The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-09-03


turned. All the city wondered and
many tongues were set a-wagging. Lit
tie Lucien and Calestine cared for the
gossips and scandal-mongers. They
knew that they loved each other, and
that the love was pure. The poor artist,
raised to the seventh heaven of bliss,
worked with an inspired brush, and day
| by day the wonderful picture that was
to bring him wealth, fame, his Celestine
and happiness grew. Only one more
week of labor lay between him and all
this. His Celestine, with love-impas-
stoned eyes, gave him sweet encourage
ment.
The minutes heightened into hours,
the hours into days and the days into
week, and at last the painter pronounced
his work complete. With sigh of in
finite satisfaction and relief he laid his
brushes and palette aside. Now was his
struggle with grinding poverty at an
end. The happiness that he had so
long coveted, but never hoped to gain,
was almost within his grasp. How
cheerful the world looked; how brightly
the sun shone, and how deliciously
sweet the birds sang all around. AS he
gazed in rapture on his beautiful picture
tears of Joy coursed down his cheeks;
his heart swelled with pride, and
prayer of thankfulness ascended to
Heaven from his moving lips.
When night at last infolded the world
within her sable arms, and the lighted
lamps of the city cleaned like so many
stars, the artist sailed forth to the
theater, and took his accustomed seat.
Never was such crowd packed within
the spacious hall before Celestine
Bordelon closed her engagement on this
night, and her friends, of all classes,
had gathered to honor her. The or
chestra sounded, the curtain was raised
and Celestine, in all her dazzling, gilt
tering beauty, stepped upon the stage.
As she gazed on the many upturned
faces her heart thrilled with happiness
she had never felt before, The happy
face of her lover, turned upon her from
his distant seat, filled her with a new
enthusiasm. and she sang as she had
never sang before.
Hark! What sound is that that inter-
rupts the song upon the singers lips,
and causes every face to blanch and
every heart to stand still with sudden
terror? 1t is voice telling in alarmed
tones that the theater is on fire. The
3 voice ceases, and then the panic breaks
, forth. Every avenue of escape is
assailed. Great, strong men, in their
agony of fear, dash weak women and
! children to the ground and trample
: upon them. Wives, relatives and
1 friends are nothing now-every life is
a battling for itself.
The red glare of the flames; the great
q volumes of smothering smoke; the shrill
screams of the women and children
. . the hoarse curses of the men; the groans
. of the injured; the cries of those en-
deavoring to command and rescue
altogether make a terrible and heart
i rending scene.
, In all this confusion and distress
| where is Luciene LIE Fevre, the artist!
\ There he is, with smoke -grimed face
e and tattered clothing, assisting that
f old terror-stricken man to escape the
D burning building. One of the first tc
: escape the flames himself, he has re-
turned again and again to aid those
a who could not aid themselves. At las
s all are saved, and he turns to see if his
e Celestine is among the number. No
- she is not there, and no one in the
mighty crowd can tell him aught O
her.
= A sudden chill envelopes his heart, /;
t terrible thought takes possession of hi:
s brain. Surely she can not-but, listen
l Hear that terrible scream-a woman:
scream of mortal agony-borne shril
e and piercing to the artists ear, ant
t causing the blood to turn like ice in hi
= swollen veins. Looking upward in thu
0 direction of the cries, at window o
o. the burning building, surrounded b.
3 cracking flames. he sees Celestine Bor
d delon, waving her hands and calling
r for help. The sash of the window i
: down, and the poor girl in her terro
n has not the strength to raise it. Ever
n had she, it would benefit her none. A
leave die in the flames as to be dasheC
IS to death on the stony pavement.
l. For an instant the multitude, lookin!
It on from below, is silent, and then
|. mighty shout arises. Something mus
be done to save the perishing woman
}, and that quickly. 1t is dangerou
:. undertaking. Already the walls of tn
n building are shaking, and the flame
l. grow fiercer and tiercer.
.'Who will risk his life to save yon
e der woman?' some one shouts; bu
# there is no time given for answer, fo
II Luciene LIE Fevre steps forth from tn
e crowd, with compressed lips and de
IS termined face, and taking ladder tina
l. is lying near, he plants it firmly agains
n the trembling wall. Celestine sees him
= and her heart grows stronger; bu
h when she hears the well-known voic
,r shout up to her: "Have courage, dan
le ling, will save you," her nerves groy
g. strong as steel.
g Slowly. step by step, does the heroi
sr artist toll upward. Everything depend
d upon the utmost care. Again the crow
> is silent. Every lip is moving in praye
sr for the success of the artist. Highe
,e and higher he goes! Angrier an
4, angrier grows the fire. The gres
ID building is now one vast sheet of flame
~ which roars like ten thousand demon
lie turned loose from the internal regions
- Now! Luciene has reached Celestint
lie It iS but the work of a moment for hiI
l