The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-07-16


der foot. and we're trampled down. and
some hung wedged in the midst, neither
able to move one way nor the other.
Phillls had heen carried with the
crowd. The first instinct of sell. preser-
walton had made her follow the rest to
the door, and then she had seen the mis-
take they all made, when it was too late
She had no control over herself; the
shrieking women bore her with them
until they reached the next room when
she was crushed against the open door,
and through it and flung against a
woman who had shared her fate. In the
terror of the moment Phillis scarcely saw
the womans face, but the woman had
seen hers, and caught at her with hor-
rlble cry. Il was Janet Ayres. Phillis
all bruised and shadderlDg. stared at
her as ifshe had been spirit.
"Thee Janet Ayres !" she said, just
as she had done when they met npol the
staircase.
The woman covered her face with her
hands.
II come last neet," she said, tan this
mornin' come heer,--tur hSs."
There was no help for them,-no
place for them among the whiting mass
upon the stairway.
1--WE must watt" said Phlllis. 1T is
certain death to try the stairway it is on
ire. They was mad with terror"
1T is certain death ony wheer," said
Janet Ayers. "Th' fire II be on US afore
we can say prayer"
But Phillis caught her by the hand.
"Come to the window" she said, land
let US cry to them in the yard. They
must gee or hear us"
The floor was hot under their feet, the
smoke was suffocating and binding them
but they made their way to the window
and flung themselves against it, beating
the glass until the blood streamed from
their hands. But they were only two
women, and on the stairways there were
hundred shrieking with voices as loud
as theirs, and in the yard the engines
were rafting to and fro,and firemen were
shouting, and men and women scream
ing to their children, who were crushed
or burning within.
They cannot hear our voices" cried
Phillis; +" and the smoke hides u.s."
They waited for a while, and then
tried again and then again, and even
again, and there came fearful crash and
s1ch burst of shrjeks that women who
were safe tainted, and men turned sick
as death. The staircase had fallen, and
with it its human burden.
Phillis sank down upon her knees
praying aloud. Her companion sprang
at the window again like wild animal
waving her arms tranticallv through the
broken paines
"We Gamma burn her, she sLrieked.
"They maun see us.-Help, lads! Help,
help!' And then to Pbillis "Shut th'
door an keep tn smoke out. or we shall
choke" And when Phillis had obeyed
her "Comt here, and help me Z max
'em hear.''
AID the terror in their voices made
them so wild and shrill that it was not
many minutes before they Iwere heard,
even in the midst of the roar Of flames
and voices. Some women in the crowd
heard them first, and, looking up, saw
the waving hands.
"Eh, lads" she cried, God help us!-I
bhar's some wenches on t. third flight
crying fur help, an their hands is all cut
to pieces wi breakin' thro' tn winder-
glass"
IL uFeW the crowd TO their side OF she
building in Minutes time rushing
rouEd with new cries and wilder frenzy
shouting to the desperate imprisoned
creatures at the window yelling to the
tiremen and growing almost mad with
excitement. "Play on the room," they
cried insanely. Bring the ladders
That's Janet Ayres Dvoice Aye, an by
God that's th' Quaker wenche's! Lasses.
its Phillis Denham ap' Jenny Ayres
Whar's the new overseer 90
They called for the oyerseer, for from
the first outbreak of the flames he had
been the coolest and most active among
Rhnm He cpnroa or RI lynnu what - =