Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-10-06
As they onened the door at tbo foot

AS they opened the door at the foot
smoke. Here even Tom lost his way.
and opened a door leading to another
room instead Of the stairway. On
entering this room they saw at the end
faint light and rushed forward. There
they fond a window which they soon
raised, and yelled to the crowd below
at the top of their voices and made
| the most frantic gestures for help. This
they kept up for fully five minutes
then they began to despair as they
saw the crowd did not see them or
hear them. Still they tried once more.
terrified and hopeless.
Among those whose curiosity was
aroused when the freman's horn was
heard through the village was Jack. 1t
did not take him long to make his way
to the mill where a crowd had already
gathered. Efforts had been made to
check the progress of the fire, but the
tremen had given that up and now
were trying to save the buildings
around. Jack made his way to the
front of the crowd where he found Mr.
Willard calling in aloud voice to the
crowd. He promised fifty dollars 10
the person who would bring down a
book from the ffth-story window. The
offer was tempting, yet 40 one dared
to accept it.
At the words fifty dollars" Jack
started. What large sum of money
to him; he had never had so much be-
fore in his life; how it would help his
widowed mother! He was absorbed
with the idea and without thinking of
the danger accepted the proposal
Without heSitaing Jack took a short
rope-ladder to faSten to the window
and began tC ascend amid the cheers of
the crowd. Slowly he worked upward.
1t seemed Il long time before he came
near the window and as he approached
the upper end of the ladder he climbed
more cautiously.
Jack lock up to sec the window rs he
neared it, and then saw what the
crowd could not see. Three pale and
terrified faces looking from a window
within two feet Of the one to which he
was going. It did not take an instant
for him to recognize them. There his
three worst enemies, helpless, looking
down at him. For an instant Jack
paused. A multitude of thoughts pass
ed through his mind. Within easy
reach on one side was fifty dollars, on
the other three enemies in peril. Why
not get the book, descend and tell Of
the boys, it might not be too late and
would punish them. While he paused
he decided to do the most noble thing
he could do, to rescue these boys from
death at the pedil Of his own. All this
passed so quickly that it was not
noticed by those below. He acted as
soon as he decided and threw up the
short r0pe-ladder, the iron hooks Of
which caught on the sill of the window.
Jack drew himself up and climbing in
the window. Selling Harry he climbed
out and down to q man who was COM
ing to answer his gesture for aid. The
operation was a perliOus one, and the
man ascending with great surprise took
the limp body and carried it down. AS
soon as it was seen by those below,
others hurried up the ladder just as
Jack came out with Henry in his firm
grasp. Both boys were taken carefully
down while Jack once more went back
for Tom.
Raising himself to the window Jack
beheld his enemy on the floor limp and
helpless. He climbed in and leaned
over him. The boys eyes opened and
10 ~
Jack answered kindly as he raised Tom
to his shoulder and climbed to the win
dow. His strength was almost gone
but he managed to lift Tom out OF the
window to the man just outside to re
ceive him. Then he too prepared to
climb out, but from the burning build
ing several boards had been lOOSened
and now came crashing down near the
window. A heavy plank fell on jack
back and pinned him to the floor before
he could escape. Still the brave boy.
though blinded and injured, tried to
climb from beneath the heavy boards
Help was near and kindly hands drew
him cut and bore him bleeding and
fainting down the long ladder to the
cheering crowd.
But the praise turned to pity when
they beheld the dying boy laid on the
ground by the side of the comrades
whom he had rescued from a horrible
death, and who never forgot the noble
revenge Of the boy who could forgive
his worst enemies when he saw them n
danger.