Year: 1875




shouting, louder every moment; and then
l made out, ringing up from the yard,
these horrid words, Fire fire !" and
then knew that Wood must have fired
the warehouse.


Shouts, cries, and the noise of hurry
ing feet; and Wood stood in the glare of
light, looking first one way and then
another, as if confused, for he had
quilted the pump on the first noise of
shouting. All at once he darted away
and half -fainting and suffocated with the
pressure, could do nothing but groan
feebly, after struggling little, to find
every effort vain; and then with sharp
ened senses gaze at the flames licking
the roof of the floor l was on, and es-
Gaping up the sides Of wool bales, and
the more inf1ammable goods that were
In the warehouse. The smoke soon be-
came binding and the heat sitting; and
for me- there seemed no hope, since I
vast tre no one would be able to pene-
trate to where was; when again / gave
n struggle, and stretched down my hand
backwards to try and reach the tap, which
would let off the water and let me at
liberty, or ut least place me in a position
to try and escape the horrible death that
seemed to await me.


But no, the handle was far out of my
reach; and groaned and wept meekly
at my helpless condition. The press
held me by the chest with awful power,
but my hands and arms were at liberty;
while my head hanging down backwards
enabled me to see the flames creeping
along faster and faster, rs saw them re-
versed, and began to calculate how long
1t would be before they would reach me
and end my misery.


All at once, when nearly fainting, nv
hand came in contact with the iron bar
used to lengthen the handle of the
pump, to force in the water with more
ease when greater power was required {;
and then my heart gave leap as 1
thought thought might be able to
strike the handle of the tap and let out
the water. ..-.


10 grasp the bar was the work Of q
moment, and then began swinging it
about slowly, to try and strike the tap;
but in vain, for could do nothing with
it from only being able to swing it Mt
random, for 1 could not see. Nearer
came the flames, louder rose the shouts
and as 1 looked along the warehouse 1
could see that all escape was cut off by
the stairs, even if had been at liberty
and now, completely overcome with the
pressure and the horror of my position,
L groaned heavily, and the bar fell from
my grasp.


The last hope gone, I thought; when
at the same moment a familiar sound
struck my ear, for in falling the bar had
fallen upon the tap, when there came
the fierce g,lsh of the compressed water,
and the ram began slowly to descend till
I could crawl out, to fall fainting on the
floor.


But l was up again directly, for there
was fierce glow in the place; and now
could see Wood busily at work tearing
out wool to feed the flames, and dashing
everything else he could lay his hands
upon into the fire, which seemed at
times to singe him.


1 looked round, for he took no notice
of me; and rs had before seen there
was no escape by the door, 80, running
to the open door by the crane, 7 caught
hold of the rope, and began lowering it
down as fast as possible, with the light
shining full upon me, and the people
below either groaning with horror, or
cheering me on as l tore at the stout
rope, and sent the crane handle spinning
round and round.


Could but get enough rope out be-
fore Woods attention was taken, 1 felt
safe, for 1 knew that could slide down
easily enough; but, as 1 dreaded, he
caught sight of me, and leaving his fiery
task, he rushed towards the door; when,
with yell of terror, leaped from the
flooring, clinging tightly to the rope,
which began to run. swiftly out as I
swung to and fro till it was all out, when
tho jerk nearly dashed me off. But,
after sliding down some little way, re-
covered myself, and letting the rope
glide slowly through my hands, went
lower and lower, with my eyes fixed on
the blazing floor above me.


All at once felt the rope jerked and
swung about, and could see the figure
OF Wood at it; and then again was be-
ing drawn up, and l knew he must be
busy at the crane handle; but the next
minute he must have loosened his hold,
when the handle flew round and struck
him from his feet, and / went swiftly
down. There was yell from the crowd,
something dark. dashed by me with q
rushing noise, and as 1 clung trembling
to the rope heard n horrible dull thud,
and slipping swiftly down the rope for
the remainder of the distance, suppose
L fell fainting by the side of Woods
mutilated body.


The fire was got under when our floor
burned out, though much damage was
done by water; but with the exception
of strange, nervous timidity that
fancy I shall never get the better of,
was not much the worse for my terrible
encounter with the poor fellow who came
to his end so fearfully.