The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-02-16

close by, that the ham was there, wrapped
in something which looked like handker.
chief, bit my lips and clenched my hands
with rage; Had it been common thief,
1t was more than / could stand. So
| crouched myself in a doorway and waited
The watch was relieved at twelve o'clock.
| knew that, and knew also that this would be
the time when my policeman would come to
take the ham from its hiding blaze. And
sure enough, when the time came heard
| him challenge the man who was to take his
place, and come marching down toward the
| corner. l let him get the ham under his arm
before stirred, but then l bounced upon
him like tiger.
"1've got your / cried. "A pretty police
man you are indeed! but you shall suffer for
1t can tell youv
"He struggled with me for a moment like
| a wild thing, and then all of sudden dropped
the ham and fell down in helpless sort Of a
way upon the ground.
"T'm ruined mani he groaned,-a ruin
ed man! There's no hope for me now. o
my God! My wife my poor wifep And he
| burst out crying like woman.
1.-THE sight sOftened me, but was angry
still
"'You should have thought of that before
you became thief, l said. If the guardian
of mans property is not to be trusted, what
gentleman-you do not seem like a scoundrel (;
how have you ever stopped to such a dis
graceful thing as this?'
HE was standing besides me now, and the
lamp fell on his face. 1t was white as that
of any corpse, and his eyes glittered terribly
"I'l tell you what made me do it, he
said; it was the only thing that could have
driven me to act like that. My wife and
child are misunderstanding, tell you, and l
have nothing for themp
'POlicemen's families don't often starye.'
| said with sneer.
My God !can't you believe me? painted
the man. L nave only been appointed three
days: have not received a cent Of salary
yet. l have been idle long while and have
neither money nor credit. Last night we
went to bed snpperless; today there has not
been crust in the house, and these hams
tempted me. and meant to pay you after
ward
HE covered his face with his hands, and
| could see great tears dropping through his
fingers; and before knew, my own cheeks
were moist, and we stood silent, with the
ham lying between us on the ground.
AT last he turned toward me and and said
DO whaty you want with me, my last hope
"But l put my hand on his arm and said,
God forbid that should take the last hope
from you; that |, of all men, should be the
one to ruin you. Ii yonr story is true,-and
believe it ISL pity you more than blame
HE looked at me in a sort of bewildered
way, as though he scarcely understood me,
and took him by the arm and led him back
to the shop. There filed basket with
bread and butter and coffee, and put the ham
on top of all. Take it home to your wife, 1
said; you'll pay me when you get your
salary, and if you are in need before that
time, come to me. Pm poor man myself,
and can feel for other Door men,
Il shall never forget that mans face in all
my lie, SO wondering, SO thankful. and so
woe.strlcken. ALI he said was: God bless
you? But there was whole sermon in
those words, and slept better for them.
"0n Christmas night he paid me every
cent and from that day until / left the
neighbOIhood dealt with me regularly. But
in a good street at the other end of the town
and one way and another saw no more Of my
policeman for three good years.
zone night, just such a cold night as that
on which saw him staring at the ham,
was awakened long beford midnight by cry
of fire. started up to see the flames coming
through the floor and to know the store be-
low was all ablaze. The stairs were on fire
also, and when i opened the entry door the
hot air aud smoke rushed and almost smoth-
cred me. l gave up all hope of getting my
wife and helpless ones out OF the building
alive and safe Help came to us, however;
and though in clambering down the ladder
slipped and broke my arm, / was thankful
when saw that all were safe, but was SO
faint and III from the accident you see, that
/ hadn't all my wits about me, and believed
there was no one missing. My blood ran
cold. when my wife clasping her hands, with
an awful look upon her face, exclaimed
Our little Lucy is Lett behindv
'She had slept with the hired girl since
her baby brother was born, and the woman
IN her fright had forgotten the little one.
There she was at the top of the burning
building, out of the reach of any human
help, and it seemed to me as | looked up at
the walls, great red and yello1 sheet of
flame, with blue CLEANS here and there, as
though they were devilish heads peeping out
and grinning at u.s. Still, hopeless as 1t was,
| should have gone back into the burning
house after my baby or died with her if
had been able to stand. No one else would
venture. 1t would be foolish sacrifice of life,
they said, for no doubt the child was already
smothered by the smoke, and although
raved and pleaded and made wild promises,
they only shook their heads and babe me
have patience.
"Patiencel Thought l was going mad as
the face OF my girl-my sweet pretty pet
rose up before me. But just then tall man
Quick he shouted, which roomY
:" The back room on the upper hoor,' /
said. and he dashed away, parting the throng
with his strong arms, and in another moment
was mounting the ladder. | heard them
calling MN 60 come back, bidding him to
were dead already. But he never needed
them, and as he became hidden by the black
smoke which poured from the window, /
covered my face and prayed that the angels
who walked in the fiery furnace might go
with him.
"Perhaps they did. Something stronger
than an earthly thing must have been there,
for in few moments-they seemed years to
me-we saw him coming down the ladder
with something in his arms! The burnt
body of my child perhaps, thought; but as
he came closer, | saw 1t was my own laugh
ing, living darling, with her blue eyes open
and her arms around his neck.
The roof fell in the next moment. but my
treasure was safe, and that was all cared
"sWhat shall do or say to thank you?"
said. as grasped his hand. I'm a ruined
man, and / can only give you my piessing !;
but let me know your name at least.
"'Have yon forgotten me? Don't you re-
member me?" he asked as he bent over me.
Look again.
81 DID, and saw pair of bright, gray eye s.,
a face / knew, and something glitterlng upon
his breast. And the scene at the corner Oh
dirty little street on wet December night
came back to me, and | saw my policeman
once more.
"'It is YOU said, and you have saved
my child from an awful DEATH
"'And what did you save me and mine
fromT he said, with tears in his eyes. star,
walton. ruin, utter degradation. l should
nav nave been felon, and my dear ones paspers
debt and never can; but when ! heard that
u was your child that lay at the top OF that
pudding prayed that might save it, and |
know God heard me-.
And then he told me what had brought
MIN 70 the neighborhood on that night above
all Others In the year.
mad lost all, for / was not insured. but
ne was prOSOpr0u9 and af0nd nv ma lika a