The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-11


/. book and the Major consumed an unusua
\ amount ftimc in lighting q cigar. After The
, Deacon had been gone long enough 10 pre-
{ clude the possibility Of being overtaken
the Major started The Professor fingered
over his book few moments longer, when he
also started, but was suddenly stopped by the
5 German cook, who ran against him, cXcaim
ing
"Dat saloon, dc Pride of Sphurtip' is all
afirem
, The Professor took lively double.quick in
the direction of the fire; toi the saloon was
very near the claim, and the works Of the
claim were of wood only Fortunately, how
ever, the wind was in favorable direction
so the Professor stopped and gazed at the con
1 tlagration with considerable satisfaction; for
although the Professor was very quiet man
his opinion of the liquor trade was very de-
cded
AS the saloon was Of implanted boards, and
upholstered, the flames made rapid progress
so that jim Slipson the proprietor, had bare.
! ~ time 10 save two or three armfuls of bot
ties. With these he retired to the opposite
side of the street, where the spectators stood
and he was mourntully contemplating the ct-
feet Of caloric upon ale biol when he sudden
ly started and exclaimed:
Good God! Iniin Marys in the loft over
the saloon"
"Who's that?' asked the Deacon, who had
Joined the crowd.
"She's-well, not exactly one OF your kind,
Deac'n, replied jim "She come last night
with her young'ug an wanted to sleep thar
till mornin."
Some poor, dcpravcd creature, | ,posc,"
sighed the Deacon.
WELL" said Jim, prudently massing on his
front most OF his outlying bottles. II reckon
lnjins, in general, was off huntin when rcli-
gion was Civ out DeaCn; an Mary amt no
better'n the rest But Anybody S too good to
be roasted-leastways in this world, contin-
ued jim Slipson, remembering the Dcacon's
groundworks of belief, and treating it with
polite Difference.
"She don't intend to risk 1t nolc, at any rate"
exclaimed the Major, as a dark figure dashed
out of the flames, and rolling on the ground
to eytingush its flaming clothing disclosed
the coppery, 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 OF drunk, or both: for she stood stu
pidly rubbing her eyes for several moments.
Didn't you say she brought n child with
her." asked the Professor Of jim Slipson
Good God, yes" exclaimed jim, Selling
Mary by the shoulder and shaking her VIC
lently MARY, Mary! where's the young
'un?"
Mary stopped rubbing her eyes, and stared
vaCantly at jim for a moment; then she ut
tered piercing scream aud attempted to en-
ter the burning building again The intense
heat however, drove her back, and she stood
in front Of the crowd with fierce, hopeless
glare in her eyes, while every few second, she
uttered horrible cry-half groan, half yell
which made even the most whisky-hardencd
men shiver and turn pale.
~ hundred dollars for whocyer'l yet that
baby" shouted the Major.
Nobody stirred. There was plenty of i'm
pecunious men at Spurtip, bu, none seemed
inclined to earn the money in exactly this |
manner.
1.-TWO hundred 80 cried the Professor.
"Threew rOarcd the Deacon Its q little
heather, an it runs u double risk"
faint no use tryin', remarked Seventeen
er, cX-mcmbcr CT an Eastern fire department. |
NO teller cud live in that there fire more'n .
half mint He'd hrr 20 breathe an then
twould be all up with him."
That you a-yellin over yer loss, JIM"
pleasantly asked Joe Backsey, edgng into
he crowd, and putting the unfortunate bar
keeper on the back.
ITS Injin Mary; her baby's in the loft
Lord, just listen TO the poor devil" said
i'm, rs Mary uttered another cry.
Joe picked up bucket Of water and pour
ID ii over himself and an instant later daSher!
nto the flames, and up the blazing ladder
which LED to the loft Not man spoke; it
seemed that no one brcathcd for moment
'l,., al l. ,1;
seen to move rapidly; and many men, though
lnuaed to such exercise, followed the Dea
cons example.
Suddenly a mighty roar broke from the
crowd as Joe BaCksey, hatless, hairless, beard
less, and u most black, emerged from the
burning building with a dirty bundle in his
arms. He had nearly crossed the street when
suddenly he stopped, screamed Catch it,"
brew the child and dropped face downward,
IN the ground.
The Deacon was by his side in an instant
shouting for water and OIL as he tcnderly /
urncd the insensiblc form over.
NO 20" said Scvcnteener, giving Joe's
ace a critical glance. Hes breathed the
ire; know it by his lips an nose; he won't
never breathe nOthin' else"
Joe, Joew cried the Deacon, while big
cars fell from his rugged face. God have
have mercy on yer sOul?'
From beneath the cruelty singed eyebrows
md lashes Joc's good.natured eyes opened |
his cracked lips parted and smiled; he tried |
o speak; but suddenly he gasped, shiycred |
and then the Deacon knew, 10y 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 re-
,pectful silence; then jim SlipsOn Invited |
he crowd to open his few remaining bottles
md drink deep to Joe'S good luck in the next
world. a stretchcr was then improvised
and Joe was carried to the office of the Quick
edge Company. There was no formally lying
n--state; there was not single flower placed
IN the rude catafalque; but men of all de
yrccs crowded to see what remained of the
hero; and many Of them when they went
away, showed the first indications of soul
hat had ever been seen in their faces.
The three partners sat down to supper, and
gazcd sadly at the emPth chair. The Major
finally broke the silence.
"a christian cOuldn't have died more no.