Martinsburg herald. [volume], January 02, 1909, Image 8

About Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920

Image provided by: West Virginia University

                
fireman jack's
Christmas Gift
By J. A. EDGERTON.
ICopyrijfht. 1908. by Amsrlo*n Pre«« Amo
ciatlon, j
JACK IIENDCRSON was a now
man among the tire laddie*. II"
■had borne with the chatting of j
the older men, had gone through !
■the "Initiations,” had been tossed In j
the blanket till his head was almost j
even with the second story windows i
toad been compelled to scramble like a !
monkey up ladders built high In the I
HU, had dtilled like a soldier, clambered !
to vet roofs, climbed up the sheer side*
of building's and done the thousand j
sind one other things required of those
'who art deemed worthy of protecting 1
tin lives and property of a great city.
Among other things, he had been told !
toy his grizzled preceptor never to show
nervousness, os that Is a sign of fear;
to obey orders Instantly anil without
question, even though It were to jump
■from the top of a building, and to re
member always that the motto of the
'department was to save life first and
-^property afterward.
Arid now it was Christmas, his first |
Christmas on the force. One of the
day’s fires was a severe one. Jack j
was detailed to go bride to help in ;
the rescue of any that might be left j
dn the blazing building and, remaining
,,*9oo long, had hart his egress to the j
“Stairway cut off and had been forced
’«U‘ on to a cornice on tb" front of the
astrucTnre, He was In no Immediate
■dangnr however, being In one of the
lower sTories.
As be was about to call to those be
low tils attention waj arrested by u
' *■ V'**
rr
...... IM ■
kia<mir£NX>]u> n is a rum and ca t on i her.
4Bcxi-aiu from a window just above
fJLooktng'tip, l»f* saw Hie white face of a
,«glrl and had barely time to brace him
welf when he felt her skirt* brush his
'.face as she swept downward, Instinc
•tivcly be extended his arms and
caught her It was almost a foolhardy
tact, Irut its the coping was broad It
ftiappeued to succeed For one dizzy
moment he thought that her weight
-woukl topple them both to death be
Sow. but drawing-the girl to the ledge,
•^Usomjugitig one arm aud grasping‘the
-window snips were only tiie work of
■an instant The crowd and the tire
-11101 below had seen the thrilling res
cw, and ttiere was a moment of ago
nized suspense; then a wild cheer rent
the n(r Ladders were speedily raised,
^tiitd Jm-k Henderson carried the half
tfahiliug girl to safety. The act was
’the wonder of the hour, and the papers
morning contained accounts such
-as stirred even sensation sated New
York Jack did not realize that he wus
hero, however. That is almost a
'term of reproach among firemen. It Is
•all In the day s work, a part of the
(business.
Jack had been too busy realizing hls
Wife's ambition to Indulge affairs of the
(heart but now he could not forgot the
white face nt the window or as it was
tin rostei hue when its owner, Lizzie
Holmes shyly thanked him for hav
ing iearned her from certain death
Jack asked for her new address and
moot found himself culling at the
Holti - flat. Youth and love were j
■-singing their songs In Jack's heart 1
When eft duty ou Sundays lie and Liz ;
kU went to the parks, the river front i
<m Coney Island, and on the long even
lug- when he was not required at the
-station they wandered together ou the
streets or sat on the benches tn the
<Htt!e parked breathing spaces s< atter
'■ed over the lower part of the metrop
- oils The Christmas season was again
- apuroarhing when be had proposed to
i.i;-.sie to share it fireman's lot At
-ilr*. sue had put him off. uncertain of
tier own heart Was she not in danger
of mistaking tills very gratitude for
iove, and would It be fair to Jack to
tie bis life to hers lie fore entirely sure
of the state of her own mind? Slu told
'iiim to “wait." And JiR-k waited
On Christmas, as It happened, bo was
again on duty, and early in the day he
found himself on a hose cart clatter
ing up In front of a tall and smoking
■old rookery containing for the most
jv'rt sweatshops. 1’p the front of the
^building zigzagged a fire escape, and
itv» with a number of the other “boys,’*
was detailed to carry a hose nearly to
the top of this, open a window and
o)av a stream Unit would rip off plus
BY EARLE HOOKER EATON
OOmiMt. IMS. BY BAKU! gWM» EATOK
Beneath the mistletoe she stood
ttlith eves inviting what— a his6? 1
Am,
But when I leaped to claim the pri^e
She fro2e me with a glance like this!
ts&B0s&&aae^X8wig3sx
Bow like the weather woman isl
Yet I’m no woman hater,
for, though *twas freezing for a ,time,
Cwas “fair and warmer’”’ later!
J«SiS£$Sg3S£S5SS5£aSSaig
ter and lath on the little red and blue
tongues writhing over In the eorner.
It was .lurk's duty to hold the noz
zle. not tin easy task with a long..1
heavy hose through which water is
tearing at a speed to go over a high
building His arms were already in h- |
Ing when the captain saw that his men
were In danger and railed through a
megaphone for them to descend. Jack’s
three companions at once started down- i
ward; hut. unfortunately for him, the
hose had no hook, so he was com
pelled to hold It until the men reached
safety To have abandoned It would
have let It go crashing down to split
their skulls or knock them from the j
fire escape. By the time these had
reached the pavement his chances t
were entirely cut off Already the grat
lug beneath Ills feet was growing hot.
Calling to "Look out below1” Jack ]
dropped the hose and sprang through
the open window. Within the place
had become a sweatshop Indeed. '1 he
smoke choked and blinded him.
Stumbling over chairs, he groped bis
way to a side window, which he broke
out with his heavy helmet. Thrusting
his head out for a gulp of fresh air,
he drew his body through the opening
and got a footing on the narrow cop
ing. This was not over four inches
wide and was slippery from the water
thrown on It. which had frozen al
most as soon as It fell. As Jack was
edging his way along this perilous
footing a crooked rift In the stnoke
revealed him to the firemen below. It
also revealed him to a while faced girl
In the crowd, but of her presence Jack
was In Ignorance. Neither did he hear
the agonized little shriek «>f "Save
him"’ Hashing Into the adjoining
building, two of the firemen tore up
to the roof, which was a short dis
tance above the spot where he stood.
The exhausted man was almost ready
to fall as four strong bands grasped
blm and pulled him to safety
As for Lizzie, the crooked rift In the
smoke had not only uneovered .lack's
form, but had revealed her own heart,
and when lit1 reached tin* street she
softly asked hlitn to come to the tlat
that evening, as a (’heistinaa i»resent
awaited hint there.
It was with a lighter heart tfcar* for,
some previous weeks that J*ek sat
befor*- the little Christmas tree that
a
“(•'OB JACK."
ui;jlit. In ft sort of dream ho heard
the presents culled off for Lizzie's lit
tle sister and other members of the
finally, ami It was only at the end
that he tan-;lit sight of li little slip of
paper pinued to the sleeve of Lbszle
herself, on which were written the
two words, “For Jack.’* Thai was bis
Christmas gift.
Famous Journalist Who
Entered Many Fields
An Intimate Study of the Late Major Orlando Jay Smith,
Founder of the American Press Association—Thinker,
Philosopher and Writer Whose Life Touched Great
Men as Well as Great Movements.
By JAMCS A. EDCERTON.
IN bln day Major Orlando Jay Surfih.
the late president of the Amerl
ean Press Association, entered
many fields. At twenty-two he
was a major of cavalry In the Union
army. At thirty-seven lie was editor
of one of the leading greenback and
anti-monopoly papers of the country,
the mileage- Express. Starting at the
age of forty, he baflt np in a quarter
of a century the largest newspaper
syndicate In the United States. He
was an advocate of life In the open, of
the preservation of our forests and
was an authority on arboriculture. He
was a believer fti fundamental democ
racy nnd furthered it both by books
and through the other avenues at hia
command. lie was a keen Judge of
character, quick to detect genius and
started more young writers on the
path to fii-me thnrr perhaps any man
of Ills day. Final]/, his many works
on science and religion attracted 1 ta*
attention of thinkers not only In his
-twn land, bat In India and England
nnd throughout the world.
His life touched not only great move
ments, but great men In addition to
those that he helped* to find thero
selves and their work, many of whose
names are now Household words, b *
was for many years a frfmni and
neighbor of Robert O. Tngers.-.ll, often
entertained William J. Itryan nt bis
home and was * particular friend of
Dr. Albert Shaw, editor of the Review
of Reviews. There was nil especial
sympathy between these two on reli
gious and philosophical lines. At Major
Smith's funeral Dr. Shaw referred
feelingly to this bond and read from
the Ixsiks of Ills dead friend passages
on his fafth In life beyond! the grave.
Touched Many Shores of Thoug’ht.
Major Smith was bom on an In
diana farm and lies burit-d at Sleepy,
QULANlHi ja\ smith.
Hollow. X. Y., made famous by Wash
ington Irving. At oue time lie was a
Mississippi planter. The three ex
tremes illustrate not only his career,
but show his sympathy with all sec
tions. The breadth of his views is
indicated by the fact that he kept
abreast of the adranced thought of bis
day and at the same tinta was familiar
with all religions, ancient and modem.
Ha was an lnteuse admirer of charac
ters as diverse as Chawes Dickens and
Napoleon Bonaparte. The English
novelist he read over and over,, and of
Napoleon he laid a death mask, statues
and paintings, while his library teas
stocked with books concerning the first
emperor. There could hare been noth
ing narrow in a man who 'touched so]
many shores of thought ami who bad
interests se wide and Tar/.ed. lie was
a rare combination of'the practical
man and the idealist.
Pathetic Prison Experience,s.
Orlando Jay Smith was of New Eng
land ancestry and was the son of a
pioneer. lie was born near Terre
Haute, Ind.. on June 14. 1842. He
graduated from Asbury college, now
lie 1'auw university, which afterward
conferred on him the degree of I„L. 1>.
Entering the Tinlon army in April,
1SH1, lie served until September, 1865.
He enlisted ns a private and rose to
be second sergeant the first year. He
was then mustered out with his regi
mant and helped to form a second regi
rnent, in which he was commissioned
second lieutenant, then served two
years as captain and early In 1864 was
raised to the grade of major. > He par
ticlpated in the Shenandoah valley
campaign, the Kentucky campaign
“where he fought la the battle of Rich
I inond; the east Tennessee campaign,
i the Knoxville campaign and the Atlan
i ta campaign. He commanded his rcgl
! meat in the operations at the right
! of Kenesaw mountain.
One of his most exciting war ex
periences was as a participant la
Stoneman’s raid. He opposed Stone
man's action in surrendering the bri
gade of which Major Smith’s regiment
was a port and proved that it was
»nne< essary by leading his regiment in j
cutting its way out and escaping. He
was afterward severely wounded, how
ever. and made a prisoner near Jng
Tavern, G«. His prison experiences
were most pathetic. His wound was
palaful throughout the entire time, he
had little to eat except parched corn
and lived in open stockades where |
there was no shelter except holes the i
prisoners burrowed In the ground.
Three experiences that he told one of
his friends are characteristic. One was
the finding of an old oven door, which l
he lugged with him from prison to
prison and used for parching his corn ;
or for cooking any morsel he might
pl«k up. Another was of finding
enough old rails and wood to build a
shanty about six foot square. This j
seemed like a mansion to the men, and
when the very day it was completed j
word came that they were to be ex- j
changed there was actual regret at j
leaving it. The third episode was in
Charleston when the dry was bom
barded by the Union forces. North
ern prisoners were placed where they
were exposed to the fire of their own
armies. Major Smith being in one of;
the most dangerous positions. After \
being exchanged In December, 1804,;
lie was placed to command of the pa-’
roled prisoners at Camp Chase. Co-!
lutnbus, O. He wasalso assistant in- i
speetor general of the Sixth division 1
of Wilson’s cavalry corps. Being in j
the cavalry, Maior Smith was almost
constantly engaged In the dangerous
work, of scouting. One of his theories
was that men to fight well must be
well fed and cared for. He was there
fore noted for his efforts for the com
fort of his command. After the war
Major Smith became a member of the !
Loyal Legion.
Baffled Three Assassins.
His exciting days did not end with
being mustered out of the service.
Raising cotton on a Mississippi planta
tion may not sound like a “hazardous
occupation." but it all depends on tho
time in which It was done and by
whom. For a northern officer to en
gage in the pursuit white the bitter
ness of the war was still fresh was
not the most healthful of occupations,
yet this Is exactly w hat Major Smith 1
did and despite unpleasant occurrences
persisted In It for three years.. On one !
occasion he was followed by three,
men that he felt intended to assas
sinate him. Suddenly wheeling his j
horse, he confronted them with the '
question, “Well, gentlemen, what do
you want?" This disconcerted them, i
and they went their ways.
Even yet his warlike experiences J
were not over. In 1869 he returned J
to Terre Haute and started a newspa
| per, the Mall. So vigorous were some
j of his editorials that one gentleman
thought himself aggrieved and there
upon began shooting at the major
from behind a barrel, as a result of
which the young editor carried a sec
ond bullet hole to the day of his
death. Later Major Smith acquired
the Terre Haute Express and launched
It as a greenback organ. Six years or
more were devoted to this cause, dur
Ing which time Major Smith gave hi*
w&ofe soul fty the work, writing and’
speaking cofi-W*flt!y The Express
grew until in 1878 it was moved to
Chicago, becoming: one of the foremost
papers in the movement.
It was in 1882 that - Major Smith
started the American Press Associa
tion. The plan on which he yorfced
was untried and seemed; to faiJkm the
first attempt. He only changed its de
tails and worked the harder. At last
his efforts and genius for organization
began to tell, and today the institution,
of which lie was the head until the
time of his death, is the largest news
paper syndicate in America ami the
foremost of its kind in the world.
Brought Many Into Prominence.
In this work Major Smith employed
at various times most of the well
known fiction writers and many of the
most brilliant newspaper men of the
last quarter of a century. Some of
these he picked as winners when they
were unknown and brought them into
prominence. It is worthy of note tbs*
he bought from Ella Wheeler WIlcov
the first poem she ever sold; that he
suggested the bringing of Eugene
Field to Chicago, the step that estab
fished his fame; that he was a close
friend and adviser of John Clark Kid
path, the historian; that he first de
tected the genius of the inimitable
short story writer who goes under the
pen name of “O. Henry;” that before
Peter Finley Dunne, with his “Doo
ley,’* had Jumped into fame .Major
Smith predicted that he would l>e the
humorist of the Spanish-American
war, and that by syndicating their
work he did much to spread the popu
larity of such men as Bill Nye, M
Quad, Murat Halstead, T. De Witt Tai
mage. Champ Clark and numberless
others. Among the well known writers
v. ho worked with Major Smith before
becoming prominent, many of whom
owe their start to his encouragement
and interest, may be mentioned Tom
Masson, editor of Life; Sewell F6rd,
the short story writer; Frederick A.
Olter, the historian; Jack London,
Booth Tarklngton, Dexter Marshall
the syndicate writer; John H. Beadle,
famous a generation ago; Howard
Fielding, the novelist; Joseph R. Buch
anan, now labor editor of the New
York Journal; Eliza Arc-hard Conner,
the woman’s writer; EL AddingtoD
Bruce, now a recognized authority on
psychology; F. A. Mltcbel, novelist;
Richard Lloyd’ Jones, secretary of the
Lincoln Farm association, and hosts
of others throughout the land.
Major Smith was himself an author
of more than national fame, both in
economics and In the fields of philoso
phy and reilgton. On ‘•Eternallsm” he
received a letter of thanks from a
maharajah of India, and that and oth
er works were reviewed by some ot
the best known critics and scientists
of the day. Of a nature similar to
“Eternallsm” are “Balance.” “A Short
View of Great Questions” and “Agree
ment Between Science anil Religion,”
while "The Coming Democracy” out
lines a plan for a more perfect system
of voting and popular government.
One of the greatest essays I ever read
from the pen of Major Smith appeared
in the Open Court only a few months
before his death.
Authority on Immortality.
Without attempting to go Into his
philosophy at length, it attempts to
prove immortality by scientific rneth
ods; to show that there is absolute
balance and adjustment in all thlftgs,
that the Individual Is ultinrfatey re
sponsible for bis every act, the law ot
balance in bis case becoming Justice,
thus requiring life after death for its
completion and fulfillment; that the
basic principles of all religions are the
same, and they thus support and prove
each other, and that the Ideas of moral
accountability, of a supreme intelli
gence and of some sort of communica
tion between the living and the dead
have been universally held In all times
and dimes, thus showing them to be
instinctive in the race and furnishing
the strongest presumptive evidence of
their truth These themes will be
more- popular a generation hence than
they are today, and it is my own delib
erate opinion that Orlando Jay Smlthi
will be ti authority upon them long
after an ermy of present day writers
are forgotten.
In polities Major Smith was a radical
in the sense that be thought for him
self and followed the utter troth as he
saw It, Yet he was ever optimistic
and constructive.
Trees Were His Friends.
Iu personal appearance Major Smith,
was rather tall and compactly built.
Bis face was strong and smooth, shav
en, his eyes blue and direct, his hair
abundant, but snow white. \t home
he had the same simplicity, sincerity
and easy dignity that marked him ev
erywhere. He leaves a widow, two
daughters and a son, Courtland Smith,
whom the father trained up to be his
assistant and successor 8n business.
Major Smith loved the open conntry.
and the trees were his friends. He
knew them well both scientifically and
In a more human way.
I cannot close this article without a
personal word. I never knew a man
whose Ideas ran more nearly parallel
with my own In almost every field
than did those of Major Smith. Be
cause of personal sympathy and
friendship I have refrained from say
ing many things that are In ray
heart, fearing that my own bias might
make me overdraw the picture, a
thing that no character sketch should
do. I trust my readers to see between
the lines and to discern not the mere
words, but the spirit and feeling be
hind the words.
Thjs much I will say: Orlando Jay
Smith raised the standard of American
Journalism ns did perhaps no other
man of his time, and he believed In
and furthered movements of better
ment In almost every field of human
thought and endeavor
f