The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-02-08
A Wonderful ReScue

80
At the Hotel Royal fire IN New York
six years ago Sergeant Vaughan went
UP on the roof. The smoke was SO
dense there that he could see little.
but through it he heard a cry for help.
and made out the shape Of a mar
standing upon a window-siil in the
fifth story. overlooking the courtyard
OF the hotel. The yard was between
them Bidding his men follow-they
were five, al told-he ran down and
around IN the next street TO the roof
OF the house that formed an angle
with the hotel wing. There stood the
mar below him. only a jump away.
but a jump which no mortal might
take and live. His face and hands
Were black with somke. Vaughan,
looking down, thought him a negro.
He was perfectly calm.
1T is no USE" he said, ~glancing UP.
Don't try. You can't do it"
The sergeant hooked wistfuily about
him. Not a stick or a piece OF rope
was in sight Every shred was used
below. There was absolutely nothing.
But I couldn't let him." he said TO me,
- o3ACAs "4A@@ 1@ ~A~@ ~OA-A~ 0Ns
Of the hospital a whole man again,
and was Jack at work-"I just couldn't
standing there SO quiet and brave"
To the men he aid sharply:
Il want o to do exactly as / tell
YOU, now. Don't grab me. but let me
get the first grab" He had noticed
that the nan wore a heavy o~vercoat,
and had already laid mis- plan.
Don't try" urged theman. You
cannot save me. l viii stay here till
it gets too hot: then l Will jump"
NO, you won't" from the sergeant,
as he lay at full length on the roof
looking over. 1T IS a pretty hard
yard down there. 1 win get you, or go
lead myself
The four sat on the sergeant's legs
Is he swung free down to the waist;
SO ne was almost able to reach the
man on the window, with outstreched
hands.
Now, junp-quick!" ne commanded;
and the man jumped. He caught him
by both wrists as directed, and the
sergeant got a grip on the collar of
his coat.
Hoist" he shouted to the four on
the roof; and they tugged with their
might. The ~sergeant's body did not
move. Bending over till the back
1CohCN IL Hui6 o'Sl 1hO SNoN -
weight of two hundred and three
pounds suspended from and holding it
down. The cold sweat started upon
his mems ~foreheads as they tried and
tried again, without gaining an inch.
Blood dripped from Sergeant Vau-
ghan's nostrils and ears. Sixty feet
below was the paved courtyard; over
against him the window. behind which
he saw the back-draft coming gather
ing Roadway with luTid. swirling
smoke. Now it burst through burning
the hair and the coats Of the two.
For an instant he thought all hope was
gone.
But in a flash it cana back to him-
To relieve the terrible dad i0,it
tha Wrenched and tore at his m"eNA~s.
he was swinging the man to an@ fro
like a pendulum, head touching mead.
He could swing him UP. a smother
ed Shout warned his men. They crept
nearer the edge without letting go
their grip on him, and watched with
staring eyes the human "01dIlum
swing wider and wider, farther ard
farther, until now, with a m gltv #
fort, it swung within their reacL. T--y
caught the skirt OF the co2' held on.
pulled in, and in a moment lifted him
| over the edge.
They lay upon the roof, all six
brea thless, sightless, their faces turned
| to the winter sky. The tumult OF the
street came UP as a f"f0t e|Hn: the
spray of a score Of n. =" pumping
below fell upon them, = (, and COW
| cred them with ice. The very oar OF
the fire seemed far off. The sergeant
was the first to recover. He carried
down the man he had saved. and a
him sent off to the hospital. Then
first he noticed that he was not a
| negro; the s7nu had been rubbed of
his face. Monday mac dawned before
he came to, and days passed before
he knew his rescurer. Sergeant Vau-
CHAN was laid up himself then. He
a returned to his work and finished
it; but nat he had gone through was
too much for human strength. It was
spring before he returned to his
quarters, to find hirnenlf promoted
petted, and made much of.-Jacob A
RiiS in the Century.