Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-08-22

The sailors dared 1Ef 1lSoeef. aEd
pulled quickly as near the burning YES
sci as possible
Putting on 3 heavy pair Of heather
gloves TO protect his hands from the
hest. Reid srrang like q cat from the
Prov Of the boat. catching AT the only
place ON the side of the vessel that was
not enveloped IN flames. where he
could hold on 10 climb 10 the upper
deck, which was not vet prey 10 the
ferry elements. SEEKING the old cap
tain. whose strength was neara ygOne.
our brave hero haif-carried- hSlf-
dragged him 10 the only spot now left
them for escape
. Follow me- he said to the plncky
girl. who had faced death rather than
leave her father 70 die alone.
Reaching the place where the small
boats were lowering near as possible.
he tied rope securely around fhe cap
tain's waist: then. calling 10 the men
10 catch him. he swung him clear OF
the flames. letting him drop into the
waters below none too soon II was
hard lines for a man with 4 broken
limb 70 be thus roughly dealt with but
II was that or roasting alive and the
captain was man enough 10 feel moth
ing bur the gratitude due his reseuer.
- shall surely save your child
Ried said 10 the poor father. when he
insisted upon his daughter being saved
first, even il he had 10 be left TO his
fate Taking the slender young form
in his arms. the lieutenant made 4
fearful leap. barely escaping the
scorching flames. which seemed Ike
angry demons cheated OF their prey
Down, down into the dark waters they
sank. closely clasped In each others
arms
The sailors and the half-crazed
father were afraid they had only es-
capped the cruel flames TO md a grave
in the angry sea, for il seemed q long
time before they arose 10 the surface
after the terrible leap for life
Ar last they Were seen by the
eager watchers. who lost no time in
getting them into the beat and rowing
rapidly 10 the ship. where ready hands
helped 10 care for the sufferers IL
WAS not long before the surgeon had
done his part The old captains leg
was set. and he was sleeping frGai
exhaustion The daughter had been
unconscious when they took her from
the commanders arms. but she was
unhurt, and was given = ssateroom,
where she was ordered by the doctor
TO get into bed while her wet clothing
was dried and pressed. as there was
no possible chance to replenish her
wardrobe until we landed. unless. ike
the new woman. she was willing 10
don masculine attire
Until he had seen his charges well
care for, Reid did not speak Of his own
sufferings. which must have been al
most unbearable. as his hands and
arms were so badly burned the scars
will never leave them entirely He
had been obliged 70 cling to the side
Of the vessel while on his errand Of
mercy, and did not dare to let 20. even
when the iron bands took the skin
on his hands, burning deep into the
fiesh.
I'VE were all full Of curiosity about
the maiden. of whom we had only a
slight glance before the matter-of-facf
doctor spirited her away. That one
glance was enough TO show US that
she was a beauty. and We all felt en-
yious of Reid, who we declared would
never appreciate the advantage he had
as the man who had saved her life
and that Of her crippled father
..Our curiosity was not gratified I'M
til the next morning. when she burst
upon our vision like a bright star.
without a sign Of the danger through
which she had pa ssed in the fight for
life with fire and water. from which
she had been rescued not a moment
too soon by the brave man who be
came her hero from that hour As
she entered the cabin gracefully al
ease. In spite Of the fact that several
pairs of eyes were CHANGING admiring-
ly at her. we all arose 10 greet her.
but passing us by until she reached
Commander Reid. she took both Of his
poor, bandaged hands in her soft.
white palms, and raising the most
glorious pair of eyes to his face. she
faltered: You saved my fathers life
and mine. / thank you. oh, I do
thank you more than | can ever tell
you. you brave. good man. can
never forget that we owe our lives TO
you; death seemed so terrible when
we thought we must die. and we mad
given up all hope with shudder at
the recollectionl when you came to
save us
"She and her father stayed with us
until he was perfectly well. and Il
was sad day when we had TO part
from our Little Princess. who had
been jolly little tryant, assure you.
We we're all her most obedient slaves.
but our efforts TO cut Reid out were
fruitless, as she considered us only
secondary considerations
Il never saw a fellow change as
Commander Ried did in that short
time. He was full of fun. and the
very essence Of gdllantry, outyying
us in everything. from tender senti-
ment TO the brilliant repartee for
which he became noted. The captain
told us that he had always been like
that until the three years past, when,
without giving any reason for II. he
had become distant, cynical fellow
we had found him.
The Princess used to insist upon
helping the surgeon dress bis burned
hands every day. and he was his de-
voted nurse until he was nearly well,
then she tormented the life nearly out
Of him by flirting outrageously with
the rest OF us. / confess to having
been one of the victims myself, and
had quite a sharp wound from that
quarter. but the little rascal only
laughed at me when / told her so.
Ried used to look savage when she
made eyes at any Of us, and | think