The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-08-30
WASHINGTON c. THURSDAY AUGUST 80 1888
graph pole. 4can yer read where it says the

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back again, and whisk open the iron box was
the work of two minutes. Perfect silonce
everywhere.
Look a-here now said Bridget breath
lessly, standing on tlptoe. 1--WE seen em
do it,"
She pulled the handle once, twice. Then
they waited their hearts beating tiercely.
They were OFF the travelled ways, and no one
passed by them. All this time the smoke was
creeping up the staisgays of the lofty building,
and the red fire was quietly devouring yard
after yard Of woodwork.
Bridget raised her hand to pull the lever for
the third and last time. Alter this there was
nothing more to do bat wait Alice again
urged Edith TO come away, Int only in vain.
She drew closer to Bridget and grasped her
hand. Even Bridget seemed Gismayed at first,
but quickly recovering herself, she half
pushed, half drew Edith up fight of high
stone steps near by.
"Yer'Il git yer dress all kiyered wild mud if
yer don't kare out o the strate," She said as
she turned away. 4" I'm a-goin' ter stay down
au' tell 'ein where the fire is. IL says SO ON
them little cards.
But the crowd! When they come you viii
get hurt"
Him! Im used TO worse crowds nor ever
you saw. There! hear em nowI"
AS Edith listened there rose faint far-off
rattle of wheels upon the pavement, mingled
with a iangiing sound of gongs and horns.
"It's the ingine!" cried Bridget. in great
excitement. ITS commit"
But other things were coming, too. Bridget
had taken her stand directly in front of tue
aiarm-boZ, and q stream of men aud boys who
poured around the corner jostied her roughly
and pushed her to and fro.
Come come quick!" called Edith, Just
able TO make herself heard above the noise of
the crowd. But Bridget shook her head, and
pointed down the street.
1t was p grand sight! The engine, with its
scarlet wheels and its polished stack sending
out a long trail Of brilliant sparks like shooting
stars, the two powerful black horses tearing
furionsly over the pavements, yet subject to
the slightest word or touch of their driver,
who sat behind them firmly hraced against the
foot board the reins taut Us STEEL and the
gong sounding beneath without pause.
Get out of the way here!p shouted a brisk
|. fireman, forcing his way through the crowd.
The men surged back, and nobody noticed
the little baretooted figure who was hurled
violently against the building She uttered
faint cry, and held up one foot, as lame
spaniel might do. young man with delicate
clothes and light cane, who had stopped on
his way to the station to see the fun" had
placed his heavy boot on the little, shrinking
foot She might have got out Of the way more
quickly, but she mast keep to the front to tell
the fremen.
The engine Numbered up to the box and
stopped, Kissing and smoking furiousy. The
black horses quivered aud paved the pave
ment, shaking white tiecks of foam over their
sleek bodies
Where's the fret" called the driver
sharply.
Blest if | know began one of the men
| addressed, but he was interrupted
Sure its on Summer street, sir most up to
Washington, on the etherside."
1t was q. surprisingly small, shrill voice for
such an important piece OF information but it
sounded reliable. The driver knew that every
moment now might mean the loss of thousands
of dollars, and, giving his horses the rein, was
galloping oil up the street again, almost before
BTldget's words were ont of her mouth A few
moments after the painting engine and the dis
tant shouts of the 4irenen told of the work
they we're doing.
Well, the block was saved. few thousand
dollars damage on goods fully insured was all.
Next morning the papers, being somewhat
hard pressed for news, gave full particulars
of the fire. Five minutes later, and the loss
must have been almost incalculable."
Full partieulafs?n Perhaps not quite full
No reporter had heard of Budgets prompt
action or secured her name.
When the engine ratified away, with the
crowd after it, Edith had come tiinidly down
the steps. Alice had been borne away by the
crowd, and was not to be found.
Where are your she called. az do not
know your name-Oh-h!" She stopped with
pitiful little cry.
Bridget was crouched in miserable heap
just around the corner. She was stroking her
bruised foot with trembling hands, and crying
softly to herself. The pain was SO bad, and
her head felt so dizzy!
Then she looked up, and saw the white
shawl and the ostrich feather, and Edith's
eyes. And once more Edith forgot the differ
ence.
Y,o;;oarn.,, fo,,o5 s1,oxo +bo~o = e,;, /
utes later. Edith had her arms around the
faded shawl and Bridget's tously little head
was lying YEARLY against her shoulder. The
poor trampied foot was bound up in somebody's
embroidered handkerchief
Edith did not give the officer time to speak,
She was on her own ground now.
"Will you call hack or herdic, please?
This girl is sick"
The tone was quiet, but plainly said that it
was accustomed to giving directions, and hay
ing them obeyed, too.
The policeman had approached with a rough
joke on his tongues end, but it turned into
respectful Yes'm, certainly"
Of course they went straight to Aunt Au-
gusta, who was still sitting by the window, and
who was 50 used 10 emergencies that she took
the whole affair quite as matter of course
Bridget was promptly put to bed in one of
the servants rooms, and Aunt Augustus own
maid Installed as nurse. In the course of
lew Jays the injured foot was all right, and
Aunt Augusta had learned her whole history.
She found out that Bridget had no father or
mother, butived With an uncle, who took turns
with her brother in the Criminal Court. Even
Bridget might have taken her turn before long
if she had been left to herself. Aunt Augusta
had good long talk with Bridget; and knowing
OF place in New Hampshire where the air is
sweet and pure, and where the great hills hold
little village in their everlasting arms she
sent Bridget there to find home.
Edith returned to the hotel, and was pro-
nounced more singular than ever. She found
friends enough that were interested in her ad-
venture, but very few who cared to hear much
aboutBridget or the part she took in it, Bridget
was not . interesting;;" it required Edith with
her white dress, and sunny hair half hidden by
the long white feather, to figure as heroine"
But neither Edith nor Aunt Augusta forgot
Bridget. She writes to them frequently from
her new home; and when Edith hears people
like Cousin John talk about the difference
between these people and themselves, she thinks
of one girl whose ragged shawl and battered
dress hid as true and noble and self-sacrifc-
ing heart rs ever beat beneath velvet and
lace.--Rarpef's Young People.
Joe Johnston Sneers at Jeff Davis.
Correspondence Cf Tie Aadsta Constitutional