The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1869-03-25

Inc lloor,,hnd 10 know that the stOr,
; down stairs was all ablaze, THE stair
were on FIRE also. and when. as opened
the entry door, the hot sir and smoke
: rushed in and almost suf6cated me,
gave up all hopes Of getting my poor
. wife aud helpless little ones ont Of that
burning building alive and safe | was
SO faint aud III from the accident, you
see, lhat ] hsd'nt all my wits rbout me
and believed there was no one missing.
My blood ran cold when my wife, clasp.
ing her bandsoud with an awful look
upon Ltr face, screamed;
Our lialo Lucy, our little Lucy is left
behind
she had slept with our scsyant grl
ftsfucv- hcr baby brother was born. aud The
woman in her fright had forgotten our
iuls one, There she was at The top Of
that burning building, ont OF tho reach
OF any human help; il seemed to me, rs
looked up at the wall, a great red and
yellow sheet OF fame, with blue gloams
here and there, rs though dcvilsh heads
were peeping out aud glarng At us.--
Sill, hopeless as il was 7 should have
gone back into tho burning house aoa
slved my baby or died with her, If 7
bad becn Oble to stand. No one else
would venture, It woul be foolish
sacrifice Of life they said. for no doubt
the child was already smolhcrei by the
smoke, and though rayod and pleaded
and made wild promises, they shook
their beads and bado me have patience.
"Paienccr | thought / was going
mad, as the face Of my little gia-my
sweet, pretty little pet--rose up before
mo. But just then a tall man dashed
through the crowd, and came toward
mo.
'Qaickr which room is the child in
speak quickly--which room''
Tho back one, on the upper fllof'. !
groaned. and he dashed away from me,
parting lhe throng with his strong arms,
and in another moment, saw him modn.
ting ladder. heard them calling him
10 come back, biddiug him beware, and
speaking Of him as though he was dead
already But he never needed lheM
and | saw him hidden by the black
smoke which poured from tho window;
| covered my face and PRAYED that tho
angels that walketl'in tho Il " furnUco
might go with him,
Perhaps they did. Something sl,ou7
ger than an earthly thing must hsysI
been. thpre. for ;5tsii lfssa --fEey VI
seemed yearslo mo--we saw him com
ing down the ladder with somelhing IN
his arms. perhaps the burnt body of my
child, thought, but as be cane closer
! saw that il was my own laughing,
living darliug, with her blue eyes open,
and her little arms about his neck.
The roof fell in tho uext momonL,
but my treasure was safe, and that was
oil cared for
What shall l say or do to thank vou?
| said, as | grsspsd his han !, l'm a
ruined man and can only give you my
blessing; but 10! meknOw your name at
leOst?
'Hnvo you forgotten moP Don't you
remember mo?' he said, as he bent over
me. Look againl
'Idid, aud saw pair OF bright
grey eyes, a face knew, and something
LliItcring on his breast. And tho scene
enacted at the corner Of the dirty little
street, on a wet December night, came
back 10 me, aud l saw my policeman
once more.
II is you?' Ond you have saved my
child from such an awful death.
And what did you save me Oul mine
from! he said, with tears in his eyes,
starvation, ruin and utter degradation.
/ should have been afslon. and my dear
ones plupers this night, but for you. /
have not payed the debt, l never cani
bu. when Iheard that it was your child
that loy OF the top of that burning bull
ding, l prayed that l might save It, aud
I know God heard me-.
And then he told mo what brought
him to The nelgbborhool on that night
Of all others in the year.
Il had lost all, for lwas not injured.
but he was prosperous and stood by mo
like brother, 1uBel mo through my
Illness, and loaned me money for new
start in life. So that in a while. things
grew bright again. and here l am, you
sec. as comfortable as mosI people
And the policeman? 1 asked
'Hs hsir isps white as my own, SAID
the old man. ,'And my little daughter,
the little one he saved that night, is
married 10 his son.
No, long Ogo, and not far away
poor woman lost her daughter, oI ten