The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-12

$1,000 1870 %J IItCN1 800
naturally unhealthy complexion had become
so cadaverous that the sandy eyebrows and
mustache stood out quite dark against it.
His clothes hung loosely on his figure. The
eye-glass was discarded. Even the once gor-
geous ring seemed to have assumed a somber
and melancholy luster, as if in sympathy
with the feelings of its owner, His manner
had lost all its old audacity, and become timid
and retiring. | doubt if any of his rustic
acquaintance would have recognized their
gaudy Joseph in the stumbling, unkempt
figure which haunted the contingencies OF
Ducat, Gulden IL Ducat.
The termination of Welstead's engagement
began to draw near, 1t had been arranged
that after his marriage he was to be promoted
tc the management OF another branch in a
distant part OF the country. This approach
ing breakup in Our little circle drew us all
closer together, and made us the more sorry
that the general harmony should be de-
stroyed by the unhappiness of one of our
number. If W. could have cheered him we
would, but there was something in his look,
for all his snobbishness, which forbade even
sympathy on a subject so sacred. He en-
deavored to put on a careless manner when
he joined us all in wishing Welstead good
luck at midday on the Saturday preceding
the Monday on which the wedding was to
take place. We expected then that we should
not see our fellow-clerk again until he APP
peared in the character of bridegroom. How
little did we guess the catastrophe which
was impending
remember that Saturday evening we'll.
1t was iii January, and a clear wintry sky,
with a suspicion of an aurora in the northern
quarter. spread over the great city. There
was a slight frost in the air, and the ground
clinked cheerily under foot. One of my fell
low clerks-Dullan-and kept by little
Smith all day, for there was a wild look
about his eyes which made us think it might
be unsafe to leave him to his own devices.
We dinnH nf n rnCfaurant and offarurard
dropped into n theater, where Joe's CHASTITY
face in the stalls had a depressing effect upon
the pantomime. We were walking slowly
homeward after supper, it being then be
tween IL and l, when we saw a great crimson
glow upon the heavens, such as aurora never
threw, and a fire engine dashed past us with
a whistle and aclang, the big-boned, shaggy
horses w~hirling it along at such a rate that
we only caught a glimpse of a flash of lights
and a cluster of bearded, helmeted heads sus-
pended, as it were, in the darkness.
1 have always had u weakness for fires.
There is something grand and ennobling in
the irresistible sweep of a great volume of
flame. l could moralize over q conflagration
as Chateaubriand did over Niagara. Dullan
is of the same bent of mind, and the gentle
man was ready to turn anywhere from his
own thoughts. We all began running in the
direction of the blaze.
At first we ran %languidly, jogging along
with many other people who were hurrying
toward the same goal. Then, as we came into
a quarter of the town which we knew we'll,
we almost Involuntary quickened our pace
until, tearing round q familiar corner at
racing speed, we pulled up, and gazed silent
ly intoseach others pale faces. There, not a
hua&fed yards from us, stood the high house
of Eldon street.-The house under whose hos
pitable roof we had spent so many happy
hours-with the red flames licking round
the whole lower story. and squirting out of
every chink and creviee, while a dense pail
of smoke obseured the upper windows and
the roof.
We dashed through the crowd together,
and fought our way to the clear space on
which the hremen we're connecting their
hose. AS We reached them, a half-naked
man, bare-footed and dishevelled, was plead
ing with the SUPERINTENDENT. clutchins fran
tically at his arm, and pointing to the dark
clouds above him, already rent with jagged
streaks OF ascending flame.
TOO short" he screamed in q voice which
we were Mortified to recognize as that of Mr..
Newsome. ut can't belt mustn't bel
There are more escapes than one. Oh, man,
man, she is OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Do sonethingl Save herl My child-my
beautiful child-the only one ! havel"
In the agony of his fear, he fell at the fire.
mans feet and implored his assistance.
l was paralyzed by the horror of the thing.
The situation was apparent at a glance.
There, seen dimly through the smoke, was
Cissy Newsome's window, while beneath it,
separated by a broad expanse of wall, was
the head of the fire escape. 1t was too short
by a good twelve feet. The whole lower
story was one seething mass of fire, so that
there seemed nj possibility of approach from
that direction. A horrible feeling of impo-
tence came over me. There was no sign of
movement at the young lady's window,
though crawling trails of flames had climbed
up to it and festooned it round with their red
garlands. | remember hoping in my heart
that she had been sutfocdted in her sleep.
and had never awoke to the dreadful reality.
l have said that We were paralyzed for the
moment. The spell was rapidly broken.
This way, ladslP cried a resolute voice, and
Charlie Welstead broke in among us with q
hreman's Ratchet in his hand. We pushed
after him as he rushed round to the rear of
the house, where there was a door usually
used by the servants. 1t was locked, but a
couple of blows shattered it to pieces. We
hurried up the stone kitchen stairs, with the
plastering falling iii strips all round us, and
the flags SO hot that they burned into the
soles of our boots. At the head of the stairs
there was a second door, thicker and
stronger than the first, but nearly dharred
through by the fire.
Give me ROOM" gasped Welstead, swing
ing round his AK.
Don't do it, sir" cried a stalwart fireman,
Selling him by the wrist; "there's flames on
the other side of that door"
l. e me gop' roared Charley.
We're dead men if you break it,"
Let me goI'
Drop it, sir; dropit!"
There was a momentary struggle, and the
ak clattered down upon the stone steps. 1t
had hardly time to fall before some one
caught it up. 1 could not see who for the
dense blue reek of smoke. A man dashed
past the fireman. there was crash of a parting
lock, and n great lick OF flame, like a hound
unleashed, shot out and enveloped us. l
felt its hot scar as it coiled round my face,
and remember nothing more until l found
myself leaning against the door-post, breath
ing in the fresh sweet air of night, while
Welstead, terribly burned, struggled furi-
ousiy with the fireman, who held him back
to nreVent him frnm re-ascandinm the sInir. |