One cold day this winter, as it was growing late, Mrs. Ivy, whose home
is in Pictou, Nova Scotia, was obliged to go out, leaving her two
children alone. Their father was dead.
Little Alice was only seven and Henry was five years old. They played
together awhile, and Alice told Henry stories, and they tried to think
that the time was slipping away very fast, and that mother would soon be
back.
But presently it began to get dark in the room where the careful mother
had left them, locking them in for safety. The stars were twinkling in
the sky, and the lamps were lighted in the street. Alice knew where the
matches were kept, and she had often seen her mother light their lamp,
so she thought she would do it now.
Unfortunately neither she nor little Henry observed that they had set
the burning lamp very near their mother's working dress and Alice's
white apron, which were hanging quite close to the mantel.
The first thing they knew, these had caught fire, and the room was in a
blaze.
What should little Alice do? How could she save Henry? She never thought
about her own danger. The key was in the lock, alas! on the other side
of the door.
Quick as a flash she raised the window, and creeping out to the end of
the projecting shelf, lowered herself till she hung at arm's-length, and
then dropped to the ground.
It was a distance of thirty-five feet, but the air buoyed up her
clothing, something as it does that of a little girl when she whirls
round and drops down in what we used to call a pot-cheese. Alice reached
the ground unhurt.
She flew up stairs and unlocked the door. No Henry was there. Frightened
and desperate, she screamed and cried so that the neighbors came running
to see what had happened.
They found the little fellow on the ground, where he had fallen, having
crawled out on the window-sill to see what had become of his sister. It
was a mercy that he too had escaped with only a few bruises.
Brave little Alice Ivy! She showed unselfish love, courage, and
promptness in action. We think she was a heroine. Do you agree with us?
Her behavior was the more worthy of praise that she had to do something
at once, and that she did the best thing under the circumstances. We are
sure her mother felt thankful for such a noble daughter.