The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-10-14

twinkling, and grasping my wife by
the arm, drew her out of the open
door down on the pavement, and down
the street almost on run. Under
the tremendous excitement | felt no
weakness l thought only of the safe
ty of our two darling ones. One, two,
three squares, and We could see the
fire. Yes, the Alton House was burn
ing.
Long tongues of fire leapcd out of
the first and second story windows,
and dense volumes of smoke poured
from the stories above. The firemen
had given over the idea Of saving the
house, and were now using every en-.
deavor to prevent its spreading to the
adjoining buildings. The ladders
were being taken down one by one,
and my heart leaped for joy, for that
! eertajglSS &c. T 1gaS PssSasd PpessseSaaesd. IT, 81
But. alas! almost the first one VIC
saw. on mingleing with the crowd, was
our son Harry; but the joy of seeing
him in safety was instantly lost in the
idea that his sister was in danger.
| Was she? Had she reached the pave
ment with him? He could not tell,
and burst into flood Of tears. AT
that moment cry of horror went up
! from the crowd. We looked up, and
there, leaning over the sill of "a third
( story window, her waxed curls singed
with the heat, and her little arms held
out beseechingly was Lott,, our own
darling Lolita!
Imagine. dear reader, the sensation
of myself, wife and child. My wife,
| indeed. tainted dead away, and had to
be conveyed from out the crowd. But
the liremen-nolle men. were at work
! Already ladder had been placed in
position. and bold fellow sprane
lightly up the rounds. But column
of fire and smoke rolled out and drove
him back. Again he made the at
tempt, but this time to come back
blinded with the intense heat. A
groan Of agony went up from the
crowd. | sprang forward, intending
to make trial myself, but was helc
back by strong arm. At this mo
ment voice cried out at my elbow:
"Whoop! She isn't no CORNER yet
They was bread throwed on the watel
by the old boss, and now its a comm
backr'
knew the voice. | knew thos'
ragged clothes. 1t was Ben! Noble
good, grand Ben! And as he stood,
bandagc soaked in water over hi
mouth, with one foot in the frs
round of the ladder, and his ches
drawing in long inspiration for tn
start. | thought | had never seen
nobler spectacle A hush fell upo
the crowd. and prayer went ur
Suddenly Ben. with the quickness of
cat. few up the ladder, reached tn
top in safety. A tremendous chez
broke from the crowd But listen
A dull, heavy thud! The walls ar
falling in! Horrors! 1t crumble
beneath the ladder itself. The smok
clears away for a moment. Ojoyl h
has the child in his arms, and wrar
ping his coat around her neck an
shoulders! He can meyer come dow
the ladder as he went up! He know
it. See! he motions to the crowd bt
low. They understand him, and stan
ready to catch what he is about
drop; one, two, three swings and ST
leaves his hands, vanishes for a mt
, ment in the cloud of smoke, an
alights safety on the hands upstretc!
ed to catch her l knew she was sa
now and | thought only of hir
Would he jump? No. He clasps h
hands above and his knees below, {
!, the side of the ladder and slides u
J harmed to the ground.
Ben went home with me that nigh
!. He is with me to- day, as head clel
in my establishment; and if the read
will keep it quiet, | will say that
one year from this date he will be 4
, first and only partner.