The record-union., 1891-03-08

Dlnsmore, my cook, having arrived
upon the scene at this moment, all four
set at work in dead earnest, and in very
short time every movable article belong
ing to me was taken out and deposited in
one heap upon the levee. The stovepipe
hat and the woman's nightcap were just
as conspicuous at l O'clock in the morn
ing as they hao been at o'clock the night
before. The same rollicking self-reliance
was seen then as when the men came
staggering into my saloon on the preced-
ing evening. But both men were full of
human sympathy, and ''never felt hap
pier" as they expressed it, than when
doing good turn for the lame man ut
No. X street."
OUR Loss WAS THEIR GAIN.
They proved to be part of the crew of
the schooner Eliza Downs, of Belfast,
Me-, laden with building materials and
light hOuse-frameS, shipped as an expert
ment and owned by the officers and crew.
They had but just arrived from ''the
States" and were awaiting an oppor-
tunity to discharge cargo. These boys
had gone ashore in search Of the ''ele-
phant," were entire strangers, and provi-
dentially made their first call at my little
place of business. When the fire broke
out they followed the crowd to the scene,
and fell back with the advancing flames
until they reached the saloon where I
had found them. What became so disas-
trous to the citizens of your city, burned
out of house and home, became equally
fortunate to them, for the cargo, which
could have brought them but nominal
sum before the fire, went up afterwards
to such fabulous prices as to yield officers
and crew most generous return.
With this timely aid, and screened by
the Lady Adams building, all had been
accomplished that was possible for four
men to do under these trying circum-
stances, and, heart-sick, l sat down
among the remnants of my stock in trade
and watched the fire fiend wipe out the
balance of the city.
THAT WAS A CHASTITY SCENE,
AS witnessed by 10000 people huddled
together on the outskirts of the burnt
district" in the gray of that cold Novem-
Der morning, watching the fragments of
their fortunes go down into dust and
ashes.
1t was while sitting there in the cool,
biting air, mapping out programme
that would fit my future, that my sailor
boy friends conceived plan which en-
abled me to open to the furnishing people
a coffee-stand-the first that was started
on the morning of that most terrible con-
ftagration. A couple of pork barrels, 4
charred door and jib staysail were the
beginning. A hollow square formed of
ropes and slaves driven into the ground
protected me from the clamoring crowd
and long before the sun had climbed the
golden stairs fifty gallons of coffee and as
many loaves OF bread had been dis
tributed to the hungering poor along the
levee on Front street.
A SAD PARTING.
The men who came into my restaurant
on the night before, dressed In manner
to excite the gravest fear, and used Ian
guage that must 10 many instances have
provoked a serious quarrel, turned out
better than they seemed. From street.
brawlers, spelling for a fight. they had
proven good samaritans, and builded
better than theys knew. When the reac-
ton set in, and I began to realize how
much they had done for me, was equally
glad to give them in turn all the praise
they deserved. When one morning the
schooner's signal was seen flying at the
peak, calling the men aboard for duty,
my sailor friends babe me hasty adieu.
They were to discharge cargo and sail
thence for the Penobscot River, 'iaway
down in Maine" AS stood there
AMONG THE SMOKING RUINS
And gazed upon that picture of desolation,
my feelings overcame me, and the tears
came suddenly into my eyes. There was
something both grand and inspiring in
what these boys had done for me. They
had come unsolicited; they had be-
frlended me in moment when friends
were equally friendless, and I could not
seem to let them go. l chung to them as
though our acquaintance had begun in the
same district school, and our friendships
had ripened under the pine trees that
sheltered each others home.
I watched the schooner drop down the
| stream and "sheet hone," and then ''fill
away" l stood there and watched her
| disappear in silence, and waved my hat
in response to the one waved at me; then
l returned to my coffee stand, converted
man-converted by the fact that appear
ances are oftentimes deceiving, and that
many an honest heart beats under a
ragged shirt. GEO. G. SPURR.
Boston, Mass, March l, 1891.