The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-26
A Young Hero.

f,tbnr in every sense Of the word
Thomas Harden. Sr., was a plump. goon-
natured Whi5tling. cheeriui niue ma"
and Tommy Harden, Jr, had been cnt
from the same pattern, only three size"
And. whereas. Thomas Harden. the IA
Their, took care Of the great DolieFS lh
the basement OF the lNchl3nd houSe
the largest hotel in the city Tommy, the
boy. ran the elevator in that hotel HOW
old the former was | do not know tne
latter was ten. rs one counts years, htN
he was 1T least q hundred II one took
into consideration his mother Wit ana
courage for Tommy's father had fsen
"A soldier and had loved his country bet
ter than life. and he had lnStlled thls
love and the sense OF doing his duf[.
whenever it came to him, into his small
boys mind at q very early ase. The
result was-but this IS the story Of one
Of the results.
Though Tommy was 50 small for his
age. he was a muscular little chap, ana
his sturdy legs supported "A sturdy body,
which in turn held up well-made and
WeiI-Gled head, with a bright, smine
face. surn united BY curly head "
reddish yellow hair; and As n to Away
proclaim his Unborn p5tnOtism - D."
world Tommy's eyes were the deepest
Of blue, ana his skin Unusually white.
ana there you had him-red White and
hlue. oh, there could bc no doubt about
Tommy being a true American
And one day the hotel hume. Tom
my had just come 10 work-he was al
Ways there at o'clock i'm the morning.,
rain or shine or snow and laying dust
If out the elevator ear bcipE neat
chap as well a. patriotic, he ran 1t
slowly to tho Top 90 the hIiI1irg sis
floors in al. The night CLERK Who was
Just getting ready 60 - h1me.slv h.m
start. but before that gentleman could
-.ru around for his nat and coat which
hung behind linn, the elevator came
down with rush, "a! 4 Tommy. his cv
hI-rrr, than ever ana evidently greatly
..'d snraur our- cXriru'or.
The house Is adre, Mr.. Parke, the
Without losing moment TO ask Quos-
alarm. AMI then he and tine hastily sum
u,neI servants dashed up the stairs.
tArce at time, 10 See what they could
dJ until the engines came. But th0U-n
tney were qlick the fire was quicker
oot little enOush they found % do. Be-
FIRE they had reached the first landing
on the broad stairway, with a rush and
roar like lot Of wild animals the fright
eucd guests OF the hotel came hur.ng
themselves downstairs, some Of them
dressed, some not but all excited and
frightened. and the night clerk and his
force were pushed down before them o.
To- office floor again ere taey had time
TO think.
Bat Tommy as the roar OF hundreds
Of feet and the shrielS OF hundreds OF
women and children mingled with The
hoarse cries Of the men, came 10 him
from above, saw what must eventually
happen. The stairway would be blOcaGed
and there would be many suil unable to
gel out, left to perish in the burning
building. And as he saw this, without
Il moments hesitation, he ran back 10
the elevator. Jumped into il slammed
the door 10. pulled the rope and once
again they slid up, The shaft As ~
paused on the third A0Or d moment be
saw something which made him fairly
sick. The retreat To the stairs WAS en-
tirely cut off by "A broad sheet Of fame
that just then burst from room near
them, and the back steps were already
q fire. so the people on that Moor ana
all above Il were without means OF escape,
save q very small and inefficient FIRE eS-
cape further around the building.
For q moment poor Tommy-"ho was
only p little boy, after all--Ielt ass ~ he
would much rather LET the others take
care Of themselves while he looked 0ut
for Tommy. but this thought passed away
quickly, and the training he had hal all
his short life came 10 him.
IT'S Wy duty 90 STAY" ne said 10 him
self. swallowing the funny little lump
that persisted IN coming up in his throat
stick to my post. And d1ddv'd be- n
shamed Of me If l didn't DO that" Then,
with one look m ouud him. De steppeI
back into the car aul the moment after
1t had disappeared up the shaft again.
And then began the most exciting five
minutes Of Tommy's life. The gorge1
staircase becoming more lammed and
INSTRUCTED than ever. the stampadad rao-
pie grew fairly frantic, ana ran wildly
about upstairs Ia the halls X WIS aw-
fur 10 hear the cries and screams OF fear
and Tommy tried 20 shut them out. but
thrOugh it all and the racket the hremen.
who had come at last, made, the elevator
shot up and down as regularly and stead
ily as II there were nothing the matter.
taking on as many people as IL would
hold from the upper stories OF the build
ing and unloading them on the office
floor. where II was easy for them 10
make their escape Up and down. up
and down. went Tommy and his faithful
car and the brave Elite heart under the
blue jacket. with all its lovely brass but
tons, never again thought Of his own
danger once it had recognized its duty.
soldiers don't run away when there
hsntlng TO oe oong5, Slit tommy 70
son OF a solder
So up and down went the elevator with
its strange. frightened passengers. and