The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-03-05

but none seemed IN clined to carr
money IN exactly this manuer.
Two hundred! cried the profes
sor.
Three! roared the deacon. It's /.
. little heather, an it runs . aoubl,
risk.
Taint no use tryin', remarked Sew.
enteener, ex.member Of an eastern
fire.department. No TELLER cud live
in that there Ere more'n halt q mint
He'd hev to breath, an thent would
be all up with him.
That you ayellin' over yer loss
JimY pleasantly asked Joe Backsey,
edging iuto the crowd, and patting
the unfortunate bar-keeper on the
back.
rs lajin Mary: her hshy's in the
loft. OsLords I'm isssn g sl|s poo poor {
devil! said Jim, - Mary uttered an.
other cry.
Joe picked up bucket of water,
and poured it over himself. aud an
instant later dished into the flames,
and up the blazing ladder which led
to the loft. Not . man spoke; it
seemed that no one breathvd for q
moment. The deacon closed his
eyes; and his lips we're 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 Baoksey, hatless,
hairless, beardless, aud almost black,
emerged from tho blazing building
with dirty bundle in his arms. He
had nearly crossed the street, when
suddenly he stopped, screamed, Catch
il! threw the child, and dropped face
downwards, on the ground.
The deacon was by his side in an
instant, shouting for water and oil,
as he tendsrly turned the insensible
form over.
No go, said Seventeener, giving
Joe's face a critical glance. He's
breathed the fire. know it BY his
lips and nm nose he won't never
breathe nothin' else.
Joe, Joe! cried the deacon, while
big tears fell from his rugged face
God hev mercy on yer soul
From beneath the cruelty. y.singed
eyebrows op9u1.sss ,re Inea .o,1,a~<,
but suddeoly ho gaspcd, shivered
and then the deacon knew by the
way Joo's head hung over the kind
old arm that supported it, that his
partner had drawn his last dividend.
For some moments the crowd
stood in respectful silence; then Jim
Slipsun invited tho crowd to open
lis few remaining bottles. aud drink |
leep to Joe's good luck in the next
world. A stretcher was then i'm
and Joe was carried to the
,ffics of the Quickledge Company u
There was no formal lying in.state |
here was not s,ugle flower placed
IN the rude oatafalque: but mon OF
III degrees crowed to see what re.
named of the hero; and many OF
hem when they went away showed
he first indications Of soul that had
,ver been seen in their faces.
The three partners sat do wn to
supper and gazsd sadly At tho empty
,hair. The major finally broke the
'ilence.
A Christian could mt have died
more nobly, said he.
Christian! exclaimed the deacon,
The publicans and harlots shall 60
nto the kindom fore you-an'me =
We only offered our money while he
gave his life.
Blessed DO the promises, said the
professor.
Give, and it shall bc given unto
vou. Joe gave his lite: can we be-
lieve he will get anything less in re-.
turn?
Fl burnt off'rins'll make an atone.
nent nowadays, said the deacon, he's
done bis best an nobody could do
more.
The deacon took upon himself the
mournful duty and pleasure Of max.
ing headboard for his deceased part.
ner, and Of painting thereon suita.
BILE Inscription. For hours did tho
dsaoon rack bis brain for passage Of
Scripture which would be appropri.
ate; and finally painted on tho head,
board the verse;
Greater love hath no man than this,
that man lay down bis life for his
friends.
But while it was drying, and the
deacon was absent for few moments,
some heterodox person strolled in,
read the inscription, and, se,zine the