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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1880)
June, 1880. THE WEST SHORE. '7' RUNNING TO THE FIRE. A warm, aultry day in August; papa was tak ing his after-dinner nap in the library with a big red handkerehief spread over his head to keep the Hies away from the bald plaooj for Hies like bald places, you know, and how thoy MB bite! mamma waa down stairs reading, puss lay comfortably stretched out on the rug whore the Bunshine fell warm upon her fur, and even Dick, the canary, sat drousily upon his perch: everything was still when suddenly the front door slammed, a pair of little boots clattered on the Btairs, and in burst eight-year-old Fred, all perspiration and excitement. "0, papa! may I, can I, 0, please, mayn't I run to the fire!" The red handkerchief was whisked away in an instant leaving the poor bare place to care for itself, for Mr. Maynard owned a hlouk of stores down town, and tires ho dreaded more than even Hies. "Where is it, my son?" "0, they ain't none now; but maybe thoy will bo, and Tommy Herrick he runs to 'em mid his pa lets him and it's lots of fun! May 1: l'lcaso, papa, 1 want to awful!" and the boy paused for very lack of breath, and waited with groat an xiety for his father's answer. "Certainly, certainly; but don't bother any more," and with a sigh of relief the tireil gentle man threw himself back upon the sofa, and stretohed the red covering over his hoail again, while I1 red, delighted beyond thank), rushed L out to tell Tommy Herrick of his success, and to liston with longing ears for the sound of the bells. But no bells rang. That day pasted and many others, yet the city was not visitod by the dreadful scourge. Fall came, and amid apples, melons, grapes, and all the lessor fruits of the season, Fred found pleasures on every hand, and forgot his wish so that even when the groat liolls did send thoir warning notes abroad thoy did not call it back to him. The matter had passed from papa's memory the very moment the boy's uestion was answered. Mamma never know of it, and so time went on and winter caino, over coats and mittens, sleds and snow-balls took up the little boy's attention, and ho had no thought of ever running to tho lires that so often rage by night and day in that time of year. It waa December. Tho chill northeast wind had blowu all day, bringing with it tho Hying snow-flakes, and as night settled down tho storm grew more and more furious, and tho great drifts blookaded paths and doorways up and down the town. Tho stroot-lamiw throw but faint and fitful gleams through tho darkness, and solitary pedestrians fought their way homo ward with aching tingcrs and frost-chilled forms. Fred sat by tho opon grate and gazod at jtho glowing emhors. Suddenly out of the brilliant coals there oame a memory back to him, a mem ory of the permission which papa had given to long, long ago and he had never yet taken ad vantage of it: he had novor been to a tire. The longer ho meditated, the stronger tho do aire grew. "O, if there was only a lire to night!" and the boy's eyes danced in anticipa tion of the fun it would bo to plunge into tho ,,.,-,, nnw and faoo tho living storm! How mU. ton. in this tleroe wind! 0. a tire -. -, . now, within ten minutes, he was creeping from hit room in overcoat and tippet, pauta tucked m boots, and a warm cap tied tight over his ears. Down the broad stairway, through tho dim hall, and with a turn of tho key tho front door opened and aland, and Fred was running to a Tho wind whistlod around tho corners and tossed the drifting, blinding snow in his oyes; tho cold pioreod through overcoat and coat, chilling his liody; tho strange, weird light Harcd up anil down in tho night, but he kept on, Mon passed him, groat rough men, swoaring as they ran; tho engines plowed thoir way through the deserted roads; he heard the dis tant cries of tho lircinon, but still ho kept on. More than a mile in and out of the winding streets ho ran, until, at a suddonturn, the burn ing building burst upon tho sight in all its wild ami fearful beauty! It was a wooden tenement house, six stories high, and ere Fred reached tho spot the llnmos had wrappud it in a blazing roho. How the lire loaped from open window to window, or crept along tho trembling roof! How tho wind sucked in and out tho dooways, and thou rushod roar ing away as if in terrible pain, carrying grrnt clouds of sparks riding 011 the dun-colored smoke! How tho onginos rattled, the water hissed; and the tiremon yolled! 0, it waa a wild storm Aid a wild lire, but little Frod enjoyed it all. Notwithstanding tho oflorts msde to over come it the devouring element was coiiiiieror, and within un hour tho groat roof fell with a mighty noise, sending a bla.o of light to the very sky; and then tho lire died down, tho crowd moved noiselessly away, and soon Fred found that he was almost tho only one left in tho tho street. One good look at the ruins and ho WOUld gO loo. Crossing tho street, ho pushed his way to ward whore the house had been. I hill rod coals, a great smoko and charred timbers was all that remained. As tho boy gazed upon tho desolate scene, n cry came to his ear, a child's cry. Ho started and turned about; there it was again! What could it lie? Moving cautiously along tho sound became moro and mure distinct, untl close under an old shed and wrapiod ill a rough blanket, that stm-llcd strongly of smoke, Frod found a little baby; left that to die, or forgot ten by some hall-crazed mother whoso shel ter had that night Imioii dostroyed! Tho great heal t of thu I10V grow tender as ho lilted the ragged bundle in his arms, and with soothing words to the littlu wail ho turned at once am: started for homo. It had Ik en bard work coining to tho lln through the deeiisnow, the storm ami tho dark nosa: it was doubly hard returning; yet Fred floundered bravely along. Once or twice ho fell, but with unwavering courage rose up an pushed on again. At last the corner waa reach ml: which wav should he turn, un or down Ho debated the matter for some time, but ould lie jolly if it could only come to-night! Hut hia reverie waa broken by mamma'a call, "Fred, come! It's bed-time!" and away he weut to be tuoked warm and coay in hia nest, there to dream out the fanciea that tillod hia little brain. The houra slipped by. Twelve, one, half past one. A diatant olangor aounda through the night air. Nearer and nearer it cornea; louder and louder until the boy's ohamber ia lllled with the wild craah of the frightened bells, and Fred springs from hia bed totes) the snow all aglow with the strange rod light, to see the Hying sparka drifting away overhead, to hear the uproar out side and to know that there ia really a lira. How iuick he dreaaed! had it Ix-en the break-faat-bell which called the boy from hia bed, an hour would hardly hare lieen time enough to make hia toilet, with mamma'a help, too; but lohulh. growing cold ami worried, started bur riedly elf in what he thought waa tho right d rectum. W aa it right? On, on, turning hero and there, following, aa nearly aa ho could re member it, the course that ho hod come, the lit tie Inn waded through the night ami the allow Hut the streets all looked strange; the groat bouses loomed up gloomily on either hand; the storm grew thicker, and only the wild wind an awered when ha called. He hail really lost his wav. Crying with terror, ataggering 1 1. rough the drifts, and hall frozen w ith lim . oi.i, rren ae in motion: be must find aomo one or he migh die! How tho auow whirled, and the tall trees swayed and groaned in tho gale' Would he never eel home, must he atoti here' Fatter and faater came hia breath, and the little loga trrm bled aa the drift grew deeper anil the piercing 00 Id mote intense. I be baby did not cry now but he hugged the bundle closer to him to keep it warm, and tried to struggle on; yet me bat tle waa almost over, and hia eyee were growing dim. when audde dv a form appeared In fore him. a heavv hand fell noon lite shoulder, gruff voice aaud "Whose boy ia this, out ao laU at night!" and with aory of joy Fred oaat him aelf upon tho friendly breast and sobbed out hit story in the policeman 'a oar. e e e Whon tho tale waa told next morning to papa aud mamma around the omty breakfaat table and before a Mating tire, it aeemed almost a iiiuam; out uiu lair nuy enaugei' woo uraua so greedily of tho froah milk waa proof that it had been a reality. I bo child was never claimed; but to day mg ills a beautiful girl "Sister," and "Suow-ilake," and aomotiniea tell , the atory of how ho found her that wild night when first ho ran to a lire. hfmmn f riinn. .IF.TTY. 1 mm roi on mu mm dotty waa our big black oat, Ho and lleaaie wore the very beat of fricndai he always aat up boaido her at the table and had a aharo of her milk and aa II. waa very generous, ahe some times lot him drink HraL Hut one aad day 11 big white cat named Mr. Hound called on Mr. J, aud ho found the latter had iiiich a uiue home, he believed he would live with him. Hut 11. waa a very bad at, and would alwaya take .l.'a auppcr, and 1 . 001 . 1, oil. n wont to hod very hungry. II. a apa trust to make 11, go away, but the halo id eat would alwaya come back. One night with hia naughty claw he scratched one of pom I. a eyoa out! I hia was too much for the poor eat; he resolved to leave hia home and go out in tho wide world to aeek a relugo. And then how aail poor H waa! Mho could not he com forted. Voor J, had a hard time when ho went away, for he had to aleep out in the woods at uigbt, and sometimes it rained very hard and he waa nearly drowned. After he had Imioii away throe weeks, a great snow atorm came. I be ticca i re all 1 moled Itli ice ami anow ami -l.'a toes were frnaeu nearly utf; thare wore no more unco lor him to catch now; he had taken a dreadful cold, and it hail settled on his lungs. He felt if h" could only tee H, once more, bo could die happy, or may lie II. would take pity 011 him now when 110 waa so io ,i , aick aud blind, and half dead with diph theria. So one night when It, a papa waa down at the apriug hoiiao, ho aaw .1. coming slowly 1111 tin railroad. Ho rail to meet him, lifted linn ill his arms and took him to the house, and after he hail had a saucer of good tweet milk, paa tisik him in to II. And oh! how happy they were that night! H. was fairly wild with dolight, and poor .1. could only go around, ton overjoyed to know what to do. Old II. waa driven away, and aa II. 'a papa was a doctor, ha aonn cured ,1, and made him the happiest of oate; and if it hail not been for Ida poor blind eye you never would know that anything had happened to him. - N. Y. ''Wimhs, Jr. .Irmuiao Ahvira 10 II Yoiimi Daion 11.11. 1 do not wiah you to l gayly clothed at this time of life, but above all things and at all times let your ulothea lie mat, whole awl pro-rly put on. Homo ladlea think they may, under th privileges of the tlrnhabilU, In looao and negligent of their draw in the morning. Hut be you from the moment you rise till you go to bed aa clean and properly drtaaeed aa at the hours of dinner or, tarn. A lady who has been seen aa a alovan in th morning will never effaoa the impreaaion aha has made with all tin dress and pageantry aha call afterward involve haraelf In. I hope, therefore, the moment you use Iron, bed your first work will be to dreaa yourself to such style that no circumstance of nealneaa lie wanting. Am un n 1 ra ix Ki'Mofa. - lUosml analyst of the UNlhraeUe roof 0 ValuU, Switzerland, allow a vary aloe rinlUnu to that uf I'aoMyl vaola. Trial with American ItaaUra show thai it can replau the I'euiiaylvaul coal. It ha also Ismu successfully tried ou locomotive.