THE UNGRATEFUL HUSBAND.
By Irving Browne.
REIF v. PAIGE, 55 Wis. 496; s. c. 42 Am. Rep. 731.
A. offered to give $5,000 to any person who would bring the body of his wife from a burning
building, dead or alive. B., a paid member of the fire department, on the faith of the offer,
and at great personal peril, but without notice of acceptance of the offer, brought the dead body
from the building. Held, that he was entitled to the reward^
ONE Paige's house was all a-fire, With Mrs. Paige inside, And Mr. Paige did much desire The rescue of his bride; The engines worked, the engines played, But naught the deadly foe delayed.
Thereat exclaimed that loving spouse, "Who brings me forth my wife From yonder wildly burning house, Though destitute of life, Five thousand dollars I 'll give him, For risk of injury to limb."
Then rushed the gallant fireman, Reif, Into that hell of flame, And to the crowd's intense relief Soon safely out he came, And in his arms the body bore — Alas! of life it knew no more.
But Paige's zeal meantime had cooled The money he refused. "The courts," he said, " had often ruled That payment was excused Because acceptance of the offer The other party did not proffer.
