New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-03-22
"Mary, Mary! where's the young

lently. MARY, Mary! where's the young
'un ~
Mary stopped rubbing her eyes, and
stared vacantly at Jim for a moment; then
che uttered a piercing scream, and az
tempted to enter the burning building
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 a
horrible cry, half groan, halt yell, which
made even the most whisky-hardened men
shiver and turn pale.
"A handred dollars for whoever'll get
that baby " shouted the major.
Nobody stirred. There were plenty OF
impecunious men at Spurtip; but none
seemed inclined to earn money in exactly
this manner.
1.-TWO hundred ~ cried the professor.
Three y roared the deacon. Its lit
tie heather, an it runs double resk."
faint no use tryin'," remarked Seven
teener, ex-member of an Eastern fire de-
partment. "Ne teller cnd live in that there
fire morn half mint. He'd hev to breathe,
an then twould be all up with him
THAT you a-yellin' over yer loss, Jim q
pleasantly asked Joe Backsey, edging into
the crowd, and patting the unfortunate bar
keeper on the back.
Its Injin Mary; her bays in the loft.
o Lord, just listen to the poor devil " said
JIM as Mary uttered another cry.
Joe picked up bucket of water and
poured it over himself, and an instant
later dashed into the flames, and up the
blazing ladder which led to the loft. Not a
mar spoke: il seemed that no one breathed
for 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 suddenly he stopped, screamed,
"Catch it y threw the child, and dropped,
face downward, on the ground.
The deacon was Oy his side in an instant
shouting for water and oil, as he tenderly
turned the insensible form over
mo GO" said Seventeener, giving Joe's
face critical glance. Hes breathed the
fire; know it by his lips an nose; he won't
never breathe nothin"
''Joe, Joe - cried the deacon, while big
tears fell from his rugged face. GOD hev
mercy On your SOUL
From beneath the cruelty singed eye
brOws and lashes, Joe's good -natured eyes
opened; his cracked lips parted and smiled
he tried to speak; but suddenly he gasped
shivered; and then the deacon knew by the
way Joe's head hung over the kind old arm
that supported 1t, that his partner had
drawn his last dividend.
For some moments the crowd stood in
respectful silence; then jim Shpson invited
the crowd to open his few remaining bot
ties, and drink deep TO Joes good luck in
the next world A stretcher was then i'm
provised, and Joe was carried to the office
Of the Quickledge Company. There was
no formal lying in state; there was not
single flower placed on the rude cata-
falque; but the men of all degrees crowded
to see what remained of the hero: and
many of them, when they went away.
showed the first indication Of soul that had
ever been seen in their faces.
The three partners sat down to supper
and gazed sadly at the empty chair. The
major finally broke the silence.
"A Christian couldn't have died more
nobly," said ne.
"Christiam!' exclaimed the deacon.
THE publicans and harlots shall 90 into
the kingdom fore you-an' me. We only
offered our money, while he gave his life"
blessed be the promises" said the pro-
lessor. "Give. and it shall be given unto
you Joe gave his life; can we believe he
will get anything less in return"
''Ef burnt of rims III make an atonemept
nova days" said the deacon, hes done
his best; an nobody could do more
The decon took upon himself the mourn
full duty and pleasure OF making a head
board for his deceased partner, and of paiut-
ing thereon a suitable inscription. For
hours did the deacon rack his brain for a
passage of Scripture which would be ap-
and he finally painted or the
headboard the verse:
Greater love hath no man than this. that
a man NAV Law down his life for his friends
But while it was drying. and the deacon
was absent for few moments. some hetero-
dox person strolled in, read the inscription,
and Selling the paint brush wrote
How bout teller that saves Injn babies
thet hain't his friends!,
And thus reads the inscription to this
1ay.-OM and Neac.