The Irish standard., 1891-11-28
LIFE 30 r LIFE.
The Heroic Act Which Cost 8
Il. Noble Man His Life.
Germany's Minister to tho United States
Saves the Lives Of Some Playing
Children at the Cost
of His Own.

On a sunny AFTERNOON laSL spring d
group of children were playing on the
edge of a sidewalk that fringes one of
the many handsome, wooded squares OF
Washington. The group numbered
nearly 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 a
group by themselves, stood the nurses
of the little ones. The charm of the
afternoon had attracted many to the
promenades and not a few paused as
they saw the children at 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, a
large horse, hitched to hanson cab
and without driver to guide him,
turned the corner and with the speed
of a 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 steed and their blanched
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, able-bodied 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,
A man of stalwart frame burst
through the bushes surrounding the
square, brushed with one sweep of his
arm d pathway through the crowd
and spranf; at the horses head. The
man WAS a. very. giant in stature and
his grasp upon the bride was un'
shakable. But the fight 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
children. And when moment later
the rescuer brought the horse to a halt
cry of Joy went up from everyone
AS If moved by the same thought, al
ran toward the deliverer to thank him
for his act. Before they could reach
him he fell. His arm was broken, ane
a doctor, after a hasty examination
said that he had also sustained interna
injuries. He recovered In time, ap
parently, and in the early sumner his
tall figure could be seen any pleasant
afternoon on the avenue. But appear
ances were deceitful. He had not re
covered. He suffered, but said moth
ing. But the pain became at last 81
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 ant
that the rescuer of the little children
would suffer no more. He was dead
His name? Count Ludwig Won Arcc
Valley, envoy extraordinary and min
lister plenipotentiary Of Germany to the
United States.