The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-02-19


bibulous wreck of Mr.. Browne. rushed
madly into the hall yelling Al the top q
his voice:
"fire? III see II a patron Of YOU,
seven-by-ninec country tavern can't have
iire when he orders iire,''
Unhappy people in rooms contiguou,
10 No ~. already made nervous by tho
succession - Noses emanating from Il.
now thoroughly aroused by what in the
otherwise still hours Of the night they
naturally thought 10 be an alarm 81
lire, this impression being painfully
intensified BY the rushing TO the scene
q numerous employees, determined 10
stand ~ the valor0us bald-ncaded
clerk AZ all hazards. now came pouring
out into the hall with that large degree
Of trepidation and small quantity OF
clothes characteristic Of hotel patrons
IN . confIagration At night.
The occupant Of No. AZ had not been
asieep-a fact he now regarded as
northumberland it was a brief toilet
that ne made previous 10 his prompt
appearance in the hall in response to
the instinct Of self-preservafion-
though he had that self-same night told
himself over and over again that death
was far preferable % living with Kathy
Eggleston eliminated from life. He
was confronted by score Of white,
scared faces, half Of them women's, and
his first impulse was:
"How many can | save-who shall /
save frst?''
In No. 81 the occupant had no toilel
to make. She was still standing in the
ghostly moonlight and was the last to
be reused from her numb pain that
made sleep impossible by the commo-
ton outside her door A she Joined the
crowd Of excited men and historical
women. the highly mrated and now un-
comfortable Browne was still shrickine
"Fire'' at the top Of his lungs, while
the whole Office force were engaged in
trying TO drag him downstairs.
Miss Eggleston recognized the strug-
Cling cause of the commotion and shud-
dered. She had reason to fear the man
Browne worse than she feared fire.
Contemporaneously with her appear
ance Plympton's mental inquiry who
shall save first?' was answered. They
saw each other at the same instant.
This was no time to be bothered with
the parted forever part Of it. A
moment more and they were both saved
to each other and for all time.
Utterly bewildcred and hopelessly
by the extraordinary rush Of
events the bald-headed clerk rushed ND
from the lower regions. whence the in
satiable fire-fiend Of No. fs had finally
made scenic disappearance, and man
aged to say:
There is no fire, ladies and gentle
men; there is not the least danger
you can retire at once-and." rs If a
happy thought had suddenly restored
his mental cquipoise. IF you W ant any
thing. just ring for it-you'll find the
list Of calls in every room"
How aboutthat frey. untamed luna
tic in No. As who has been working
hose calls till the whole house is a
Dcdlam?' sarcastically inquired gen.
lehman who for some reason persisted
IN shiyering despite the Measuring
overcoat that left only his bare feet ex-
posed.
..Oh. he's too full Of firc-water and
we've put him out" said the clerk.
with faint twitching TO the corners Of
his mouth. which showed an inward
Of a remark that he
thought worthy Of professional para
yrapher. ''He had the jim-jams and
we've sent him around to the station
house 70 sober up he added rs con-
'ession TO any order Of intelligence not
'qual to an appreciation Of his delicate
,rand Of humor.
Don't lay it 10 the liquor. young
nan although I've no doubt that's
Tillainous enough here in Mainc.-
yrowled the gentleman in bare feet.
Put the blame where il belongs. on
Tour COMPOUNDED system Of double
'ntry electric calls
But" said Mr.. George Plymptom,
otto voce. in glow of gratitude.
While rejecting that had it not been
or this same complex combination
which his enemy had worked to his
'wn discontinue Montreal and New
FORK would in twenty-four hours more
rave divided himself and Miss Egglcs-
on. II find that these electric calls
lavc been rung to such purpose that
hey have brought me the dearest and
wecteSt and best valentine the blessed
I'D saint ever sent to heart-hungry
norfalr'
Then. in q voice not confined to
inglc auditor. more especially address
NJ the bald-headed clerk. while
|ozcn Of the female guests subor-
inating a natural impulse to scurry
ack 70 their rooms to still more
atural and wholly commendable Curl
sify that scents out and heartily en-
oys a genuine romance-hc said
4 Some hypcrcritical persons think
our nine calls an eccentric innova-
ion ia electricity as applied to hotels.
instead Of agreeing with this super
cial and erroneous view Of the adj
nirable utility Of your system. you
nay say to the proprietor in the morn
". with my compliments. IL You
lease, that / would suggest the imme-
late addition Of a tenth call"
For WHAT" asked the bald-headed
Jerk. suspiciously, never before hav-
AZ heard mortal being say one good \
'ord for their electric calls but
18th prompt, human and hearty
having out. As Mr. George Plympton
eplied, still engaged in very earnestly
lving Miss Egglcston not only from
re but from all other possible harm:
:. For the clergyman. Of course. -.