from? he said. with tears in his eyes
Starvation ruin, utter dcgration I
should have been a felcn and my dear
ones paupers this night. but for you
l have not paid the debt, and never can
but when / heard that it was your child
that lay at the top of that buring building
Tprayed that I might save it, and God
heard me-
Aud then he told what had brought
himRto that neighborhood on that night e.
all others in tho year.
Ihad lost all, for Twas not insured,
butJhc was prosperous and stood by mt
ike brother, ur'cl me through my i'll
luess, and loaned me money for new
start in life. So that in little while
things grew bright again, and here I an
as comfortable as most people. "And the
policeman 2 Iaskcd. Ellis hair is as
white as my own no > said the old man
"And my daughter, tho little one he
saved that night, is smarricd to hisssson.'