The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-04-05

work were falling, crashing down; while
from over the chandelier in the center OF
the ceiling a red glowing light kept play.
ing, toward which the smoke from the
stage fioated in wreaths.
Crashl orashl crash! wings and flies
kept falling upon the stage, now from
back to front one blaze, from which the
sparks, like a golden whirlwind, rushed
up amid the smoke, while the roar be.
came tiercer and fiercer as the currents
of air rushed toward the body of the
fame, and famed 1t into fresh fury. The
glow now fell upon my face, and turned
to fly, for there seemed greater danger
in staying than in attempting to escape;
| for the gallery was now nearly empty,
though the cries, shouts ana groans from
the staircase were still awful.
had already leaped over two or three
benches, when remembered the child,
| and dashed back to drag out the little
! trembling thing, pale and half stif1ed
with the crawling smoke which spread
through the place. The next moment
had her on my back, and hurried to tho
right-hand door; but there the struggling
and turmoil were fearful, and l turned
and made my way to the other, climbing
over the broken down barrier at the
back Of the gallery, beneath which lay
two women groaning.
1 looked back; there were the flames,
now crawling round the pillars on each
side OF the stage, and licking and playing
| among the curtains of the private bOxes.
The audience had all gone from the other
parts Of the house, but men were darting
out of the orchestra door, bringing with
| them LOADS of anything valuable they
could rescue from the flames.
In front of the gallery still sat the old
man, leaning over the ratings, and. with
half-dread upon me that something
was wrong, l hurried back and snook
him heavily, when l started back in hor-
ror as he fell across the benches, turn
ing up the most hideously- distorted face
l ever saw, as he lay evidently in tit
from fright.
The flames were coming nearer and
nearer, and the smoke grew more and
more sitting. The anxiety to be out OF
this horrible place was intense, but l
could not go and leave fellow-creature
| helpless in such place; SO once more
making my way to the open door, set
down the child close by the woman.
leaped back from bench to bench, and
somehow contrived to bear the old man
and draw him to the top Of the staircase,
where staggered against the wall, over.
come with dread, for the child was gone,
|
asked the women, and shook them
roughly to get an answer; but they were
quite insensible. 1t was too much to
bear, and dashed down the staircase,
up which still came the sounds OF yelling
and struggling, as the people fought
their way toward safety; but every here
and there the crippled and wounded OF
the fight were lett benind, to crawl SLOW
ly downward, their countenances dis
torted and blanched with horror.
Round and round, ever downward, l
dashed, till came upon party Of men
coming up, headed by body of police
men-for the stair case was at length
open; and in reply to my hurried inqIlr-
les l learnt that they had met man car
rying a child, and the next moment l
little one out of the arms OF the man who
had turned back to bring her down.
And now, as l stood there faint and
exhausted, l saw first one and another
brought down, crushed and bleeding, till
staggered off, the child taking me home
farther and farther from the lurid light
behind, toward which people were hur.
rying from all directions; Tor l was giddy
and confused, but none The less thankful
for my escape.
Visited the. smoking ruins the next
day, and learned how tnatevery one had
been brought out of the place, though the
| list of dead, dying and wounded was
something awful. But there, these hor-
rors are common; they create little ex-
citement at the time, but people forget
them when some new catastrophe Oc-
ours. 1t may be from having q good
memory, but night or tay-it Is ali the
same-I can always close my eyes and
see again the horrors OF that real trag-
edy.