Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-03-15
BY Capt Charles King. U. "a.
Author Of '.DUNRAvEN RANCE" 'THE CoLoNKi.S
DAuoHrER," !" .'MARioNs FAITH" ETC.

instant. It was just after taps-or 10
o'clock--when Kate's shrieks aroused
the inmates OF SudsvilIe and started tho
cry Of Fire" Tho flimsy structure OF
pine boards burned like 30 much finder,
and the child and her stupeficd father
had been dragged forth only In time 10
save their lives. The little one, after
giving the alarm, had rushed again into
the house and was tugging at his sense
less form when rescue came for both
none too soon.
As for Mrs. Clancy, at the first note OF
danger she had rushed screaming to tho
spot, but only in time TO see the whole
interior ablaze and to howl frantically
for some man to save her money--it was
all in the green box under the bed. For
husband and child she had for the
moment no thought. They were safely
out of the fire by the time she got there.
and she screamed and fought like fury
against the msn who held her back
when she would have plunged into the
midst of it. II took but minute for
ono or two men to burst through the
fiimsy wall with axes, to rescue the
burning box and knock of the lid. II
was a sight to see when the contents
were handed TO her. She knelt, wept,
prayed, counted over bill after bill Of
smoking, steaming greenbacks, until
suddenly recalled to her senses by the
eager curiosity and the remarks Of some
Of her fellow women. That she kept
money, and good deal of il, in her
quarters had long been suspected and as
ficrcely denied but no one had dreamed
of such sum as was revealed.
In her frenzy she had shrieked that
the savings Of her lifetime were burning
that there was over three thousand
dollars In the box; but she hid her treas
uro and gasped and stammered and
swore she was talking "wild like" "They
was nothing but twos and wans," she
vowed; yet there were women there who
declared that they had seen tens and
twenties ms she hurried them through
her trembling fingers, and Sudsville gos-
sipcd and talked for two hours after she
was led away, still moaning and shiver-
ing, to tho bedside of poor Clancy, who
was the miserable cause Of it all. The
colonel listened 10 the stories with such
patience as could be accorded to wit
nesses who desired TO give prominence
to their personal exploits in subduing
the flames and rescuing life and prop
crty. II was not until he and the group
of officers with him had been engaged
some moments in taking testimony that
something was elected which caused a
new senation.
II was not by the united efforts of Suds-
vile that Clancy and Kate had been
dragged from the flames, but by the in
dividual dash and determination of
single man; there was no discrepancy
here, for the ten or q dozen who were
wildly rushing about the house made no
effort to burst into it until a young soldier
leaped through their midst into the blaz-
ing doorway, was seen to throw blan-
ket over some object within, and the
next minute appeared again, dragging a
body through the flames. Then they
had sprung to his aid. and between them
Kate a. "the ould man" were lifted into
the open air. A moment later he had
handed Mrs. Clancy her packet of money.
and-they hadn't seen him since. He
was an officer, said they--a new one
They thought it must be the new lieuten-
ant of Company B; and the colonel look
ed quickly around and said few words
TO his adjutant, who started up the hill
forthwith. A group of officers and la
plateau east of the guard house, gazing
down upon tho scene below, and other
ladies, with their escorts, had gathered
on little knoll close by the road that
led to Prairie avenue. 1t was past these
that the adjutant walked rapidly away,
swinging his hurricane lamp in his
hand.
(Which way now. Billings?" called one
Of thc cavalry officers in the group.
"Over to Mr.. Haynes quarters" he
shouted back, never stopping at all.
A silence fell upon the group at men,
tion of the name. They were tho ladies
from Capt. Rayner's and few of their
immediate friends. All eyes followed
tho twinkling light as it danced away
eastward towards the gloomy coal sheds.
Then there was sudden and intense inter.
est The lamp had come to a stand still
was deposited on the ground, and by its
dim ray the adjutant could be seen bend
ing over dark object that was half sit,
ting, half reclining at the platform OF
the shed. Then came a shout, "Come
here, some of you" And most of the
men ran to the spot.
For a moment not one word was spoken
in the watching group; then Miss Trav'
ers' voice was heard:
"What can it be? Why do they STOP
there?"
She felt sudden hand upon her wrist
and her sisters lips at her ear;
Come away, Nellie. want to &C
home. Gomez
''But, Kate, must see what it means. =
"No; come! lists only some other
drunken man probably. Conner And
she strove to lead her.
But the other ladies' were curious too
and all, insensible, were edging over tc
the east as though eager to get in sight
of the group. The recumbent objec,
had been raised. and was seen to be the
dark figure of man whom the others
began slowly to lead away. One of the
group came running back to them; il
was Mr.. Foster.
Come, ladies; Twill escort you home
as the others are busy"
"What is the matter, Mr.. Foster?'
was asked by half dozen voices.
1T was MIR. Hayne-badly burned.
fear. He was trying TO get home after
having saved poor Clancy.
"You don't say so! Oh, isn't there
something we can do? Can't we go that
way and be of some help?' was the eager
petition Of more than one OF the ladies.
mot now. They will have the doctor
in a minute. He has not inhaled fame
it is all external; but he was partly blind
ed and could not find his way. Ii,
called to Billings when he heard him