Telegram-herald., 1889-09-10

a. fasaas9s 4. sAs LIZ q Alsxzzzsz II.
81 EasslA-

a nTs. nrsa
.0lay ony- where Is II
Lle15eranskay2 tserkgv. Dix Morsk2-
so kAnAla- the LQsheraa church. nsar
Ens A&rL1s canal
Ard rhs excited crowd tore past me- ss
fuu speed, their hcaTss voices and
tranphng feet echoing weirdly through
tie ghosLly silencs u tie clear, frosty
night
The clzng q the alarm beIis through
the s1ll ar and the signal lanterns that
glsaDed against the daHk sky from ons
OF those TAI watch towers which abound
n ST. Petersburg as Ia every other Rus
sian city were NOT needed u warn ne
that another great FIRE had broken oGt;
Tor the rel glare which ross above tbs
snow covered roofs u the tall sh4dowy
houses, waxing and waning b. turns
Ike the fame " some vast lamp told iEs
own story Ia another moment l Was
running as fast as / could toward the
scene q action
By the time l reached Il large crowd
was gathered around the spot, and one
glance showed ne that the flames had
already made formidable progress The
lower part Of the Lutheran church,
good sized building Of brick aud painted
timber. standing on the bank Of one Of
those great canals which run ike veins
through the whole extent OF the Russian
capltal-was completely wrapped IN
haDles. which were coiling around the
wooden spire. and darting Ike snakes in
and out u the doors and windows.
Beneath that Internal splena0r the
gloomy canal looked like e srrfan q
blood. and the countless upturn~4 faces
seemed wan and gna-stly a. cOrpses, y hile
through the rolling smoke the massive
towers OF the churches on the opposite
bank looked dim and vast. Ike threaten
Ing giants. And now the fire engines
came rattling up. and the helmeted fig
ures surging 10 and fro IN the glare OF
the hames, together with the thunder Of
hoofs and wheels, the billowy smoke,
the shadowy crowd in the background,
and the crash Of falling stones and blaz-
ing timbers. gave 70 the whole scene
quite the effect OF siege or a battle.
This effect was suddenly and pictur-
esquely heightened by very unexpect-
ed incident. Unseen by the crowd three
Of the Greraen had planted a ladder
against the burning building, and as the
rising wind whirled aside the thickening
smoke for one moment they could be
seen on the roof, beating in the skyiight
with their axes 10 make an opening for
the nozzle Of the fire hose, which they
had dragged up along with them.
The countless spectators held their
breath 10 watch the fate Of this daring
attempt. But all at once a mighty shout
broke forth amid the sudden silence as
three horsemen came clattering up 10
the spot and sprang from their saddles
in the midst of an open space which
seemed 20 clear itself all OF sudden, az
/ ii bv magic, in the very thickest OF the
/ thrOng.
In the foremost Of the three I recog-
nized the tall figure, strong, harsh feat
uros and rich uniform of Gen. TrepOf,
the minister of police. The second-a
fine looking man in the prime of LIE,
dressed as an officer Of the Imperial
guard-was unmistakably the Grand
Duke Nicholas, the emperor's younger
brother, who held tho double rank of
commander in-chief of the Russian army
aud head Of the Imperial Fire brigade.
The handsome face and thick grayish
brown mustache, that showed themselves
/ beneath the gold laced military cap Of
the third man, would have told any by
stander even without the profound re-
spect shown 70 him By all around) that
he was no other than the car, Alexan-
der IL OF Russia.
The arrival Of these distinguished spec
tators, and the energetic action Of the
Grand Duke Nicholas-who pressed at
once 70 the front in virtue of his position
as commander Of the fire brigade
spurred on thefiramen TO fresh exertions,
and they buckled 70 their work like
/ heroes. The emperor himself kept en-
couraging the brave fellows with voice
and gesture, and in doing SO ventured
somewhat closer to the blazing walls than
seemed altogether safe 70 the minister Of
police. whom could hear making urgent
remonstrances. to which the czar. in his
excitement. paid no attention whatever.
And now for a time it really seemed as
IL the fire would be mastered after all
Fortunately. the church stood by itself
in the midst of a broad, open space,
fanked by the canal, and thus. the near
est houses being too far Off to run any
risk Of catching fire. the men were able
70 concentrate their whole attention upon
the burning building itself.
Presently duh rumble, thrice repeat
Cd. was heard within the building. and
then the spiro itself was seen to shake
and totter.
look outl~ roared hundred voices
ut once. ''the towers fallingf"
There came a crash like the discharge
of dozen cannon and a spout Of FIRE
shot up into the very sky. while a hail
of sparks and pieces Of burning wood
f came pelting down upon the crowd amid
a thick gust Of hot, sliding smoke.
just then ! saw Gen. Irep0.f seize the
emperor by the arm and drag him forci-
bly backward. not an instant too soon,
for The next moment a huge blazing
beam. at least twelve feet long. fell
crashing upon the very SPOT where thcy
had Just been standing. din-ins shower
OF flaming splinters over the car and as
rescuer
Pardon ny boldness II tel vour
majesty plainly. said the general em-
phaticallY. that your presence here.
and fhe risk % which it exroses Won.
can only hamper our work and distract
our attention. n yo1r majesty uih he