Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-03-02

wentto bed supperless ; to-day there has
not been 8 crust in the house, and these
hams tempted me, and l meant to pay you
afterwards" ' fFis
He covered his face with his hands, and
could see great tears dropping through his
fingers, and before l knew it my own
cheeks were moist, and so we stood silent
with the ham lying between us on the
ground.
At last he turned toward me and said ::
t'Do what you like with me; the last hope
is gone"
But put my hand on his arm, and said
God forbid that should take the last
hope from you; that /, of all men, should
| be the one to ruin you. If your story is
than blame you." ft}Hl
He looked at Inc in sort of bewildered
way, as though he scarcely understood me,
and / took him by the arm and led him
back to the shop. There / filled basket
with bread and butter, and coffee, and put
the ham on top of all. "Take it home
to your wife," said, you'll pay me when
you get your salary, and if you are in need
before that time, come to me, I'm poor
man myself, and can feel for other poor
men,"
/ shall never forget that mans face in all
my life, so wondering, so thankful, and so
awe-stricken. All he said was, ,'s God bless
those three words, and l slept better for
them. "a t1
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 and another saw no
more of. my policeman for three good
years. ,3f'
One night, just such cold night as that on
on which L first saw him staring at the hams,
was awakened long after midnight by a
cry of fire. / started up to see the flames
through the floor, and to know the store
down below was all ablaze. The stairs were
on fire also, and when | opened the entry
door, the hot air and smoke rushed in apd
almost Smothered me-. gave up all hope
of getting my wife and helpless little ones
| out of that burning building alive and safe.
Help came to us, however, and though, in
| clambering down the ladder, slipped and
broke my arm, pwas thankful when / saw
that all were safe, but was so faint and ill
from the accident, you see. that l 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: ..i.s
sour little Lucy is left behind ~ t a.
She had slept with our hired girl since
her baby brother was born, and the woman
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 and it seemed to me, as looked up
at the walls. great sheet of red and yell
as though the devilish heads were peeping
out and grinning at us. Still, hopeless as
it was, L 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 would be fool
ish sacrifice of life, they said, for no doubt
the child was already smothered by the
smoke, and though / raved and pleaded,
and made wild promises, they only shook
their heads, and only bade me have pa
tience. %
Patience! I thought that was going
mad as the face of my little girl-my sweet
pretty pet-rose up before me. But just
then tall maA rushed through the crowd
and came toward me. J'H
"QuickP' he shouted, "which, room is
the child in-speak quickly-which room ?''
"The back room on the upper hoor,"
said, and he dashed away from me, parting
the thrOng with his strong arms, and in an
other momeTft he was mounting the ladder.
L 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 he became hid
den by the black smoke which poured from
the window, covered my face, and prayed
that the angels who walked in the fiery
furnace might go with him. sj
Perhaps they did. Something stronger
than an earthly thing must have been there,
for in few moments-they seemed years to
me then-we saw him coming down the
ladder with something in his arms. The
burnt body of my child, perhaps, / thought,
but as he came closer saw that it was my
own laughing, living darling, with her blue
eyes open, and little arms about his neck.
The roof fell in the next moment, but my
treasure was safe, and that was all that
cared for. .a.H.
g What shall say or do to thank vou," /
said, asI grasped his hand. "Tm aruined
man, and l can only give you my blessing !;
but let me know your name, at least"
ALI; Have you forgotten me ? don't you re-
member me?" he said, as he bent over me.
/" Look again." III, .--.....,
l did. and saw pair of bright gray eyes,
a face l knew, and something glittering
upon his breast. And the scene at the cor
ner of dirty little street, on wet De-
cember night, came back to me, and / saw
my policeman once more. .,f..-.-
st is you,'' said, "and you have saved
my child from such an awful DEATH"
'tAnd what did you save me and mine
from? he said, with tears in his eyes.
starvation, ruin, utter degradation. 7
should have been a felon and my dear ones
paupers this night, but for you. / have not
paid the debt, and never can; but when /
heard that it was your child that lay at the
top of that burning building, prayed that
l might save it, and know God heard me-
And then he told me what had brought
him to the neighborhood on that night of
all others in the year.
had lost all, for was not insured, but
he was prosperous and stood by me like a
brother; nursed me through nay illness, and
loaned me money for new start in life.
So that, in little while, things grew
bright again, and here 1 am as comfortable
as most people. e1u (
''And the policeman?" asked. .ssu (
S"His hair is as white as my own now,r
said the old man. "And my daughter, the
little one hesaved that night, is married to
his son. 7 I'm. era. -r, lra..5,,.it ...r4. /