Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-09-20

where the tapeys burned They knelt
toge,her but only the child gave utter
anle 10 their petition. He Iecited the
Lords prayer clearly, ard with more Of
reverence and comprehension than chill
dren usually ey.nee. And when he add
ca ne special prayer which his mother
had taught hin, he seemed 10 know Just
what 10 meant. and TO desiTs earnestly
that ne should be so guided while a boy
that he might grow up 70 be good and
brave man as ills dear papa had been.
MIS-. Wilton bent her head upon her
hand, c0nce3lng hsr face. The ether
: hand, amid the folds Of her black gown,
was lightly cisnched.
A moment later The little boy had
taxi n the first steps On the read to
Greenland, and the two women sat to
se,her in the parlor.
Il have been looking at The portrait
of your husband, said Mrs. Wilton.
How i.fe-like it IS; and how prettily
YOU have arranged everyJh.ng-a YER
table shrine"
Mrs. Benedict smiled Ike q praised
child.
Il think If he could see e he would
be pleased. she said. "Of course he
can. l never doubt thai. DO you?"
Il don't know replied the other
glOomily; and then reuectlng how fool
lsh and wicked il would be 70 cast the
shadow OF her unbeliei even for a mo-
ms1t upon The bright faith OF q child
.sh soul, she added: No. no. am de-
spouden; tonight; that's all. OF course
the truths Of religion are the only
there are. All else is guess work and
deception"
1T may look a little bit Ike adOlatry."
said Mrs Bened.ct-'tha candles. You
know-bu5 had to have some light on
his face In the evening Then / think
Louis will remember better his way.
l, Will make q picture in h.s MAD, and
years afterward. when, perhsps, ne will
not have me any more, ne vii. always De
reminded of me-
Il was surprised 10 find that you had
a photograph Of your husband, said
Mrs Wilton. Il always understood that
he refused TO have one taken
He refused every one but me- was
the reply. This = the only portrait o.
him 2 existence. Only one was printed,
and he made the photographer destroy
the plate. I am told tha, al the time Of
/ his dea-h the newspapers sought high
and low Tor a picture Of him but could
find none. This was under lock and key
ana I w.s lying unconscious. l would
40. have given them this, anyway l
could not trust il cue OF my keeping. You
cant understand how l value il. Thsrc
Is nothing. absolutely nothing on earth
but my child that IS 70 be mentioned in
the same breath with IT, l paid more
than a thousand dollars for that frame.
The design cos ever 50 much. l had
famous man make II"
She proceeded 20 tell who the famous
man was; and how he had told her
where she could buy the little candle
sticks: and what had been their history
for two centuries or more Evidently
che subject was in XLaust.ble: the more
surely because it led inevitably TO the
enumeration OF John Bsred-ct's virtues;
but presently the dem ads of courtesy
checked the recital. Ms. Benedict re-
I membered that her friend also was be
reayed.
Mrs. Wilton was not in The mood for
hypocrisy. sac did not permit the dig
nifed form OF the late Nj. German " i
ton 90 s-sIk through the conversation iCr
/ any great length of time. He vanish
ed: AID John Benedic; remained alone.
He was always 50 brave cried Mrs.
| Benedict. "They say he never hesitated
/ q moment when ne saw those poor people
in peril. You know he was walking On
the East side. l. w5s his t2yorire eNer-
Ci,a 10 walk l have known HIN tospend
a whole evening that way; YES, till late
in The nigat. Well, that's how ne hap
pe0ed 20 be IN tina. part Of the city; not
The very worst. you know, but still
among The tenements.
"Itall happened in an Instant. There
was an explosion in a shop that was On
the .Cwer hocr 0s d tenement house. The
whole place seemed 20 burst cut into
flames. Then from the crowded rooms
| above people swagmed like ants. This
IS what one OF tle newspapers said.
They tiled 10 get down by the fire es-
cane. There was a crush On the first
balcony above the ground. and suddenly
I It gave way and fell, carrying down the
people on Il and also the ladder that led
/ up to the next balcony.
None OF those cha, fell were hurt very
/ much: It vas worse for the others who
! were above and had no way OF reaching
/ the ground. The IRE engines did not
| come as quickly as usual, and It seemed
/ certain tina; all tAa people clingng 10
the balconies on the front Of ;le house
would be burned There was al XpresS
T wagon standing by the curb, and in 1t
/ was a coil OF rope. John saw q once
The chance 10 save ali those people. l
don, know hOw-nohodv knOWS-but
+ somehow ne climbed rgh- up the front
Of that house The stairs, You know,
were impossible.
He reached the lowest balcony that
I remained standing. The people fought
T for the rope: they would have killed him
: 10 get It.. But those poor creatures are
/ never strong. and you know what an
athlete John was He managed them
Is II thsP were children. There wee
two women and two cai,dren that had
+ 10 be Covered down separately. Then
/ the men slid down the rope John
waited TIL the last. The engines were
l rushing Up through The crowded streets.
/ There was rescue Ia sight everywhere.
/ The last q the poor creatures whom
ne had saved was jus, getting over the
/ s.te of the balcony. AID ,ak.aS hold Of
the rope. when all the windows below
/ suddenly ba.Ched foy;h fire. The
draugh, had CHANGED so the iremen
t9id afterwards. The man On the rope
sllI down. the las, one faiths. almost
| burned 10 death.
oLohn could not get on d he rope