Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-04-05

by the wind, it soon extended it's lines
until one whole side of the street was
blazing.
Luke had been among the earliest
volunteers. The brigade was utterly in
sufficient to deal with so colossal an
enemy. Therefore the rank and file of
the brigade became captains of anna
teur bands.
When ruin had reached the end of
the street people thought it would
travel no further. The flames were
not long enough to bridge the roadway.
A barrel of varnish saved from the car
riage mandatory, had, with other sal
wage, been thrust into an archway un-
der house on the opposite side. Sud
denly, when all had begun to hope the
worst was past, came dull explosion
from the archway, and a roaring mass
of flame broke out Of it into the street
and up the front of the house, like an
inverted cataract. A wild cry of terror
burst from the people as they dashed
back in dismay.
"My daughter p shouted an old
grey-bearded man, breaking from the
general mass of the crowd and stand
ing in front of the doomed house.
anyone in there?" demanded a
fireman standing by.
Z" Yes, my daughter My daughter
Jane Help, for Heavens sake Look (!
She is at the window" All ewes were
turned upward. In the window of a
top room the figure of young girl
could be seen through the smoke and
glow.
"Break in the doorW shouted the
fireman, Selling a pole that lay near.
"She must be saved through the door.
The escape would be burned before
it could touch the WALL"
In an instant the door flew open.
But the insiduous flaming liquid had
found its way into the hall, and pool
of fire barred the way. Through the
waving banners of flame the staircase
could be seen. Already the balustrade
had begun to writhe and twist.
g The roof" roared the fireman.
"The roof is the only hope To the
roofW He gesticulated wildly at the
girl, but she stood still as one frozen.
"Will no one save my daughter? My
little Jane?" walled the old man.
" 1t would be certain death to try
the hall. Here, policemen, let no one
go this way" tes
Two policemen placed themselves in
front of the door. Then, crying "The
roof the roof p the firemen burst in
the door of an adjoining house and dis
appeared, followed by dozen volun-
teers.
cit is no use. There is no 'trap-door.
My daughter My darling little Jane,
good-bye!"
The old man waved his hand, bent
his head, and broke into sobs. ISIS
Groom !" shouted voice from the
heart of the crowd. Groom Way
therep' The people receded from a
point as if there had been an upheaval
of the earth, and tall, powerfully
built man pushed to the front. He ran
past where the old man stood, saying,
Z" I'll save your daughter-or perish"
The police at the door drew close to-
gether to bar the entrance.
"Stand back |" cried the man.
Back W he shouted in an excited
voice. "Back !" and, without giving
time for further combination against
him, he sprang forward, and, clasping
his hands before him so as to form his
arms into wedge, rushed with all his
weight between the two policemen,
drove them heavily aside, and disap-
peared in the flames.
A faint wall passed through the
crowd, followed by a deep silence, and
for a moment the vast gathering seem
ed not to breath. Then, as though a
tempest of wind prayed, a. great cry
went up and shook the pail Of smoke
and made the flying embers tremble.
Behind the girl at the window stood the
man.
But up to this time she had shown
bright against the background. Now
her figure and that of the man showed
dark against red For the glare of the
fire had reached the landing and was
flooding the space behind.
The man did not remain second in
active. He commenced knotting long
strips of sheeting and Counterpart to-
gether. Again shout went up from
the multitude, and then ten thousand
-oices were still, as though speech had
never been known. All eyes were
watching him and calculating the issue
of the race between him and the
flames.
At that time the white figure of a
woman came hastily along a distant
edge of the crowd and approached the
burning house. The woman was young,
scarcely more than twenty. Her long
light hair followed her mistily, half
borne by the air, and quickened into
vivid gold by the ruddy rays.
Ere she reached the burning house
the rope was complete. The man had
tied it under the arms of the
girl and was leaning out of the window,
counting the risk. Already the fury of
the flaming fluid was exhausted. There
came but ftful fickers, still enough to
destroy his rope. Now and then his
eyes explored the room. Flames had
by this time crossed the threshold.
People be ow could see them shoot
round the ceiling. For a moment the
man left his post, and was seen drawing
some heavy piece Of furniture towards
the window. With the sublime na-