The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-03-20
jim BACKsEY's BURNING.

As the saloon was of implanted boards.
and upholstered, the flames made rapid
progress so that Jim Slipson, the
proprietor, had barely time to save
two or three armfuls of bottles. With
these he retired to the opposite side
of the street, where the spectators
stood; and he was mournfully- con-
templating the effect of caloric upon al
cohol, when he suddenly started, and
exclaimed
Good God Iniin Mary's in the
loft over the saloon %
Who's that p asked the deacon, who
had joined the crowd.
"She's-well, not exactly one of your
kind, deac'n, replied Jim. "She come
las night with her young un, an wanted
to sleep thar till morn;n'."
Some poor, depraved creature, I
s'pose," sighed the deacon.
Well, said Jim, pre- IDENTIFY massing
on his front most of his outlying bot
ties, 81 reckon Injins, in general, was
off huntin' when religion was give out,
deac'n an Mary amt no better'n the
rest. Bat 0nybOdy's too good to be
roasted-leastwise in this world" con-
tinued Jim Slipsop, remembering the
deacon's groundwork of belief, and treat
ing it with polite Difference.
"She don't intend to risk it no1V, at
any rate" exclaimed the major, as a
dark figure dashed out of the flames,
and, rolling on the ground to extinguish
its flaming clothes, disclosed the cop
perry, dull, heavy, impressive features of
Indian Mary.
HoOray - shouted the crowd. Mary
had been seen very often at Spurtip
but never before had Spurtip felt itself
called upon to exhibit any respect for
her.
1t was very evident that Mary had
been asleep or drunk, or both for she
stood stupidity rubbing her eyes for sew
eral moments.
Didn't you say she brought a child
with her?" asked the professor of Jim
Slipson.
Good God, yes !" exclaimed Jim,
seizing Mary by the shoulder, and shak-
ing her violently. "Mary, Mary where's
the young un?''
Mary stopped rubbing her eyes and
stared vacantly at Jim for moment
then she uttered piercing scream, and
attempted to enter the burning build
ing again. The intense heat, however,
drove her back and she stood in front
of the crowd with a fierce, hopeless
glare In her eyes, while every few
seconds she uttered horrible cry, half
groan, half yell, which made even the
most whisky hardened men SILVER and
turn pale.
"a hundred dollars for whoever'n
get that baby p shouted the major.
Nobody stirred. There were plenty
of impecunious men at Spurtip; bnt
none seemed inclined to earn money in
exactly this manner.
1.-TWO hundred !" cried the professor.
"Three I" roared the deacon. cts
little heather, an it runs a double
resk."
"'Tain't no use tryin'," remarked
Seventeener, ex-member of an eastern
ire-department. "No Teller cud live
in that there fire more'n half a mint.
He'd hev to breathe, an then 'twould
be all up with him."
THAT you a-yellin' over yer loss,
Jim?' said Joe Backsey, edging into
the crowd, and patting the unfortunate
bar-keeper on the back.
It's Injin Mary; her baby's in the
lot. o Lord, Just listen to the poor
devil" said Jim, as Mary uttered an
other cry.
Joe picked up bucket of water and
poured it over himself, and an instant
after dashed into the flames, and up
the blazing ladder which led to the loft.
Not man poke; it seemed that no one
breathed for a moment. The deacon
closed his eyes and his lips were seen. to
move rapidly; and many men, though
unused to such exercise, followed the
deacon's example.
Suddenly mighty roar broke from
the crowd as Joe Backsey, hatless,
hairless, beardless, and almost black,
emerged from the blazing building with
a dirty bundle in his arms. He had
nearly crossed the street, when sud
denly he stopped, screamed "Catch
it threw the child, and dropped, face
downwards, on background.
The deacon was by his side in an in
slant, shouting for water and oil, as he
tenderly turned the insensible form
over.
"No CO." said Seventeener, giving
Joe's face a critical glance. " He's
breathed the fire know it by his lips
an nose he won't never breathe moth
in else"
Joe, Joe " cried the deacon, while
big tears fell from his rugged face.
God hev mercy on yer soul
From beneath the cruelty sipged
eyebrows and lashes, Joe's good-natured
eyes opened his cracked lips parted
and smiled he tried to speak but sud
denly he gasped, shivered and then
the deacon knew by the way Joe's head
hung over the kind old arm that sup
ported it that his partner had drawn his
last dividend.
For some moments the crowd stood
in respectful silence then Jim Slipson
invited the crowd to open his few re-
naming bottles, and drink deep to Joe's
good luck in the next world. A stretcher
was then improvised, and Joe was car
ried to the Office of the Qnickledge
company. There was no formal lying
n-state, there was not a single flower
placed on the rude catafalque /; but men
of all degrees crowded to see what re-
NAMED of the hero, and many of them
when they went away showed the first
indications of soul that had ever been
seen in their faces.
The three partners sat down to sup
per, and gazed sadly at the empty
chair. The major finally broke the ST.
lence.
A christian couldn't have died more
nobly," said he.
christian " exclaimed the deacon.
"The publicans and harlots shall go in
to the kingdom fore you-an' me We
only offered our money; while he gave
his life"
blessed be the promises" said the
professor. Give and it shall be Civ
en- unto yon.' Joe gave his life; can we
believe be will get anything less in re-
turn?"
"Ef burnt off'rins IL make an atone
ment nowadays" said the deacon,
"he's done his best; an nobody could
do more"
The deacon took upon himself the
mournful duty and pleasure of making
a headboard for his deceased partner,
and of painting thereon a suitable in
scription. For hours did the deacon
rack his brain for a suitable passage of
scripture which would be appropriate /;
and he finally painted on the headboard
the verse
"Greater love hath no man than this.
that a man Law down his life for his