The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1871-04-09

Through all this not q movement had been
celia slept soundly, and dreamed of the scenes
she had passed through during the summer.
Then her mind wandered to the storied fields
OF the sonth, and visions of mangoes, bananas
and tropical flowers, ladened with heavy per-
fumes, filled her dreams. At last there came q
confused noise she thought some one was call
ing her, then there was the sound of many
voices, and she started from her bed, half
asleep, to hear Betsy's horrid cry of "Fire,
fire."
Nelly. Sally, get up" she cried, pushing
riedly put on some of her clothes. "Nelly,
wake up! Nelly, Sally, don't you hear"
What what is it ceely !" they both in
CURED.
I" Come" she replied, "hurry up, the house
is Oh fire! Listen! My God! we will all be
burned upw
They all heard tho cries in the street, the
dull, measured stroke of the engines the
men worked on them, and the cracking, hiss
ing noise of the flames as they ragged and
rolled nearer ana nearer, while ever and anon,
above all, came Betsy's cry of"fire, fire."
Cecilia rushed out into the hall, where the
smoke and heat were almost ovsrpowering,
and comprehending the position at a glance,
called to Betsy, who was yet standing by the
stairway below.
Come here, Betsy, if you stand there
screaming you will never escape. Come here,
aad qnic5, X, up with you and we will see what We
She then ran to the end of the hail. threw
open the front window and called to the men
in the street below. The occupants of the
other rooms on the floor, men, women and
children, to the number of thirty or forty,
were now coming out, crying, screaming,
wringing their hands and running to and fro.
The scene terrible below them, the fire
ragged fiercely, approaching nearer each mo-
ment, the ersping and kissing of the flames
through the hall in choking. binding clouds
and the heat grew more and more intense.
There seemed no chance of escape but by the
front windows, and to leap through them
would be certain death on the stone paved
street below.
Bring that long ladder here" cried Sam,
as Cecilia appeared at the window above
hurry up, let's make one more effort to save
them"
The ladder was brought and placed against
the burning house, but the heat was 80 great
that the men could scarcely stand by it. "Who
in h-can go up there" said one Of the men,
"just look at that flame, it would roast fell
ler before he could get up"
"Stand aside," said Sam, preparing to as
cend; "it never shall be said they burned to
death without an attempt at rescue from u.s."
"But look. SAM" demonstrated the man,
" who could go through that :"
who ever saw true fireman afraid, when
human life was to be saved" said Sam, firmly.
81 say, George" he continued, addressing
man with one of the pipes, "just turn your
stream on me and keep it there all the way
up"
TIE man obeyed aud Sam began to ascend.
his ladder, and his progress was watched with
breathless interest by all of the immense
crowd assembled. On he went, now he comes
to where the heat is fiercest, and hestates for
one brief moment only; but what q thrill went
through the crowd, and on he goes-now he
nears the window and-he is inside. sud-
den thought seized the fire bound victims and
with one accord they rushed for the window
to throw themselves out upon the ladder. In
vain did Sam talk to them, calling on them to
wait, to go with care OF help each other TO es-
ing and fell, children were pushed entirely out,
and thus hurled to the street below. A few
clinging to the ladder were bruised and tramp
led onby others above them, or burned by the
flames that darted uD and flashed around them.
The firemen kept their streams steadily ON the
ladder and thus kept few from perishing.
At last the ladder was clear once more and his
companions called loudly for Sam to come
down.
Cecilia had retired when the rush began, and
now that it was over, she approached the win
dow d and looked out from the giddy height.
quiet, 80 quiet that it seemed as if reason had
left her; and as she looked out of the window
her courage failed and she turned away again.
"Come, I'll help you," said Sam, "let me step
out and then you hold on to me and we'll go
down together"
"No, no, / can't" she replied shuddering, "to
fall there would be certain DEATH"
ITO remain here is certain death !" exclaim-
ed Sam, and he caught her firmly in his arms
and stepped forth. The shout of delight that
his brother fremen sent up, as Sam appeared
on the ladder, was hearty and prolonged. All
the streams of water in the neighborhood
were turned upon HIM at once and as he des-
cended step by step, cheer after cheer was Civ
en-, and when he reached the ground in safety
with the rescued girl, the members of his COM
pany relieved him of the burden, and he was
almost overpowered, with praises and congrat-
| ulations.
(To be continued.l
| Ja;ix