Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-01-26
A FIREPROOF MAN.
BY ADDISON p. r1UNROE.

shop in Lime Rock, quaint little
hamlet in the northern part of one of
our New England states. The village,
n couple of miles distant from the
nearest railroad, consists of the post
office, snithy and a bakers dozen of
rural dwellings;a pretty and peaceful
place with rustic views that man ac-
customed to the hustle of city life can
fully appreciate.
While waiting for my horse to be
shod, 1 learned that few rods further
on, over the crest of the hill, were the
famous lime kilns. L had heard of the
kilns at Lime Rock since my boyhood,
but had never chanced to come that
blacksmith that would return for
my horse soon, 1 strolled over the hill
to investigate.
l was met by the kiln-tender,
strong, robust man about 80 years of
age, who welcomed me cordially and
volunteered to show me the modus
operandi of the affair, which he did
thoroughly. [ can remember that
when he flung the big iron door of his
fire burns night and day and never
goes out" although / was ten feet
away from the door, was glad to
screen my face with my hands from
the terrible heat; and yet, as if the
fire were not hot enough, he COM
menced to throw on great sticks of
cord wood, which blazed up instantly.
Having finished the inspection of
the place, l was about to thank him
make the remark that in this quiet
little village of Lime Rock one could
forget all the cares of life, all its ex
elements and tragedies.
"Young man," he said, ''for Is
years l have burnt lime in this place,
and although my previous years were
spent in far more exciting places, yet
the nearest approach to a terrible trag-
edy happened to me in this same
quiet, peaceful village"
Scenting an interesting narrative, I
hastened to assure him that / should
feel honored if he would favor me
with the particulars of his adventure.
Offering me stool and filling and
lighting his pipe, he told me the fol-
lowing tale:
SIT will be ten years ago the 10Th
Of next December that the exciting
incident in which 1 figured occurred.
As I have already explained to you,
we have gang of men here through
The day, but only one man through the
night, his duties being to tend the fire
and draw the lime, which latter is done
three times in each "a hours. 1 was
then the night man and was on duty
on the 10Th of December of which l
speak.
''It was cold, clear moonlight
night about 10 O'Clock. 1 was alone,
the last lounger having gone home,
and had just replenished the great
fire, when the latch was lifted, and a
stranger walked in. He was tall,
muscular, we'll built man, / should say
about 40 years of age, clad in large
overcoat and wearing silk hat; he
had fine, intellectual face, with flow
ing side whiskers and sharp black
eyes; eyes that seemed to have the
faculty of looking beneath the surface
LII ldCt, 1hOy ueuiuCtci my dltcHtiou
almost before L observed his other
features.
"Now 7 like company in the long
winter nights, and as 1 pushed forward
a stool l bade him cordial good
evening.
" Good evening, he returned pleas
Antly, and throwing off his oyercoat
he seated himself opposite to me.
Il do not often have callers at
night, said, but they are always
welcomes'
WELL he replied, the fact is I
am walking down to the station to take
the midnight train into P. AS
had plenty of time and saw the re-
Election of your fire thought would
drop in, get warm and have chat
with you before finishing my walk
''Well. he was good talker, and
time passed pleasantly, and after we
had conversed some 20 minutes I had
learned that he was professor of
chemistry in B university in
P and that he was an enthusiast
in his profession.
Suddenly he asked me if I would
let him see my fire. Istepped around
and threw open the big furnace door;
the heat was intense, but although he
stood within three feet of the open
door, unlike most visitors, he neither
moved away nor seemed to pay any
attention to it, but drew nearer, if any
thing, with his sharp, black eyes
fixed intently on the flames.
Shutting the door said:
% You are different from most peo-
ple, professor; everyone cannot stand
the heat as yoe did.
g Il should be able to stand it, he
replied, it has been the study of my
life.'
''He paced back and forth excitedly,
! his fingers working convulsively, and
his eyes still fixed on the furnace
door. The sight Of that fire had had
= strange effect on him