Year: 1866

II men iney looSened tne rope again,
and we sent another woman over. and
she Was insensible with fear, and we got
her over all right, though she, too, slip.
! ped off the ladder Then there were
two little girls, one after the other; and
it was sad to see how they trembled and
shook-tOo much frightened to cry, as
well they might be, for the HeSt was
awful; and | knew that another quarter
of an hour would find the room we were
in red hot.


We got another over-a young man
and be was dragged over too, for he dare
not try to crawl across, and | suppose to
a man as amt used to such things 10 creep
over place like that. all those feet over
the pavement, and when you've been
frightened to death nearly by waking out
of your sleep TO find the next place on
fire, is rather trying; and now there was
only that. chap whose wife was sent over
first, and who had worked all he could to
help me end another cowardIy chap,
whom l had quite set to with to keep
back so as TO save the women and chill
dren first.


And now this chap as I've just spoke
about made rush to get to the ladder,
and he was in such a horrid fright that
l don't believe he'd got over safe, and
besides knew there was time for US all
to get away if things were done quietly /;
so, considering as 1t wasn't his turn, l
held him back for the married man to go
first TO his wife, when the other one al
most shrieked out with rage and fear.


"Let him 60 first" says the married
man. ''I1l wah." i-tai "9a


"Tain't his turn" says, rather obsti-
nate like. "Over you gop' and at such
a time one can't be interfered with, and
having made my plans so far l didn't
want them altered so, "Over you go ~
| says y a.11o i-- IE3 '.#a1


Il think can crawl" be says, and he
got out on the ladder but instead of
crawling he sat astride Of it and worked
himself along, with the crowd hurraying
and cheering him tremendous.


And up came the fame and smoke
and the roar and crackle and falling in
of timber was getting terrible. Every
place was light as day, while as to the
heat, I declare it seemed TO scorch fear
fully. 'e.tts< .'e1'..i


1.-THE sooner you're across and me with
you the better l shall like IT," says:
and then took look round to see how
matters were, when there came a crash
and a puff, and in a moment the flames
came wreathing and twirIng up from
underneath where l stood, and just as the
last chap had his leg on the window sill
and l was going to tie the rope around
him, gave a yell and fell back or rather
/ pulled him back into the smoky room,
aid he tainted dead away.


He must have gone down crash Int
the court If hadn't dragged at him
but there was no lime to loose. / made
the rope fast and got him on TO the lad
der with the flames dardng by through
the rounds and burning his hair; and
then l shouted to them to haul. and haul
they did, with me trying to steady him
with my end Of the rope, bat before he
was quite across something went snap,
and l staggered back into the room, hold
ing on by the piece of burnt through
rope, and with my heart sinking as | felt
my own salvation was partly gone.


Just then the flames was waited on
one side, and saw that they were drag
ging in the last of the seven. and | felt
now as if I'D done a good nights work,
and it was now time to save myself. I'm
not ashamed to own it, ] did feel fright
ened as threw down that piece of rope,
and it must haye been something like
cry of horror / gave when / got hold of
the ladder and felt it burn my hands, and
then as | tried to bear upon it, felt it
crumble away, and that | was without q
way to escape.


Far above the noise of the fire and
water came the Shrek of the crowd as
the burnt ladder fell away and hung blaz-
ing by one end against the opposite house,
while there came up such a rush of fame
past the window that / could not look out
but directly after heard The fierce rush
of the wafer and could see that four
branches were deluging the window, ard
all beneath for my mates knew what a
danger / was 10.


ran to the window, and was beaten
back by the water, while the smoke that
come up was quite binding. Then /
tried through the ho, Vapors in the room
to see if / could get out of the door and
reach the roof, but just at that moment


rrr-