The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-10-23

the first corner. she found herself no
longer alone, but one small atom Of a
moving mass of people. To turn the
other way would have been like trying
to stem furious rushing river. and be.
sides, that way was thick smoke and
fire. She was carried with the crowd,
bewildered, lost, but even in that awful
moment filed with joy that she had her
fathers papers.
The fire marched on with rapid
strides, driving before it the multitude
of homeless wanderers, among them our
poor Grace. To the lake shore they
went. and as the hot breath of the flames
followed them even into the water far
out As they could stand, till the water
came up to their necks. Even there
many were suffocated, and quietly drop
ped into the water and were not missed.
Grace went as far as she could, and
keep her head above the water. She
thought with pang that the papers
would be wet. but they were tied, and
anyway they would not be burned. So
she tried to take comfort, though an
awful fear had come upon her that she
should never see her parents again.
Then. too, she remembered that no
one knew she had gone, nor where to
look for her, and though she had
thought only of being brave. she found
she had been foolish. "But the papers
are safe. and papa will be glad" was
the thought that always came to COM
fort her despair.
At last, after hours of agony and ter
ror and distress, with groans and cries
and prayers in strange confusion, such
as no one can imagine who did not pass
through it, when many thought the world
was burning up, and all had little hope
of getting out alive, the fire burned itself
out in that part of the city and swept on
to the north.
1t was late in the afternoon before the
weary. hungry. fainting fugitives ven-
tured to crawl out of the lake. wiring
what water they could from their
clothes. and set out to find a spot on
earth where was no fire, if such q spot
there was.
Grace joined in the rush over the
heated earth. water pouring from her
clothes at first. but soon dried in the
heat around her. Home and papa's
package was her only thought now, but
where was home? As soon as she reach
ed the pavements she saw that she was
lost. Where was Dearborn
street? Where Clark street?
All was alike unacceptable. Every
house was burned, lamp-posts, street
signs. all leveled with the ground. She
looked upon q smoking and steaming
wilderness, and as she turned her face
towards where her home should be, and
saw the vast wall of fire marching stead
lily on, she knew she had no home in the
world. And where then were father
and mother? The awful desolation that
swept over the poor little soul in that
terrible moment is something too horri-
bic for you to imagine. Be thankful
that it is. She would have sunk under
the weight of her despair but for the
thought of the precious package. For
that she moved OIL must save it"
her constant thought, Papa will be
dishonored without it''-aud the poor
tired feet hurried on she knew not
where.
From that part of the city the only
way of reaching the West Side. where
was no fire, was over q certain bridge.
the stream of people. of
whom Grace was one. drew near that
bridge, in whose narrow passage horrors
was taking place all the time. The
broad street had hardly room for flying
people in wagons and carriages of every
sort, when then the way grew narrow
there was terrible struggle for place.
Heavy wagons piled high with furniture
crushed ruthlessly into carriages of peo-
pile; furniture fell and blocked the way;
vehicles were disabled and abandoned;
frightened horses let loose to trample at
their pleasure; people with loads thrown
down; feeble women pressed to the wall.
All the worst OF: human passions were let
loose, and men became fiends in the
mad struggle for safety and life.
As Grace reached this place, almost
crushed by the crowd, strong man be-
hind her spoke kindly.
My poor lad" he said. "you'll be
killed in that jam: hold on to me-" and
with great difficulty he raised her above
the crowd and stood her on the narrow
rail next the water.
Now, hold on to me-" he said, and
went on, fighting his own way. while
Grace, nearly dead with terror. and ex-
pecting every moment to fall into tie
water, held wildly to his neck. Once or
twice she slipped. but his strong arm
caught her, and at last, after hours, as
it seemed to her, they reached the other
side. and be lifted her down.
MY boy" he said kindly, '.you look
delicate to be alone in this mad crowd;
won't you come with me?"
Oh, how Grace longed to do SO, but
fear restrained herr He thought she
was boy, and she could not explain.
because it might endanger the precious
package.
.'Oh. no!' she said hastily, II must
find papa, but thank you more than l
can say for helping me over the bridge"
shuddering as she spoke.
Yes, little man." said her friend,
you'd hardly have come over alive if 1
hadn't seen you."
''Papa'n thank you, too" began
Grace, and then, fearful that he or some
one would suspect she had ValuableS,
she turned hastily and ran down side
street.
But where should she go? That was
the West Side, and free from fire, but
she had never been there, knew no one,
and the streets were full of flying peo-
pie. She could only 60 with them, for
they all seemed going one way.
81 H.
in which she many times nearly fell with
fatigue. she reached the end of her jour-
ney. the place where half city was col
lected in misery and despair. 1t was a
wide, bare prairie. with hundreds-yes,
thousands of people. some with house
full of furpiture and goods. some with
nothing in the world but their night
clothes, camped down to wait fOr-they