The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1869-07-29

~ ""S ahNhch. AL nc euiu huss 'Ninu
bless you," but there was a whole ser.
mon in those words, aud | slept better
for them.
On Christmas night he paid me every
cent, and from that day until | left the
neighborhood, he dealt with me regular.
ly But times grew SO mnch better
that took store 10 good street at |
the other end of the town, and one way |
and another saw no more Of my police.
man for three good years.
"One night, just such night as that
on which | first saw him staring at the
hams, was awakened long after mid.
night by cry of fire. l started up to
see the flames through the floor, and to
know that the store down stairs was all
ablaze. The stairs was on fire also, aud
when as | opened the entry door, the
hot air and smoke rushed in aud almost
snothered me, | gave up all hopes of
getting my poor wife and helpless little
ones out Of that burning building alive
and safe. was SO faint and i'll from
the accident, you see, that | 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:
"0ur little Lucy, our little Lucy is
left behind"
"She had slept with our servant girl
since her baby brother was born, and
the woman in her fright had forgotten
our little one. There she was at the
top Of the burning building, out of the
reach of any human help; it seemed TO
me "a looked at the wall, great red
and yellow sheet of fame, with blue
CLEANS here and there, as though devil
ish heads were peeping out aud grin
ming at us. Still, hopeless as it was, /
should have gone back into the burning
house and saved my baby or died with
her, il | had been able to stand. No
one else would venture. 1t would be
foolish sacrifice of life, they said, for
no doubt the child was already smoth.
cred by the smoke, and though raved
aud pleaded and made wild promises,
they shook their heads and only babe
me have patience.
"Patienco. thought l was going
mad as the face of my little girl-my
sweet, pretty little pct-rosc up before
me. But just then tall man dashed
through the crowd, and came towards
me.
"Quick which room is the child in
speak quick-which room?"
"The back one on the upper Aoor," l
groaped, aud he dashed away from me,
parting the throug With bis strong arms,
and in another moment, | saw him
mounting the ladder, 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, aud saw him hidden by
tile black smoke which poured from the
window; i covered my lace and prayed
that the angels that walked in the fiery
furnace might 90 with him.
"Perhaps they did. Somethingstrong-
er than an earthly thing must have
been there, for in few minutes-they
seemed years to me-we saw him com.
iog down the ladder with something in
his arms, perhaps the burnt body ofmy
child, | thought, but as he came closer
| 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 l do or say to thank
you?" | said. as | grasped his hand -
"Pm ruined man and 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, as he bent over
me. "Look again %
al did; and | saw a pair of bright
ewes. a face / knew. and something
elittering on his breast. And the scene
enacted at the corner of the dirty street
on a wet December night came hack 10
me and | saw nv policeman once more
as il YOU ?" said L sand Won saved INV
child from such an awful DEATH
aApd what did Won save mo and
mine from Y' he said with tears in his