Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-10-31
A HEROIC NEWFOUNDLAND.
Fritz at the Windsor Theatre Fire..
Beat:s After = Gallant Act.

Nrw York Journal
Among the unpublished heroes of the
Windsor theatre WAS Christian John
ston's dog, who went up i'll a blaze of
glory. Fritz was a big Newfoundland,
a great PIT i'll the Hartmann hotel, next
door to the theatre. He was in love
with his masters daughter, little Julia,
1 years old. They we're always to-
gether. The dog slept at the foot of
her bed by night and she was never out
of his sight. He saved her life
twice before the destruction OF
the Windsor. She would have
been drowned off Coney island last
summer had it not been for Fritz. Lit
tie julia innocently ran out to meet an
incoming wave. The dog saw the
danger his little mistress courted and
dashed after her, bringing her to land
before the receding wave could drag
her out. Again the child was intrusted
to green German lad to be taken to q
dime museum. Fritz went along also.
The boy carelessly dropped the child
before the feet of galloping Third
avenue street-car horses. Fritz bounded
on the track between the horses and
Julia and the child was snatched from
danger by q gentleman.
No wonder then that Fritz was
treated more as a member of the
Johnston family than as dependent,
and ate his meals at the same table in
the dining room with them. He could
do everything but talk and use knife
and fork. When the cry of "Fire"
startled the lower end of the Bowery's
TIA s ent and regular population,
Fritz was awake. He barked Justify,
for the door was shut upon himself
and Mr.. Johnston's daughter. In the
hurry Julia had been overlooked
But quickly the missing face
flashed upon father and mother, and
tie look of anguish that spread over
their features will ever be remembered
by the on-lookers. The parents
searched through all the groups that
stood around viewing the scene with
that awe that blood-red flames, fringed
with dense black smoke, always inspire
But no Julia answered their frenzied
call. BY this time the police line had
been formed, and all who might have
been of service were driven back in
discriminatory with the obtrnsive sight
seers.
"Oh, save my Julia!' cried the heart
sick father, while the mother lay faint
ing i'll his arms.
TOO late now," said the nearest
policeman; mo one would dare to enter
that furnace" The officer spoke truly !;
no one would. The heat was unendura-
BILE within forty feet of the outer wall
At this moment the wind blew away
the smoke from the hotel entrance and
the flames lighted up the heroic deed
Down through the fiery hallway came
a singed something on four legs, hold
ing in his mouth a senseless something
else. 1t was Fritz bearing Julia. How
the dog opened the bedroom door will
never be known. But he brought the
child safely through death to her
father, who was now weeping for Joy.
When he dropped his bundle gently at
his masters feet she was alive and soon
recovered.
But the dog!
A policeman saw the dog inside the
fire line and rushed at him with ex-
tended club. From the other side,
toward which Fritz turned to flee,
darted another policeman, bent on
some kind of mission. The dog saw
that he was hemmed in and that there
was no escape from being clubbed to
death.
And the dog chose it!
Back into the fiery furnace he flew,
with the officers just behind. Not hesi-
tating. the dog gave one howl and then
disappeared in an ocean OF flame. The
fire waxed hotter and hotter. the walls
fell, and amid a great whirlwind of
flame and smoke the faithful animal
yielded his life.