The Coconino sun. [volume] (Flagstaff, Ariz.) 1891-1891, 1891-06-20
A MODERN ELIJAH.

He was small and black-a child OF
an inferior race. There was nothing
In his appearance to suggest the hero,
and If you had told him that he was a
hero he would scarcely have known
what you meant An unschooled, il
iterate ugly, bullet-hcaded negro, he
he'd, nevertheless, been baptized by
the same spirit which had caused the
face of ST. Stephen to shine as the
face of an angel.
One winter day--almost year be-
fore the event which gave him u
chance to show the tariff that was in
him-he came into the hotel looking
for a job. The Office was brilliantly
lighted and filled with crowd of
handsomely dressed men. There were
politicians, club men, men about town,
reporters, many members OF the sport
ing fraternity, the usual loungers and
hangers-on, an occasional hayseed--
all forming n very startling back
ground for the rags and filth OF the
poor shivering, half.starved little
darkey. 1t was no easy matter for him
to steer his course TO the desk, and
when he got there the splendor of the
man behind 1t dai.ed him so that his
voice almost failed him. He had, how
ever even ut his early age reached
the point whore he had to work or
starve. SO his necessities made him
eloquent His eloquence prevailed. He
was, on the next day placed on the
payroll of the great hotel.
As bell-bOy he was not a success.
fear | must confess that he was lazy.
People liked him-,I do not know why,
and for some reason or other he was q
favorite with his employers. If he had
not been they would have dismissed
him before his first week was out. In
stead of doing thas they concluded to
find more cOngenial work for him. 50
they put him in charge of one OF the
elevators.
Among the passengers who used to
ride up and down with the boy was a
little five-year-old girl, the daughter
OF a family living in the hotel. She
was as perfect type OF her race as he
was of his. With her fair white skin,
golden hair, deep blue eyes and pretty
womanly ways, the child was a general
tavorite. Every one knew her; every
one loved her. Between her and the
boy great friendship had sprung up.
He was devotion itself, and his atten-
ton to the little Caucasian was 50
grotesquely chivalrous as to be almost
pathetic. She accepted them all with
a dignity and grace that were charm
ing. Her family lived on the top floor
OF the house, and as she always rode
in his elevator when she could manage
TO do so, the boy and girl saw much Of
each other. Once she was i'll. The
medicine that helped her most was q
wretched little bouquet sent her by her
dusky friend.
II was winter again. The evening
Of which l write was very cold and
clear. The stars were diamond-like in
their brilliancy. Everything was
frozen up--the wheels creaked on the
snow.
The hotel was crowded with guests.
Not more than two or three OF the
hundreds of rooms were unOccupied.
A belated traveller who had been on O
weather-bound train came in at one
o'clock, tired and cold. He ordered @
fire in his room ant then went TO the
bar for drink. A few minutes later
he stepped into the boys elevator and
was carried TO the top floor.
The great house was quiet Most
of the lights in the Office had been ex.
tinguished. Two night-owls were
talking in low tones on one of the
settees which lined the walls OF the
lobby. The bell-hoys were most o.
them asleep. The clerk was browsing.
Two o'clock! The night-owls got
up and walked out into the cold air.
A drunken man pol;ed his nose in the
door, The sleeping porter seemed II
scent him for he hustled the poor fell
low out.
The quiet deepened till il became
almost oppressive. The air was heavy
with it.
Suddenly, without note OF warn
ing, the cry of "Fire!" rang through
the house. There was life enough
now. Scantily-clad people were sour
rying wildly through the smoke-iilled
corridors. They came plunging dowr
the stairs TO the Office, and so out int
the freezing night. Shrieks and curse
and groans and prayers--it was Babe
broken loose. All the bells in thu
house were ringing. The smoke grew
denser. 1t seemed to come from every
where-above and below. Great blact
volumes rolled through the long halls
Outside, the streets were jammed with
people. The engines, with their clang
ing gcngs, hurried 10 the scene. Lad
ders were raised and the work o
rescue began.
II was time, for there was a whit
figure at almost every one OF the mul
titudinous windows. The awful wal
doomed up in the darkness story OF
story. dimly seen as to its upper half
for that part of it was wreathed in thu
binding smoke. The smoke turned
to fiame-name bursting through score
OF windows. The terror-strickei
creatures began to jump. The peopl
in the street below were frantic.
Back! back!" they shrieked
WATT we will save you! don't jump!
Which is the pleasanter, to b
roasted alive or TO be mashed out Q
shape on the stone pavement? If ther
is to be any saving done, it must b
done quickly. Mary people were bug
saving themselves. The sleeping cleF
and porter and bell-boys had gotte