The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-12-27

A tear glistened in his eye and rolled down his cheek. He thought of the money in his pocket, of the Bowery play bills, the roast turkey, and his stean,ing Christmas dinner. Then he saw the hun gry, beseeching eyes of this poor girl be- fore hiln. For a moment he hesitated and then with one mighty effort he gulped down the disappointment in his breast. There was frown upon his young face and slight quivering of the lips, and then while pity plead her best, he drew forth the silver from his pocket and handed it to the girl with the air of an English lord.
 "Hese, ycu jest freeze .o this Gre wealth Pm flush tonight and then you needs it worse than do."
 Then he quietly turned upon his heel and rapidly walked away. The girl had time to say nothing and when at last a feeble prayer arose from her lips, Reddy was too far away to hear it.
 The next day was Christmas and Reddy was bestir early, having lodged for the night in dry-goods box on Chatham street It was dismal day andto Reddy was drear, desolate and murky. Yet he was happy, happy as king. His sacri- flee had brought its own reward. With out penny in his pocket he strolled about the streets, listening to the chimes of the fashionable churches on the ave- nue, and watching the crowds of happy people all about him. His Christmas dinner was crust of bread. His Christ mas night was spent in sweet and happy slumber, within the sides of friendly ash box.
 
 Ten years later Reddy was a member Of the New York fire department. He had left the street, the crowds, the gamins and the Arab life of his younger days, and by diligent work had secured a good position at No. Four's engine house. He was man now, brave, strong, brown and rugged. He was no longer the Reddy" Of the stree. but Johnny Redmond. An other Christmas eve had rolled around and the city was in state of great excite ment. A confagration was raging in Broadway. Many large and costly build ings had already given way to the de. stroying element and the fire was raging iercely. Suddenly there came a crash, deafening rear, cloud or smoke and dust, and startled cry from the throats of thousand spectators. One of the walls of a mammoth building had fallen, burying beneath it dozen firemen.
 Wild excitement followed. Men rushed to and fro bewildered, and panic and confusion reigned. There was rushing noise up the street and moment later the police patrol wagon and the hospital ambulances came laundering upon the scene, their gongs ringing and their horses steaming with foam. A hundred willing men set at work and the dead and dying 6remen were taken from the ruins. A mangled form was lifted into one of the wagons. It was that of a great, strong fellow who moaned feebly. His head and face were blackened and his limbs hung helplessly from his body. Others were placed in the ambulance be- side him and the precious load was con- veyed to Charity hospital, where the in- jured men were quickly carried to the upper wards. Their mangled forms were placed upon the snow-white cots and their wounds hastily cared for by the army of physicians who were running hurriedly about the wards. Sweet-faced women, dressed in black, were passing rapidly through the room with clean linen and huge rolls of bandages. They stopped at intervals to administer to the wants of the poor victims and when the doctors with their terrible instruments had completed their labors, these sweet faced sisters in black stationed them selves at the bedside of the poor unfor- tunates and watched and nursed them through the long hours of this Christmas night.
 On cot near the door lay the form of Johnny Redmond. No. Four's men had been first at the fire, and thickest in the fight with the red enemy. The falling wall had buried five of these poor fellows in the ruins. Reddy was badly injured. His eyes were closed and his face pale and colorless. By his side, rubbing the palms of his big brown hands tenderly in her own, with her thin, sad face half hidden in the head-dress of a sister of charity, sat 8 young lady of five and twenty. She chanted sweet melody, low and soft, as the patient moved his