Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-01-16


I cent, and from that day till left the neigh
| borhood ho dealt with me regularly. Bu
times grew so much better that took stor
in good street at the other end Of the town
and one way and another saw no more Of M
policeman for three good years.
"One night, just such cold night as tina
on which l first saw him staring at my hams
1 was awakened long after midnight by thu
crY of fire, and started up to see the flame:
through the floor, a. d to know the store dow
stairs was al ablaze. The stairs were Or
fire also, and when, as opened the entry
door, the h5t air and smoke rushed in and al
most smothered me, | gave up all hope o
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 ladder l slipped anG
broke my arm, was thankful when | saw
as thought,ell were safe. was SO faiu
and i'll from the accident, you see, that
hadn't all my wits abou7 me, and believed
there was no one missing. Ny blood ran colo
when my wife, clasping her hands, with al
awful look upon her face, screamed out:
"Our little Lucy, our little Lucy, is left
behimd.n
"She had slept with our hired nurse since
her baby brother was born, and the woman
in her fright had forgotten her little one
There she was ut the top Of the burning
building, out of the reach Of any human help
it seemed to me, as looked up at the walls
great, red and yellow sheet of fame, with
blue CLEANS here and there, as though devil
ish heads we're peeping out and grinning al
US. Still, hopeless as il was, should have
gone back into the burning house and saved
my baby or died with her if l had been able
to stand. No one else would venture. II
would be a foolish sacrifice Of life. they said
for no doubt the child wss already smothered
by the smoke, and though 1 raYed and plead
ed and made wild promises, they shook thei,
heads and only babe me have patience
Patiencc?' l thought that | was going
mad as the face Of my little girl-my swee;
pet-rose up before me. But just then a
tall man dashed through the crowd and came
towards me.
o. Quick! !" he shouted, (which room is the
child in-speak quck-whch room?
"The back oLc on the upper floor" !
groancd, and he dashed away from me, part
ing the lhrong with his strong arms, and in
another moment saw him mounting the
ladder. theard them calling him tc come
back, bidding him beware, and speaking Of
him as though no were dead already. But
lie never hcaded them, and as saw him hid
den BY the black smoke which poured from
the window, covered my face aud prayed
that the angels who walked in the fiery fur.
mace might go with him.
"Perhaps they did. Something stronger
than an earthly thing nast have been there,
for in n few m;nutes-they seemed years to
me lhen-we saw him coming down the lad
der with something in his arms, The burnt
body OF tho child, perhaps l thought, but
as he came closer saw that it vas my own
laughing, living darling, with her blue eyes
open and her little arms about his neck.
4" 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, as srasocd his hand. I'm ruin
cd man, and can only give you my blessing
but let me know your name at least"
"Hava you forgotten me? don't you re
member me ?" he said, as he bent over me.
Look again."
81 did, saw pair of bright gray eyes, a
face knew, and something elittcring on his
breast. Aud the scene ct the corner Of tie
dir,y little street, On vet December night,
came bact; to me, and ] saw my policeman
once more.
1T is you," said, Sand you have saved
nv child from such al awful death"
.'And what did you save NE and mine
from ?" he said, with tears in lis eyes. Star
va;ion, ruin, utter degradation. ] should have
been fcon, and my little ones paupcrs This
night bu. :or you. have not paid the debt
L never can; but when heard that it wa
7our child that lay at the top of that burning
building, prayed that might save it, and l
know God heard me.'
"And then he told nc what had brought
him to the neighborhood on thac night Of all
others in the year.
81 had lost ali, for was not insured, but
be was prosperous and stood by. ME like a
brother; nurscd me through my illness, and
loaned me money for new start in life. So
that in little while things grew bright again,
and here ! am, you see as comfortable as
most p oplc."
and the policeman ?" I asked.
"H.s hair is as white as my own now, u
said the old man. "t.nd my daughter, the
little orc he saved that hight, is married to
his son.