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Show "KOCK OF AGES." By C. M. Jackson. It was after tho second shock, at 8:15 in tho morning just at the tlmo when buildings jarred by tho ilrst began be-gan to totter and fall, when the police and other rescuers down on tho corner of First and Mission streets, San Francisco, entered a structure in which several families were known to havo been quartered. It was a risky job, too, because tho shack It was n four-story brick was getting get-ting very shaky and the men did not know at what moment It might cave In. Thoy hurried from room to room, without with-out finding any ono until they reached tho top floor. As thoy hurried up the stairway tho sound of ja child's voice singing was heard. "Good Lord!" ejaculated a big copper, cop-per, "It's a kid; lot's get it quick and get out of here." Tho door wns open, nnd there, sitting on tho edge of the bed, sat a flve-year-old kid. clad In his llttlo night dress, his pink toes peeping out from underneath, under-neath, his curls hanging down his fair, whlto neck llko a girl's. Ho did not seem to bo awaro of any danger.elther, and ho didn't stop his song when the men entered, or nt least not until ho had completed tho stanza. Neither was ho Interrupted, because tho strong fellows fel-lows just stood there, regradless or nnrll. until lm linrl pntnnlntoil It was: "Rock O'bages cleft for me, Let mo hldo mlneself In Thee." As the men who had come to save him entered ho hnd just started: "When I soar to worlds unknown And behold Thee on Thy throne, Rock o'bages, cleft for me. Let mo hldo mlneself in Thee." "God bless th' b'ye," exclaimed Mo-rlarlty Mo-rlarlty if that wasn't his name It should havo been "think av th' mite slngin' in this hour. Como on. little felly, 'tis yorself as must bo gittln' out av this . Phero's yer clothes?" "I mustn't go till papa comes," replied re-plied tho llttlo picture. "He'll be hero at seven. Papa goes to work nights and leaves Gcorgio here. Papa's an engineer engi-neer In a great big building down town." "Lord save ye, llttlo man," ejaculted tho policeman. "It's not comin home yer fnther'll bo this mornin at soven. Phero's yer clothes, kid, phero's yer clothes?" By this tlmo a comrade had found tho boy's clothing nnd grabbed tho llttlo llt-tlo angel and mado a hurried exit to the street. When the open air was reached tho llttlo chap was attired as hastily and as well as men sould dress, him and then tho big fellow turned to his comrade of Italian extract, by the' way and said with much vehemence nnd energy: "Godola, It's mesolf as has to con-; tlnuo on wid this work av gettin' th'i poor devils out safe. Wo may never meet again, but av I catch yo on th' other sldo nn' yo toll mo yo let that kid como to harrum, there'll bo a mill In purgatory that'll make th' imps howl' wid delight an' 'twill not bo mo doln' th' hollerln' nyther. Go, take him some place phero he'll bo safe." And tho other gripped tho hand or tho big Irishman by way of reply and started off through that horrid stream of fire, of falling walls, of shattering structures, of tottering towers. Not two blocks from tho plnco ho met a man ploughing through danger with no thought of himself. "Oh, thcro's papa," almost shrieked tho llttlo fellow, and as tho man came up and clasped him to his bosom, tho llttlo golden-haired chap clasped him about tho neck in a rapture of delight. "Good-bye, Mr. Policeman," ho said, as ho nestled closo to tho breast of tho strong fellow, who hugged him to his breast dear llttlo counterfeit of a woman wo-man sleeping out in Laurel Hn and tho last words tho officer he ' 3 tho pair sought safety from tho terrors K around wore those of tho llttlo fellow Jf resuming his song: "Rock o'bages, cleft for me, K Let mo hldo mineself in Thee." I |