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

hanging around him as a few tattered,
charred rags, and his very hair was in a blaze.
The draught caused by knocking out the
window had encouraged the flames, so that
a lurid curtain hung behind him. while the
ground was fully seventy feet below. Yet
there, on the thin slip of stone, with eternity
on each side of him, stood Joe Smith, the un-
coath and ungrammatical, tying two sheets
together. while women sobbed below and
men shouted, and every hand was raised to
bless him. He staggered and disappeared so
suddenly that we feared he had fallen, but
he was back again in an instant, not alone
this time, for the girl he had come to save
was slung over his shoulder. The brave
fellow seemed to have doubts of the
strength of his lmpromptu rope, for he
rested his own weight upon the nearly red
hot water pipe'during those twelve periious
feet, supporting Miss Newsome by the arm
which clutched the sheet. Slowly, very slowly,
they descended, but at last his feet touched
the topmost rung of the escape. Was it a
dream that | heard a voice high above me
say, Hall right, missy" before a burst of
cheering rang out which drowned every other
sound.
Miss Cissy, more frightened than hurt, was
delivered over into her half-distracte fathers
care, while l helped to lift Gentleman Joe
from the escape, He lay painting upon the
ground, burned and scorched, his sporting
coat tattered and charred, while, strangely
enough, the prismatic necktie and horseshoe
pin had escaped the general destruction, so
as to present an absurd oasis amid the desert
around. He lay without speaking or moving
until Clssy Newsome was led past him on
her way to o cab. Then he made a feeble
gesture with his hand, which indicated that
he wished to speak with her, and she stopped
over him. No other ear but mine caught
that whisper.
Don't fret, miss no said. "'cause it was
the wrong boss came in. He's a good Teller
"a deal better than me-and did as much,
but hadn't the luck"
A vulgar little speech, but Cissy's eyes got
very moist as she listened, and Pm not sure
that mine didn't too.
The office was sadly reduced after that.
With Welstead and the Gentleman on the
sick list, there were only four of us at the
desk, and the reaction from the excitement
had left us anything but lively. | can re-
member only one remark ventured upon
during that first day. The dreary scratch
ing of pens had lasted unbroken for over an
hour, when little SparkIns looked up from
his ledger.
II suppose you would call him a gentle
man, after all" he said.
"A very much better one than you will
ever be-" growled Dullan, and we relapsed
into the scratching of pens.
/ was present at the wedding OF Charley
Welstead and Cissy Newsome, when, after a
long delay, it was finally celebrated. BY the
original arrangement l was to nave figured
as a best man, but my post of honor was
handed over to n certain very ugly young
man, whose appearance suggested the idea
that he had spent the last few days in a
mustard poultice. Unromantic as it may
seem. this youth not only went through his
duties with all the nonchalance in the world.
but danced at the subsequent festivities with
the g~reastest vigor and grace. Ii is con-
monty rumored that this activity of his, COM
biued with sundry interesting anecdotes con-
corning horses and dogs, have so prevailed
upon the heart of a susceptible young lady,
that there is every probability of our having
a repetition of the marriage ceremony.
Should it be so, 1 trust that l may at least
revert to my original position as best man.