Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-09-24

reduced to shell.
"There is some one in that third-story
window" shouted man. and instantly
the gaze of the crowd was fixed upon the
form of little girl that leaned far out in
vain search for some means of escape.
A ladder was hastily placed against the
wall, but it was several feet too short.
drop from the window" they cried !;
but the bewildered child could not COM
prehend
=" A man could stand on the topmost
round and reach her," said one.
"Too late" was the reply. "That
wall could not support mans weight" ."
Norton's lips paled, and his heart
grew sick, as he heard the wretcheG
child thus left to its fate.
"What if Mary should some day be
deserted in this waym he thought. "Oh,
l cannot see her die without making an
effort to save her."
Hastily mufling his face in his coat,
he darted up the ladder. Half way up
he heard warning crack, and ere he
could retrace his steps, the wall and part
of the roof fell, and he was buried in the
ruins. The child, being higher up than
he was, fell directly in the center of the
flames and perished. The fremen, who
had just arrived, managed to fight their
way to where Norton lay, and dragged
him to the street.
He is dead" said one.
"No, he has only tainted"
"Stand back and give him air." said
another, pressing forward as closely as
possible.
No one was able to identify him, so
his crippled and senseless form was
carted off to the city hospital.
Little girl, is this Fifteenth streetp"
The child screamed in terror. and ran
across a vacant lot. The man staggered
against lamp post and groaned;
30 God, am l so hideous!"
Ten years had passed since Norton
Charming came out of that city hospital
cruelty deformed by that terrible fall
into the fire. During all these long years
he had lived the life of a vagabond.
His one aim had been to keep from his
sister the knowledge of his misfortune.
He had contrived to keep track of her
without exciting suspicion. He knew
that she was married to Walter Thorpe
three years after the night of the fire, and
that she was now living on Fifteenth
street. His eyes had been dimmed in
the flames, and he could see distinctly
but short distance. Yet he had vague
hope that he might look upon his sisters
face once more without her recognizing
him. A hot fever was burning in his
veins, and he felt that he was sick unto
death.
Mary mustn't know" he muttered,
feebly "it would make her unhappy to
hear of my misery. Better she should
think me dead, as l soon shall be. No;
Mary mustn't know"
As he staggered on he came to the gate
which the child he had addressed had
left open, as she ran through it to the
house. She was now in the arms of
her mother, who had been attracted to
the door by her screams, and was now
giving an excitable narration of her
escape from drunken man.
"There he is now, mamma"
Norton Charming supported himself
against the fence, and turned his disfig-
ured countenance toward the mother and
her child.
II would not harm you, little one for
all the world" he said, brokenly.
The mothers cheek paled at the sound
of that deep voice, and she said, huskily:
Who are you, sirP"
1t was his sisters voice, and great
fear took hold upon him.
"She mustn't know. Mary mustn't
know"
He made an effort to move away from
the fence, but his legs tottered under
him, and he fell senseless to the pave
ment. They carried him tenderly into
the house, and summoned physician.
He cannot live," was the verdict.
His constitution was shattered by an
accident ten years ago this evening. l
remember distinctly: is was the first
surgical examination attended after be-
ginning the study of medicine have
often seen him wandering about the
streets since. / wonder that he has sur
vived so long; he must have often suf-
fered from hunger"
Walter, it must he Norton" said
Mary, trembling violently; cit is just
ten years ago that he left me so mysteri-
ously. He must have been that un-
known man we saw mentioned in the
papers as having been injured while try.
ing to save an inmate of q burning tene
ment house."
There was no lack of kindnes now
The aching head was tenderlS proppeC