The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-23

him but a dense wall CT smoke in the direc.
ton OF the distant spire; the second, that
the ladders by which he and his co-workers
had assembled TO the roof had been
taken away TO make room for the
wagons; the third, his fathers team. he
hesItated not an instant. Now, Paupa.
now" he shouted, and making two down
ward bounds, sprsng forward into space.
The wagon was thirty feet beneath him,
but true 60 bis early practice, his body
struck the rack full in It's center and sunk
from sight into the hay. Scarcely a second,
however, was he invisible; he sprang from
the vehicle as quickly as he had Ieaped into
It. The bewildered crowd scattered as he
landed IN It's midst, ana shouted after him
as be rushed furiously up the street. Turn
ing corner, and the church coming full
into view, be paused and looked at 1t; there
was little tongue of flame so high up that
1t seemed to lick the sky. His heart sunk
but he bounded forward again. Around
the sacred edidce dense mass of people
was collected; horse aud rider stood di
rectiy In his way; he Owed under the ami
NAL and was gone.
"How now" exclaimed Maj. Lining
the rascal would carry my legs with him !;
whol-why, it's Will"
Into the church, to the spiral stairway,
onward and upward. There were three
sets OF windows in the steeple, and just be-
low each the usual platform or resting
place; he only paused at the second of these
he could go no further without taking a
moments rest. He looked about him, saw
something move in the seml-dsrknsss of a
corner, heard a peculiar sound. 1.-THE
clock, f." said he; 20! but Use mighty high
up"
He glanced upward; it was dark as mid
night above him. But where WAS the stair
cAsea He saw the foot of q ladder. II
glad" he said, "pll stop goin' roun'," and
he mounted the ladder
Twilight, darkness, bats, dust,
twilight again. and at last
the toDmost platform. How his bosom
heaved nowl How heavy he was, aud how
his heart throbbed. He dragged himself to
one Of the little windows and looked out
The great dome of the steeple was just be-
meath him; In the street, far, far below, a
multitude Of dwarfs; to the north, east and
south seethinG hell Of flame and smoke.
he had scarcely made these obser vations
when the thrilling chorus of q thousand
yells entered shis ssul-the people in the
street had seen him. o! the Joy, the ex-
ultation of it; thank God for it and the new
strength that it brought He waved his
arm and shouted In response with all the
strength OF his lunEs-then, bravely.
to work. The Ere was still above
him, ION the top OF the oupola next to the
vane. He sat upon the window sill, reached
upward with both hands ard grnsped firmly
an ornamental ledge that oiroled the top o
the cupola just below the roof. Outward
and upward then be drew his body, slowly,
but without q tremor or q pause, until he
stood upright upon the sill leaning forward
oxcr the roof. There was the hre-a little
circle OF flame only two feet In diameter, but
WiQnntn0 q
stretched forth his right hand; alas be could
not reach it; he must mount even higher.
just within reach Of bis arm there were
several shingles whose edges curled upward,
having been warped by sun and rain; be-
meath two OF these he insinuated his fingers
aud took his hfe-hold. "Now," said the
black hero, If dem single don't give way
I'll out dat fire yet" and exerting all his
strength, he raised himself onto the roof
He laid fat and attacked the flames at
onco. Shingls after shinRle, wrenohed
by an iron wrist from Its place while blaZ-
ing. few behind him into space, to fall
some upon the roof, some among the graves
in the churchyRrd, some upon the heads OF
the wildly cheering people below. A dozen,
two dozen, and more were thus cast back
ward over his head-and the sublime
achievement was complete; the fire was ex-
tinguished, and he had saved from destruc-
ton that venerable house Of God, pro-
nounced by Edmund Burke, 1.-THE finest
ecclesiastical structure in America"
Five minutes later be was borne from
the church upon shoulders that were
proud of their burden. A horssman
shouted Bring him here" and the hands OF
master and slave met and clasped, thus
publicly.
"Wiil," said Maj. Lining, you are a
noble fellow"
TANK you, Mausa." said VIII.
'But you are faint, and-just Heavenl
your hand is cookedW
"Only little bun. Mausa," said Will,
with weary smile.
The major leaped from his saddle Seat
him on the horse" said ne. land take him
home" and, as they essayed 10 obey, tell
his mistress" he added, that consign to
her personal care, not q slave, but hero. {"
All too cold are the words which follow,
and which must close this truthful story.
The Gospel Messenger of Aug. a. 1895,
says: "The following letter Of Gen. c.
Gadsden and Col. John Huger was laid be-
fore the vestry:
"'GENTLEMEN-Agreea TO your de-
sire, united with the request OF Maj. Charles
Lining, TO appraise negro man, at present
his property, for the express purpose Of his
being liberated, and as a reward for having
extinguished the flames which in the late
conflagration on 18th ultimo had been COM
municated to st. Philips church, but by his
uncommon and particular exertion at the
awful moment, that venerable building WAS
preserved; and, having seen the said Will,
and being likewise well acquainted with his
character and profession, we have
estimated the value OF the said Will at
al75.'
agreed to, Mr.. Lining giving e10
"The fellow, being called and informed of
his emancipation, requested that be may in
future be called 'Will Philip Lining"
Philip, after the church, Possibly.
Lining, after his master? Possibly.
But while we speculate let US not
forget that Philip Lining was the name
of that little friend who had lain in a baby's
grave for nigh twenty years
The hero of the stirring poem entitled
"How He Saved ST. Michael's" and the
"Will" of our story are, evidently, one aud
the same person. The author of that other
wise meritorious poem, however. makes as
sertion to at least two very eerious errors.
st. Michaels was never saved from
burning by a slave-St. Philips was.
And, again, the slave who heroioally
saved St. Philips was rewarded with
emancipation, not by "the mayor Of the
to wn," but by the vestry Of st. PHILIPPE
his former owner contributing-as truth
fully related in Twill"
1t may be added that the story OF will"
is substantially a true story throughout.
every detail of its main incidents being
gathered from the local history of another
cyeneration. in many instances, from printed