The Washington times., 1913-09-16

woman pointing. Lady Gray Dand-
ridge lives there. Inquire at the kitchen
about your work."
So the lad swept out the big kitchen
chimney. where the smoke from the
baking and roasting had blackened the
bricks for years. then he had good
Weakfast. After eating, a maid told
him to sweep the chimneys for the rest
Of the house. One by one he cleaned
them till he reached that belonging to
the library. This was beautiful
chamber. full Of handsome poStraits,
books and old armor. and when the boy
stepped down out Of the dirt and onto
the hearth of the room he was aston
ished by its beauty. All about on the
polished floor were rugs; some of Lion
and others of leopard skins, gilded
chairs shone in the soft light which
streamed In through the open windows
before which floased curtains of filmy
lace Bx the prettiest thing in the
place was q golden haired baby who
Icy asleep on a rug made of Tigers
sitin. Her curls hung over the dead
animals stuffed head and her little
hands clung even in sleep to . tiny doll.
Bot Charlie did not stop long. In q
few moments he was up the chimney,
whistling as he swept the SCOT into a
bag. Black, dirty, he was happy at his
work. But presently he smelt an odor
as II of smoke. -
Then a pun Of hot air swept upward
by his face.
Like a stone Charlie dropped back into
AZ I<
Rushing to the door, he looked out into
the hall to see that the staircase was a
roaring mass of flames that we're licking
up the steps and making escape that
way impossible. .~
Charlie ran to where the baby stilf
calmly lay asleep. How was he to gave
her. The room was In a wing of the
house and on. the third story. 1t would
not be possible to go down the steps.
which were bed OF fire, and 1t would
mean dedth to leap from the window.
for below the pavement was Of stone.
But he seized the baby in his arms and
leaped to the window-sill. Below he
could see the men and women Of the
family gazing up toward him in horror
and the half-crazy. mother imploring
some one to save the child.
The boy saw the wall was covered
with very old grapevine, which was
strong enough to bear fis weight. AL
ready the flames were creeping into the
room. the smoke binding him and the
heat burning his face. The baby began
to cry. At the first wall the mother
below. who was Lady Dandrige, scream
ed with fear
Holding the child close In his arms,
the lad slowly climbed over the sill Of
the window and grabbed the vine. step.
by step feeling his way carefully, he
went downward. Out from the window
above burst the flames. but they swept
far out over his head. Down, down,
inch by inch he came. while the people
below held their breath in suspense, and
tho mother lay fainting In her husbands
arms.
Soon the whole of the upper floor was
q roaring mass Of fire. But now Charlie
was almost on the ground. Before his
foot could touch the earth the mother
had seized the baby and Rugged 1t to
her breast, while Lord cambridge, the
husband. lifted the lad and sat the
boy on his shoulder. In triumph the
people ran back into the house, for only
the wing had been burned.
In gratitude for saving my only
child, a daughter" said Lord DAN
bridge. laying his hand on the boys
sooty head. ~ will adopt you. From
today you are Charles cambridge, the
son Of Lord cambridge, and my home is
yours-my baby girl your sister,"
So brave Charlie swept no more CHM
neys. He went to school. grew up into
q fine man. and at his home in the
country he planted slip from the very
vine down which he had climbed with
the baby. 1t grew and covered the great
stone house till all over England the
place was known for the beauty Of the
mansion. And even today the house
can be seen with still some remains of
the great grape vine handing to its
great walls.
Tomorrows story: 'SQuank and the
Ftllaloo Bird.