The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-05-08

boy became head steward of the boat.
and had won the respect and confidence
of employers. but ever in the strong
stalwart breast was memory, sweet
and more precious to him than the
wealth of hemisphere. When the
war had closed, and peace had again
asserted her benign reign over the late
disrupted land. Col. Owen and his wife
took trip north for a visit to their old
Kentucky home. The steamer which
conveyed them mp the Ohio river took
fire and burned to the waters edge.
and but for the arrival of another boat
just at the nick of time. fearful loss
of life would have occurred. No one
who has ever witnessed fire at sea. or
been on board burning steamer, can
etface from memory the awful scenes
of terror, the narrowing cries of agony
and dispair. which appall the stoutest
heart at such r time, and as the "Gen.
Lyle" was being rapidly consumed,
and her passengers driven back, inch
by inch. to the stern of the doomed
boat by the raging flames. many
plunged headlong into the river. The
rescuing steamer, at great peril to her
own safety run along side the stern OF
the burning boat, and ladder was ex-
tended to the hurricane root, down
which many frightened people made
their way, and were conveyed to a
place of safety. Col. Owen and his
wife, both large of frame and feeble
with years. were almos. helpless. as
they stood on the roof, and it seemed
doubtful if either could be rescued
without bodily harm, if rescued at all,
as the ladder was long and unsteady in
the swinging and swaying of the boats.
The flames were approaching with
ravenous greed, and the scorching
heat had driven the gallant Old gentle
man to the very edge of the hurricane
deck, and all eyes were riveted on the
aged planter and his helpless wife.
A catastrophe seemed about to occur
that could not be averted. The plan
ter was trying vainly to shield with his
person the wife of bis bosom from the
cruel flames, when suddenly a power
full man shot up the ladder and sprang
to the side of the old couple. "Old
Mistus I'll save you, don't you fear!"
and gathering the good lady in his
strong grasp, he quickly made his way
TO the lower deck of the rescuing
steamer, and deposited his precious
burden in place of safety; then hurry
ing back he brought down the old gen.
tleman. A few moments later the
flaming roof Of the Lyle collapsed; the
burning hull was cast loose. and
floated away.
In the cabin OF the rescuing boat a
touching scene was being enacted, that
softened the hearts of strong men, and
brought tears to the eyes unusued to
such signs of emotion; for there, upon
sofa in the elegant cabin was resting
the good lady Owen, exhausted and
Frustrated from the terrible ordeal, and
STOPPING by her side. with face por-
traying the greatest joy. was the faith
full slave, whom kind providence had
so miraculously enabled to rescue
from fearful death, the master and
mistress of his early life. Col. Owen
and his wife have been in their graves
for more than twenty years, and the
brave hearted negro may too have
gone to his rest. but no creation or
fiction could more completely delineate
the purity of true unsolfish gratitude
than this simple story of the faithful
| slave