Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1880-10-27

and the gliding wire rope was still. Then,
for space of nigh a minute, not sound
was heard, but every eye was on the rope,
and every cheek was pallid with suspense,
and every heart was with the hero in the
fiery depths below. Then came another
warning tug at the rope, and again the
word flashed to the engine room. The
wheel spun round, the rope glided, quivered,
stopped, the figure swung up through the
smoke again, was seized, lowered, landed.
When his comrades laid hands upon him,
the flannel garments fell from him in hugh
blackened flakes, SO near to the flames had
he been. He cast these garments from him,
and they fell, half finder, at his feet. Then
he drew off the handkerchief which bound
his face, and, at the godlike, heroic pallor
of his countenance, and the set lips and
cleaning eyes, women whispered pantingly,
"God bless him ~ and the breath of those
bold fellows was drawn hard. Then he
reeled, and a pair of arms like n bears
were round him in a second. In two min
uteS more he was outside the crowd, and a
restorative which came from nobody knew
where, was at his lips as he lay upon the
ground, and two or three women ran for
water.
And while all this was doing, another
man, as good as he, was swinging down
ward in the binding smoke. So fierce a
leap the flames made at this hero, that they
caught him fairly for a moment in their
arms, and when he was brought to the
surface, he hung limp and senseless, with
great patches of smoldering fire upon his
garments, and his hands and face cracked
and blackened. But the next man was
ready, and when he. in turn, came to the
| light, he had said good bye to the light for.
ever in this world. Not this, nor anything
that fear could urge, could stay the rest.
There were five and thirty men and boys
below, and they would have them up or
die. With that god,like pallOr on their
lips and cheeks, with those wide eyes that
looked death in the face, aud knew him
and defed rundown they went! l saw
these things, who tell the story. Man after
man defied that fiery hell, and faced its
lurid, smoky darkness, undismayed, until
at last, their valor won the day.
The love lorn William had but little
room in his heart for superfiuous sentiment
rs he laid his hand upon the wire rope, and
set his foot in the bowk again. Yet just
hope was thPre-that Selma should moi
grieve too greatly if this second venture
failed, and he should meet his death. He
was not, as q rule, devotionally inclined
but he whispered inwardly, "God be gooc
to her." And there, ut that second, he saw
her face before hin-so set and fixed tina
in its agony of fear and prayer it look &c
like marble. The rope grew taut, he passed
the handkerchief shout his fnce again, anC
with the memory Of her eves upon him
} dropped out of sight. The man st the sid
of the shaft paid out the slender lAc again
and old hands watched it closely. YarC
after yard ran out. The great coil at hi
feet snaked itself, ring by ring, through hi
} coaly fingers. Still no warming messag
came from below. The engine stopped a
last, and they knew that the foot of tn
} shaft was reached. Had the explore
, tainted by the way? He might for all the
knew above, be roasting down below tina
minute. Even then his soul, newly relea'
> ed, might be above them.
Through the dead silence of the crow
S the word flashed to the engine room. TIL
9 wheel went round, and the wire rope glide
: and quivered up again over it. There wa
: not q man or woman there who did nc
4 augur the same thing from the tense
i. CULVER of the rope, and when, at las
e through the thinner coils Of smoke abou
q the top of the shaft the rescuer's fgur
t swung with the first of the rescued in h
arms, there was heard one sound of in6nit
pathos-a sigh of relief from 10000 breas
r and dead silence fell again.
i "Alive?" asked one, laying a hand O
Bowker's arm. Bill nodded and pushe
him by, and made his way toward tn,
n marble face, nursing his burden still.
s "Seliner," he Said quietly, there's yol
s sweetheart"
"No, no, no, Bill" she answered
@ "There's on'y one man i the world for m
It Bill, if ever he forgives me an my wicke
n ways"
Cheer and cheer of triumph rang in the
|, ears. The women fought for Bill Bowke
y and kissed him and cried over him. Me
shook hands with him and with each othe
II Strangers mingled their tears. The ste
n rope was gliding up and down at a rare ra
4. now, and the half sutfocAted prisoners
d the fire were being carried up in batche
e Selma and her lover stood side by side ar
" watched the last skipful to the surface.
Ie "That's the lot" yelled one coal smeart
d giant as the skip swung up. Out broke Il
d cheers again, peal on peal. William stot
ID silent, with tears in those bravo eyes. II
Ie penitent stole hand in his.
lie ooh, Bill" she whispered, "you didr
II think wanted him7"
ct "What else did you think fetched hi
N out for?" queried William, smile
le comedy cleaning through the manly moi'
lg ure of his eyes.
Up She dropped her head upon his brenI
I'd and put both arms around him, and Meth
she nor he thought of the crowd in tn
lg blissful moment when Mr.. Bowker's cou
ce ship ended, and soul was assured Of soul.