Year: 1866

bHt kOdAb 80 - Sc NVN1EuS TIC AIN-


and there were the flames leaping up,
the clouds of sparks rising, the


clouds of smoke rolling away, and


the cracking sputter of the slate as
they flew with the heat. and then slid


rafting off into the court beneath,


smash upon the pavement. Every


now and then came louder roar and
a crash rs arafter or beam fell in,


and sent the sparks up in a whirl-


wind. And there all that time were


those pooEcreatures uttering the viii


dest piercing shrieks for help you


ever heard, Now I've heard so much


of that sort of thing that you'd ex-


pect | shouldn't mind it; but l do
though; and as | said about fires. |


don't think ever shall get TO take


it SIS matter OF course: for there is


something very awful in seeing fell


low creatures strong and hearty. and


yet dying before your eyes, and you


not able to save them.


Z But wasn't idle all this time-not
a bit of it, for every minutes worth


something at 4 fire, and if you give


it too much time it will beat you.


Under the circumstances the first


thing was TO save life. and whilst


them that had the branches did their


best to keep the fire back from them


q. the third floor window I got hold


of a rope, and in at the house oppo-


site, and made my way up stairs to


the third floor. which. like tue rest


of the place, was used as a warehouse


and crammed full Of packages.


Being a strange house it wasn't


easy to find your way, but l got up


at last, and opposite TO the room


where the poor things were all now


huddled together at one window, for


the fire was gaining on them, so that


unless they were soon helped they


wouldn't want any.


'sCrashi crashr' Didn't I let my
little axe play round the sashes of
that window, and soon have 4 clear
ance, for it was nailed up, and then
when the poor things heard me, and
saw the light shining on my helmet,
how they did shrek for help.


Just then l looked down at the
depth, and l caught sight of one fel-
low standing below with = short lad
der in his hand, which might have
been of use il the poor things had
been in the FIRST floor; and then I
made ready to throw my rope across,
when just as | was going to let go,
and then going to try and catch it,
thought struck me, and / let the coil
of rope fall down into the court, all
bat one end as kept hold oil, and
thea when the'poor things saw it let
down they shrieked agaia, and one
of them fell back from the window.


''Tie onthat ladder" | shouted,
land some of you come up" and
one of my mates soon tied the rope
to one of the rounds, and then with
two or three more run into the house,
while / hauled away till l got hold of
the bottom of the ladder, for they
sent the heaviest end up FIRST, and !
then dragged it in at the window,
and balancing the other end up con
tinued to push it across and into the
window of the other house across the
court, and so made sort of bridge, |
only it was all askew for the houses |
were not quite opposite 10 one an
other.


Just rs I'd done this in comes my
mate with two more men, and ] sets
them TO work to hold the ladder while /
1 took hold of the rope, and then 4
made ready to crawl across on the /
thin bridge I'd rugged up. 1t was
for lite and death, or / wouldn't have |
ventured on the slight, bending wood: !
for though ladder set nearly upright |
may be strong enough, it makes it
deal weaker to lay ii down level and
then go and crawl along it. l knew
how it would be, though, so l tied
the rope around my body, and made
my mate hitch the other end round
4 big hook in the wall. used for a pull
ley, so that in the event of 8 fall, if
the rope held good, shouldn't have
gone all the way. They tied one end
of the ladder, too, Tor to keep it
steady, and then there was scramb-
ling across, with the ladder bending
and quivering, and the crowd under
meath hurraying and clapping their
hands just as If / was doing a bit of
Blondin to please them.


How that ladder did bend; so that
| thought it must give way, and me
20 crash into the court; but it didn't;
and the next moment was in the
of the burning house with
he trembling women clinging to me.


Now, then" / says, TO one man,
you can creep across" and l point
I'd to the ladder.


81 can't leave my WIFE" he says,
a half fainting woman against
he window, where the smoke wasn't
quite SO dense.


"You're 4 trump, you are" l
kinks; and then I hauls more OF the
'ope over, and makes it fast round
he poor woman's waist; and then we
aid her on the ladder, and the three
IN the other side hauled, and we held
IN to the rope at this end, and so we
rot her half across, when she slip
bed off the ladder, and hung right
,ver the court, while there arose
'egular shrek of horror. But there
vas people, you see, at each end of
he rope, and we loosened as the
,thers hauled, and so they soon had
Ter in at the other window, though
he rope was 60 tight that it must
lave hurt the poor thing terribly.


Then they loesened the rope again,
md we sent another woman over,
ind she was insensible with fear, and
We got her over all right, though she,