The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-08-12
ALONE WIN rm. GoaILLA.

Standing Near tho BrHSI on tile CFAGhI ].
ling staIFs Of u HuruiSE Museum.
New York CONNIE c Al Adv rtlSOr,
We heard from . straggler In the street
that the Ore was OF Barnum's Museum.
This gave renewed force to our feet and
We fairly flaw around the Atreet, When
We reached the spot what a sight wNs be.
fore usH The great building was ablsEs
on the two top floors, and several streams
were already pouring water on II. The
night, n rather morning, was bitter cold,
and every bit Of wster that struck the
lower part oil the street would freeze ct
Oucs. Even long BtalaCtiiel II Ice were
beginning TO form on the adjoining build.
Ings where the hose w@ played on
hem, and the red glare Of The Ore, now
under strong headway, lit them up like
gold. The suffering animals within the
museum, Imprisoned and CIged, began 10
moau and roar. TIE fire, the Ice, and the
Wild cries OF the poor animals, made the
night one Of horror, indeed, Just at this
moment. with q great crash, right through
q pl4te. glats window, On the fist f1or,
\ splendid tiger sprtnR. He lit 10 the
street and stood for . moment al bay, and
many voice In The crowd cried "Shoot
himl shoot himl" We had given our
hose 10 q steamer, and waller beipg lust
let into 1t the fireman with the ntEz Q put
the stream full SgAinst the animal. Its
force and wash carried him OF bis feet,
and u moment afterwards lone Of the
finest" with a revolver nit two balls into
his body and finished him.
then nlads my way into the burning
building irom the basement ard gained
the first 1lor. A fight oi steps was be.
fore me, and At the top l Gould, through
the Rmose. make out o door | mounted
the Stairs TO render what old | could. As
| got about 10 the middle the heat warped
aud CfsCked the door, and II fell to n
side, Knd there beyond mSking right for
these stairs, Yves the big GORILLA Oh, never
shall l forget that dread moment. The
big flames began to lick the walls, and the
whole space beyond that dreadtnl beast
was a bitEs Of IRE. The heat and Amoke
we're awful, and I felt my limbs shake as
palticd as | looked, SPELL bounded, at the
awful hairy mass at the top oi the steps.
| could hear the heavy thud thud Of. bis
huge foot as he moved OF Hllded Il, The
stairs. / cluld see his great, monstrouA
body wiithe almost with heat. The stairs
were nsrrow, and, great heSvensl when
he reached me what would become Of mel
/ stood tiantfxed, tpellbonud with an
awful terror. 01e hand Clasped tho ban.
islerB and one the wall, and l could not
nave moved ore finger on either OF those
hands to have saved my life. l heard still
Inc Bhouts Of the now mGdianed snimal'
within the building. l heard the axes Of
the htemen breaking through the h1ort !
| thought a thousand thoughts 10 q sec.
dnd, but l could not move hSit's
breadth. I even counted the steps be
tw cen the monster and myself. There
we're but six-unly hiI little short steps
between me and grim death. The beast
came slowly on, glazing horribly At me.
There were but tonrsteps viii he seize me
In those horrible arms oil his, thought
[, from which the matted, coarse
hair hung, and toss me lnlo thelbutnlnR.
seeIhing macs Of ERE aud fine beyond us7
Another step he came. Oh, heaven but
one little short step now. mSds a super
human effort 10 move II but q muscle, but
SissI / could not The ]losthsome body Of
The btute touched me. My breath came
In sssps and my heart stood s,ill, awe.
Al fitken. One dfead Claw.llke hand
crippled upon my shoulder ss the other
arm Of the wild beast was raised 10 bis
neck. He lugged there 4 moment as II
Tor bfeath and strength. Nov | Eickened
and shuddeted as he threw The great msse
Of halt and hide over bic head end revealed
4 rough Celtic face within, and asked In
hurried, frightened and eltohg HibetDian
tones: "Fof the love Of 81. Patrick show
me The way out Of thitl"