The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-04-10

was seen approaching, and fire laddie, in
less time than it takes to tell it, was up my
window like squirrel, playing the hose on
beautiful aud elaborate scarlet embroid-
cred nightie of mine which hung over the
head of my couch.
The statement in the Nebraska papers
that was perfectly cool even at first is
very kind, but not borne out by the facts.
was not real cool till the hose company
had been playing on me for some little
time.
Regarding my heroism in saving the life
of q slender and beautiful dining room girl,
or doughnut lady, 1 will say that the
press, especially Omaha and Beatrice, has
erred in its enthusiasm and haste to do me
favor altogether out of proportion to the
act of courage and heroism itself.
l always, while stopping at hotel, very
early decide in my own mind which of the
dinng-room girls L would save in case of
fire. This do invariably while l am per-
fectly cool, knowing that If fire should
break out | might in the wild excitement
of the moment rescue right and left with
out any discretion or sense. Once rescued
a shrouded figure in the darkness and I'M
certainty of night, and when | took her to
the light and got three reporters to take
down what she might say by way of thanks
/ found when 1t was too late that she was
little colored bootblack who could neither
read nor write.
The dining-room girl whom rescued at
Beatrice was heavier than had supposed
and had not more than half rescued her
when regretted it. However, as l reached
the foot of the first fire escape she returned
to consciousness and sprang out of my
arms with a cry Of horror. l Gained her.
however, so that her fears at last vanished.
and with a deep drawn sigh, having al
ready noticed that l was very much out of
breath, she took me over her shoulder and
carried me to thu foot of the fire escape.
| l noticed recently that King Humbert of
| Italy has severely criticiZes the Roman fire
department, and | agree with him that #
needs thorough overhauling. Having seen
| the Roman ire department myself [ would
say that the insurance company that would
| take risk in Rome would deserve to die in
want,
in the first place, the Roman hose is de-
cayed. 1t would not hold roilroad ties CIR
| hoop poles. | did not ct to see Humbert
while l was there, but wrote him a well
timed note regarding his fire department.
and in that note l said that if he would
give less attention to his personal appear
| ance and more to the question of the Ro-
man fire department he would make hit.
This winter has proven what l said to be
true l wrote piece also for the Roman
morning paper-The Roman Candle, is was
called-a piece which 1 signed "Veritas, u
and in which L said it was time to call 8
halt. The piece was never published, anc
HAD TO LEAVE ROME
before 1 had got my visit out on accounr
OF 1t. There were some good points in i
TOO. l managed to mildly roast Humber
in it. and got off two or three good Ioca
hits In the piece; then got it put into gooc
Italian by the restaurant where l stopped
while in Rome.
This winter Humbert was out to see 6
Roman fire, and the department did moi
reach the scene for an hour and half
Over 100000 francs worth of property
was destroyed. One engine tipped over or
the way to the fire, and the others might
as well have done so, for the hose would