Louisiana capitolian., 1880-01-24
4 ROMANCE (T THE RIVLR.
How Youog Man Saved Girl From
Burning Mississippi Steamer.
tIE AFTEHW ARDWINs HER LOVE WITH
orr RECOGNIZING HER,

orr RECOGNIZING HER.
A Rochester correspondent Of the
New York Times tells romantic
story whirl, has just ended in happy
marriage. In October, 1869, james
Fry, the travelling agent OF q Ne"
Orleans business house, started from
st. Louis for that city on the steamer
Stoncwall. The hay on board took
fire and burned, and n fearful panic
cnsuch. a few only OF the passen,
gers clung to the steamer, in hope that
aid would reach them before the fire
forced them to take their last chance
in the river. Among these were a
family of three persons evidently
father, mother and daughter, the lat
ter apparently about tilteen-young
Fry, and u lady, apparently seven
teen or eighteen years old. Of all who
had jumped into the river the light OF
the burning vessel showed only one
here and there struggling in the water,
or swimming away, the river having
closed over the others. Those who
remained on the deck hastily rolled
overheard several bales of hay which
the fire had not yet reached, to be
seized if possible if they were COM
PEELED to take to the water. The main
spar was burned down and fell into
the river before the fire drove the last
person from the steamer. The flames
at last wrapped the entire vessel
about, and the passengers who were
huddled together about the guards
were forced to jump. The family
mentioned above sprang into the wa
ter, clasping each others hands. Fry
and the other young lady followed
them. Fry was agood swimmer, and
reached the spar. AS he graspcd it.,
the young lady, who had jumped with
him, came to the surface near him.
He seized her aud helped her to the
floating timber. The girl who had
disappeared with her fathcrand moth
or also came up within short dis
tance, and Fry at once went to her
aid. He succeeded in assisting her to
the spar. She never saw her father
and mother again.
Fry moved the spar with compare
tive ease by swimming behind it and
pushing it. This gave him the idea
of attempting to reach the shore with
tand save the girls, the youngest OF
whom was rapidly becoming exhaust
cd. He told them what he intended
to do, and begged the girl to summon
all her courage, as he would surely
save her. This was the moment when
t3hc three men were driven from the
bale of hay by the burning oil. The
men at once attempted to reach an
other bale u few feet from them to
which four others were already cling
ing, and which was barely sufficient
to sustain ahcir weight. Two Of the
men sank before their object was
gained. The other swan to the sec
Ond bale, and tried to seize hold upon
it. The four who were supporting
themselves with this bale fought
against having the added weight of
the fifth, as it would swamp them all.
Three times they pushed him away.
The pale, terror stricken face Of the
struggling men were plainly visible
in tie glare of the flames. Each time
the fifth man was repulsed he return
ed to the bale begging for place to
hold. The fourth time he succeeded
in seizing hold one corner of the bale.
The had began to sink. One of the
four who had possession of the pre-
cious bale was an Italian. He drew
knife as the bale was going down,
and plunged it into the breast Of the
man whose weight was taking their
only hope away. He fell back and
disappeared beneath the water.
This terrible scene was enacted
within five feet of those on the spar.
1t was more than the girl could bear,
and she tainted away. Fry supported
her in his arms, and, hastily telling
the other young lady to cling to the
spar until he returned, he started for
the shore with his burden. IIcrcach-
ed it in safely, and, giving the girl
in charge of people who were helpless
witnesses of the fearful scene in the
river, returned to render aid to the
young lady he had left. He was gone
only q few minutes, but, during his
absence; the four men on the bale of
hay had been, in turn, driven off by
fire, and were all drowned. A boat
had also reached the scene from Nee
ley's Landing. Out of the 20Opassen-
gers and tho crew of twenty, only
thirty-tive were saved. The girl
rescued by young Fry was sent to
Toledo, o., where she said she had
friends.
A year ago last month Fry was in
Cincinnati, transacting some business
for o house in st. Louis, in whose
: employ he has been for several years.
An acquaintance of his insisted on
taking him to call at the residence of
a friend one evening. He met there
and w:s introduced to u Mrs. Rich
mond, widow of great, personal
attaction. She had been widow for
three years, and was then only
twenty-four. She was visiting at the
house where Fry met her, her home
being in Chicago. Fry fell in love
with Mrs. Richmond. They cores
ponded for several months, when the
travelling agensmadc the young widow
an offer of marriage and she accepted
it. A day early in the present month
was selected for the wedding. Fry
went to Chicago the last ofNovcmbcr.
A few days before the wedding he and
his bride were laying out route
for the wedding tour. She told him
to select any route that pleased him,
the travelling of which did not oblige
fhnn tr ~, ouy l;.innon ,,.l,ot oto,,r ~.