The Wilmington daily Republican., 1900-03-05
POLICEMAN
FITzROY'S ROMANCE.
} An Adventure on a Cold Night,
When Snow Fell and Winds
Were Blowing.

Good looking Policeman Fitzroy sat in
the midst of half dozen men one cold
winters night listening, with n show Of
impatcnce, to the cynical conversation of
Mis- blue coated brethren, but rcfraining
from participating in the discussion.
II believe in giving any one who at
tempts suicide the full penalty" said the
sergeant. who was buttoning up his
greatcOat preparatory to tour.
"Or let 'em drown" growled O'Neil.
"Of course you can't let 'em, but it's
what they deserve
A frown overcast Fitzroys face. but
quickly disappeared. Then, for the first
time joining in the conversation, he said:
"You are partly right and partly
wrong. After all your growing about
suicides there Is not one of you that
would not risk his neck to save Il woman.
I'll tell you an experience of mine that
may rub up the softer side of some of
you perhaps and do you good"
The policemen settled themselves for
Fitzroy's story, for he was a quiet ear
nest fellow who seldom contributed
much of the talk.
at was while was up in Riverside
district" continued Fitzroy, "that the
incident am going to relate occurred. l
was trying to keep warm one bitterly
cold night while the snow fell thick and
fast and the wind howled doleful cho-
rus. had one of those terribly long
beats that run down to the river and
take man half the night to get round
'The snow lay some inches deep on the
ground, except where it was swept up
into wreaths. and the flying flakes blind
ed me so that could hardly see, yet l
had to keep moving or freeze.
81 don't think ever lOnged for the end
Of the watch so much as on that night.
Besides, ! was 4 new man in the force
then and was not toughcned up as | am
now. There were not more than half
dozen houses along my entire route. and
the wind had clear sweep up from tie
river.
"Wcll, it was getting toward II
O'Clock. and an hour more would let me
free and entitle me to founder back to
the station house and thaw out.
81 was only a short distance from the
river, and thought that would just
about reach there and back by mid
night.
81 stopped moment under the last
lamppost, so as to get glimpse at my
watch, when something appeared to fit
by me. l was startled and looked up,
but saw nothing and concluded | was
nervous.
Still, ! felt uneasy and hastcnc1 down
toward the river.
81 had advanced but few yards
when | thought | heard something like
sob come to mo out of the backncss.
"The snow blinded me so that could
not see ten yards, and there were no
more gas lamps.
"I'll own that | felt bit squcamh.h,
for You must remember | was a new
man on the force in those days, and
there was something mysterious and un-
nerving about the whole business.
at didn't occur to me that burglars
could be slouchng along that lonely
place on such night, but all the same
l felt queer.
'Then just ran as fast as could in
the direction Of the sound. | could hear
no footballs, for the snow deadcncd all
sounds, and for that reason my own
progress was nOiscless.
"Thc road fell rapidly as it neared
the river, and was almost on the
wharf before | knew it. could hear
the ice so crunching by, driven along
by the swift current, and it made me
snudder to think of the fate of any poor
creature whom accident or design should
consign to that awful food of jagged ice.
'The thought had hardly crossed my
brain when my blood frozc with horror,
for there arose out of the storm the
most hcartrending wall.
''Imaginc all the sorrow, all the de-
spair, all the terror and all the suffering
In the world concentrated into one long
wall and you will get an idea of the
horror that took possession Of me.
II couldn't stop, for ! was going down
hill at too great speed. Then right in
front Of me | saw a figure with hands
outstretchcd over the water.
II never believed much in spirits and
supernatural things and had always said
that nothing that was flesh and blood
could scare me.
"But the old folks came from Fart of
Ireland where banshees are common as
fircflics and death watches and all man
ncr Of horrible things are common talk.
"All the blood curdlng stories of my
boyhood came up before me, and that
long, heartfending wall sounded for all
the world like the wall of the banshce.
"The next instant the figure sprang
from the wall lido the river.
81 had never heard of the banshee or
any other supernatural thing doing that,
and sprang to the wall in an instant.
There. upon the ice, lay form. The
setback into the pier made the ice sta
tionary. and it had piled up thick aud
Jagged and frozen solid.
81 jumped over upon the ice without a
second thought. 1t was risky thing to
do, for five feet farther oue the ice was
grinding in the current, and nothing could
have saved me.
Il raised the form in my arms. 1t was
q young girl or a child. The burden was
very light.
ut lay limp In my arms. and my first
thought was that the poor thing was
dead.