The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-12-13
LIFE FOR LIFE.
The Heroic ACT Which COST a
Noble Man His Life.
Germnny's Minister to the United States
Saves tho Lives OF Some Playing
Children Mt tho Cost
of His Own.

On sunny afternoon l2st spring a
group of children were playing on the
edge of n sidewalk that fringes one of
the many handsome, wooded squares of
Washington. The group numbered
nearly a dozen. Bright pretty children
they were. ranging in age from three
to ten. All were dressed in the pref
test of gowns, and near by, forming
group by themselves, stood the nurses
of the little ones. The charm of the
afternoon had attracted many to the
promcnades and not few paused as
they saw the children ut play to watch
them. A game of tag was in progress.
To escape the chaser the little ones ran
into the street. AS they did SO, says a
correspondent of the Chicago Post, IL
large horse, hitchcd to u hanson cab
and without driver to guide him,
turned the corner and with the speed
of u frightened animal rushed toward
the playing children. The tots, wrapped
in the excitement Of their game. did
not see the runaway, and, all uncon-
scious of their danger, romped on.
The pedestrians and the nurses
saw the flying stced and their blanchcd
faces told that they knew too we'll the
impending horror. But the knowledge
seemed to have paralyzed the senses.
No one moved. No one so much as ut
tered a cry of warning. There were
men, nblc-bodicd men, too, in the
crowd. But, like the women, they
stood helpless spectators of the scene.
On rushed the runaway. The street
was on an incline, with the children
near the bottom, and the horse gained
impetus with every bound But TWEEN
ty feet separated him from the still-un-
conscious children. Women turned
their heads and men closed their eyes
to Shut out the horrible sight.
man of stalwart frame burst
through the bushes surrounding the
square, brushed with one sweep of his
arm pathway through the crowd
and sprang at the horses head. The
man was very giant in stature and
his grasp upon the bride was I'M
shakable. But the flight of the horse
was too great for two giants to have
stopped in the short space between him
and the children. But not too great
for the unknown to throw the horse
from his course. The swerve was not
much, but it was sufficient to miss the
the rcscuer brought the horse to halt
cry of JOY went up from everyone.
AS if moved by the same thought, all
ran toward the dclivcrcr to thank him
for his act Before they could reach
him he fell. His arm was broken, and
doctor, after hasty examination,
said that he had also sustained internal
injuries. lie recovered in time, ap-
parently, and in the early summer his
tall figure could be seen any pleasant
afternoon on the avenue. But appear
ances were dcccitful. lie had not re-
covered. lie suffered, but said moth
ing But the pain became at last SO
great that he went home across the
ocean to be helped. His friends here
waited anxiously for tidings. They
came. They first told that an opera
ton was to be performed. Then they
told that it had been performed and
that the rcscucr of the little children
would suffer no more. He was dead.
His name? Count Ludwig Won Arco
Valley, envoy extraordinary and min
lister plcnipotentinry of Germany to the
United States