The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1897-06-15
THE BIG POLICEMAN.

The big policeman felt unusually
pleasant this morning Notwithstanding
the fact that a disagreeable rain was
falling-mean spring rain, which had
mixed itself up with a cold rain in such
manner that when it came dashing
around the street corner it caused pro-
fame pedestrians to say words which
would look i'll if printed, and the 10th
er kind to say my goodness" or
something equally relieving to pent
up Indignation.
Looking down, the big policeman
saw little woman, attired in some
kind of gray stuff and with big pathetic
eyes, standing beside him, and somehow
she seemed frightened at the crowd, the
passing vehicles, the changing street
car bells, and the constant passing of
and shivering, and her garments, wet
through, chung about her in hinder
ing fashion, which kept her from rapid
movement, and as she stepped close be-
side the big policeman he felt curious
desire to take her up much as one
would take up child, and carry her to
place of safety. She hesitated a mo-
ment and then she attempted to go for
ward, but, alas, whether the rain blind
ed her or she just then remembered that
she was in haste and must at any risk
go on her way, she attempted to cross
over the track just in front of swiftly
moving car. In vain did the gripman
shout, in vain did the bell ring. The
little gray clad figure futtered on and
the crowd just behind her, feeling that
a tragedy was about to be enacted, was
hushed into instant silence. The big
policeman also comprehended the aw-
full danger of the woman and his teeth
came together with snap and his fine
eyes flashed as he sprang after her, his
hand outstretched in frantic effort to
reach, grasp and pull her back The car
was almost upon him, the noise of the
grinding wheels filed his ears, he knew,
as men know whose wits are ever on
the alert, that it was risking his life
for the life of stranger, but a mighty
effort, the finging of his body forward,
and the deed was done, the woman was
drawn out of the reach Of the cruel
wheels; but the big policeman's left leg
gave the passengers in the car sicken-
ing jar as the wheels passed over it and
the tragedy for the crowd had been fur
nished.
Nobody noticed the woman, who, I'M
hurt, mingled with the crowd and went
her way, but had they done SO they
would have seen her crying behind her
veil and every now and then clutching
her fingers together as if in mortal mis-
cry. And she was miserable, poor little
Marie Denton, who was only a dress
makers assistant and who had lost her
mother, her only known relative, only
a few weeks before. She had cried SO
much in the little room she called home
at night that sleep went away from
her and she was so exhausted when
morning came that she could hardly eat
her meager breakfast, and it was late
when she started for the down town es-
tablishment where she was employed
TWAS this thought that impelled her
when she tried to Cross the street and
which had resulted in such disastrous
fashion for the big policeman. Marie
remembered that his glance had fallen
upon her kindly, and while she had
made no effort to push her way to
where ready but tender hands were car
ing for the brave fellow who had risked
his life to save hers yet she registered
vow in her heart that she would new
er rest until she had told him how
grieved she was at his hurt and how
much she appreciated his heroism
He might hate her for being the
cause, but Marie was brave little
woman when her duty confronted her,
and she knew as we'll now as later on
that she must do what she could to
atone to the poor fellow who was en-
during the torture of an awful hurt.
All day she worked in silence, but
she saw the picture Of the kind eyes
ever before her, and she resolved that
she would buy an evening paper and in
the account of the accident would as
certain the name of the man who at one
bound was raised to the dignity of hero
and who was a hero, too, as great as
any of those whose names were blazon-
ed on fame's banner What if he was
only policeman and the saving of life
was in the line Of his duty? No man is
required to risk his own life to save
that of another, and as Marie remem-
bered that save a bruise or two, she
had escaped without injury while her
rescuer was suffering, and all for her
sake, she whispered low to her heart
not the hero, or "a hero, 4" but "my
hero" And she blushed a little as she
said it, but somehow it was so much
like music to her that she did not drive
1t away, but kept it near her and around
it wove dreams.
When she started home in the evening,
from the first newsboy she came across
she bought paper and with rare good
fortune finding a seat in the car which
bore her homeward she quickly unfold
ed the paper and began to scan the
headlines There were big double head
lines on the first page, but there was
nothing about the affair which was Of
such vital interest to her, and she turned
the paper over, and-there it was,
1.-THE Deed of Hero, " and the big
policeman--whose name was William
Smith, nothing but plain William
Smith-was much praised for his noble
deed in Saving the life Of foolish
woman'-and here Marie nodded her
head in assent-and the "story" went
on to say that, "while he would not
loco hie Loo vet tho offioar xuoY7Id he