Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-04-25

to cease, Tor at q WINDOW out of which
came almost solid bursts of smoke the
blackness Of which was curiously tingcd
with reflection of flame, and all forming
a background to the man in evening
dress, with a white handkerchief tied
oddly over his face, as he was holding q
baby.
Amid the momentary hush at the weird
like sight came his commanding voice:
Hold your coats, some of you! At least
let us ave the child"
Before the latter part of his cool words
was entirely spoken cheer upon cheer
arose below at his undoubted presence of
mind and sang froid, while a dozen men
had stripped off their coats, and, standing
elbow to elbow, had formed species of
bag below. Then the cheers ceased, and
a new hush of expectancy was felt. "What
would he do? Could he throw the babe
safely. or was it going toward certain
deathy' were questions that every fire.
man and on-looker mentally asked them
selves.
Still newer hush and fresher expectan-
cy from below, as he was next seen to
sit on the window sill, and, steadying his
left hand against the shutter. made the
motion of toss with the other hand.
Double hush and triple expectancy from
the crowd below, when, with the strength
of an athlete, the quickness of swords
man and the precision of bowler at ball
play, the figure from out of the blackness
all around him parted with the infant.
A white parcel now descended, amid
the deepest hush Of all, and then fell with
result of perfected aim into the center of
the extemporized receptacle. The child
for an instant bounded upward, but on
its second and minimum fall was skill
fully caught in the arms of one of the
stalwart tiremen in the rescuing group.
But the brave man? Was he to perish
He was presently seen at the next win
dow, having reached it by a masterful
and fylike crawl on a coping under both
windows.
Ladders! LADDERS was the new cry
These had already been prepared, but as
the longest touched the walls beneath
where the unknown man in evening dress
stood, 1t proved too short. while. as that
conviction was forced upon the tiremcn.
flames began to pour on the top rounds out
of the window below the place where the
fire beleaguered hero stood, seemingly
yet undaunted.
A visible wave of horror seemed then
to pass over the throngs. The most ex-
perienced fireman appeared to be at a
puzzling loss of plan. But cheers again
arose as the threatened man-still with
the handkerchief over his face--was be-
held moving over yet another coping
grasping the stills with tenacious clutch
occasionally hidden by the dense smoke
that became denser when streams of
water blunted the force of the fire behind
him.
What was his aim? What his purpose?
What his destination? Sooner or later
he must fall into the vortex of fame be-
hind him or on the pavement below.
He is making for the water pipe"
cried the chief engineer.
He has grasped it already" added
foreman of an engine
what coolness! thought all, as like a
sailor descending a rope hand over hand
he managed to reach the side bar of a
ladder raised against the pipe: and amid
cheers that could have been heard far
into the village he reached the ground.
Reached it only to be surrounded by a
cheering mob who sought to take him by
the hand, and who fought so confusedly
that in the semi-melee he. through some
dexterity, had disappeared as unknown
as he had at first emerged on his self-im-
posed task of mercy.
But the crowd found his hat and picked
up cambria handkerchief. The hat
contained no card. The kerchief had
nothing of Identification, except two finger
holes that had made peep apertures for
his eyes. Evidently he knew how to
fight FIRE.
The local papers on the next morning
narrated the romantic incidents of his
deed through columns of commencing de-
scription. One paper headed its account
IAN Unknown Hero" another paper put
forth this headline: Modest Savior of a
Babe" All gazettes exhausted rhetori-
cal praise for the unknown in his cool
ness, atheism and modest bravery.
Miss Vera and her party came into the
breakfast room earlier than usual Con-
trary to divers sermons she had many
times delivered against the plebeian prac-
tice of newspaper reading Mt restaurant
service and thereby preventing digestion
waiting upon appetite, she was now pay
ing more attention to the morning jour-
nal than to her savory omelette. Her
face was glowing with honest enthusiasm
as she perused the thrilling account of the
fire and of the almost miraculous rescue.
Her running comments were of a SYM
pathetic and eulogistic character.
AS Carson leisurely sauntered toward
his seat at the table and nonchalantly
wished everybody a good morning in the
very midst of her enthusiasm he was
greeted with an "Of course, you heard
about the fire of last EVENING"
He looked positively unconcerned. and
she continued: But beg your pardon,
such minor affairs don't interest one of
your cold blood"
''Oh, yes; my dear Miss Vera. heard
of it. My man Mivins was there and
told me something about it,
"Of course he then saw the brave res
cue?"
RESCUE? Fancy! Was there a res
cue?" he asked, as he became apparently
absorbed in his cup Of cafe au lait.
WAS there rescue indeedY" she
scornfully demanded, and with positively
the information of almost contemptuous
indignation: "Why. look down the table!
Everybody is reading the newspaper &C.
count. Here it Is; almost q tale, that
Wilkie Collins might have penned.''
'Oh, fancy! he almost drawled, II
shall read it by and by on the piazza with
great delight. since you commend it,
You provoking man. shall tell it to
you myself"
SChon hn h.