Year: 1866




t and ] suppose to \ man as amt us
: to snch things to creep over a plae
5 like that. all those feet over the pave
: ment. and which you've been fright
ened to death nearly by waking on
, of your sleep to find the next plac,
: on fire, is rather trying; and nor
there was only that chap whose wifi
; was sent over first, and who haC
worked an he could to help me anC
another terribly cowardly chap
: whom I'd had quite set to with tC
keep hack, so as to save the wome:
and children first.


And now this chap rs I've jus'
, spoke about made 4 rush TO get tC
the ladder, and he was in such hor
rid 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. con
sidering as it wasn't his turn. held
him back for the married man to go
first to his wife, when the other ono
almost shrieked out with rage and
fear


Let him go first, says the married
man, "I'll wait


faint his turn / says, rather
obstinate like. "0ver you GO" and
at such time one can't be interfered
with, and having made my plans so
far 1 didn't want them altered. So,
lover you gor' says.


81 think | can crawl," he says, and
he got out on the ladder; but instead
of crawling he sat astride of it and
worked himself along, with the crowd
hurrahing and cheering him tremen-
dous.


And up came the flame and smoke,
and the roar and crackle and falling
in of timbers was getting terrible.
Every place was light as day, while
as 20 the heat, declare it seemed TO
scorch you fearfully.


The sooner you are across and
me with you the better l shall like
it," | says. and then / took q look
round TO see how matters were.
when there came crash and q puff,
and in moment the flames came
wreathing and twirling up from uR-
derneath where l stood, aGd just as
the last chap had his leg on the win
dow sill and was going to tie the
rope round him, he gave yell and
fell back, or rather pulled him back
into the smoky room, and he tainted
dead away.


He must have gone down crash
into the court if | hadn't dragged at
him; but there was no time to lose.
l made the rope fast and got him On
to the ladder with the flames darting
up through the rounds and burning
his hair; and then ! shouted to them
to haul, and haul they did, with me
trying to steady him with my end of
the rope, but before he was qaite
across something went snap, aud l
staggered back into, the room, hold
ing on by the piece of burnt through
rope, and with my heart sinking rs
felt that my own salvation was
partly gone.


Just then the flames was waited
on one side, and l saw that they were
dragging in :he last of the seven, and
it was time to save myself. I'm not
ashamed to own it | did feel fright
ened as l threw down that piece Of
rope, and it must have been some
thing like Z cry of horror ! gave
when / got hold OF the ladder and
felt it burn my hands. and then as l
tried 10 bear upon it, felt it crumble
away, and that l was without 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 blazing by one end against the
opposite house, while there came up
such a rush of flame past ;he win
dow that / could not look out; but
directly after heard the fierce rush
of water and could see that four
branches were deluging the window,
aud ell beneath; for my mates knew
what 4 danger l was in.


L ran to the window, and was bea
ten back by the water, while the
smoke that came up was quite blind
ing. Then 1 tried through the hot
vapor in the room to see if could
get out of the door and reach the
roof; but Just at that moment there
came 4 dull fash through the smoke,
and could see that the back of the
house was all on fire, while from the
way the flames rushed up again in
front and filled the court, knew that
there was no help to be had from op- |
pesite; fer they must be beaten from
the window.


I'd been in some dangers in my .
time; but till now there had always /
seemed road out, and as ! tore fu-
riously around the place with the
sweat dripping Off me and the hor-
rible fear of death so close at hand,
l seemed to be regularly unnerved,
and fell to shrieking and crying out
that my mates had deserted me;
when they were on the roof and had
let down a rope to me, but 1 could
not see it; and then at last one of
them was let down, and tried to get
in at the window, but the flames beat
him back; and a groan came from
the people as they saw all that had
been dene.


AsI told you, l seemed quite to
loose my nerve, and ran about shriek-
ing for few minutes, and then fell
down on ny face upon the hot floor;
but directly after my mind seemed
to come again, and felt that if l
must die l should have done my
duty, and 1 had saved seven poor
creatures; and as thought that, /
arose to my knees, and some words
oau,a 4r nv Iips-words that canna tn