Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-10-17

"Perhaps could help YOU"
"And perhaps you couldn't. You'd dc
more damage than good if you tried to. ]
want you to remember and get right out
and stay out"
Il have been told that 1 had great pres
ence Of mind, Mr. BOwser."
"Yes, and you may have been told that
you were the Empress of Russia Presence
Of mind! There isn't woman on earth
who'd have presence OF mind enough in case
Of a fire to save her own shoes. All want
Of you is to follow my directions"
1t was singular that the test should come
so soon. In lighting the gas in the hall up
stairs Mr.. Bowser must have dropped the
match upon rug lying near. We were
hardly in bed before l smelled smoke, but
when l mentioned the fact Mr.. Bowser
growled.
Nonsense! The cook probably threw
some eggshells into the range when she
was clearing up her supper dishes. Your
nose is always smelling fire or burglars or
sewer-gas, and it is always wrong"
He went to sleep and continued to sniff
that odor. Ten minutes after Mr.. Bowser
had uttered his first snore thick cloud OF
smoke poured into our bedroom all Of a
sudden, and at the same moment the dark.
ness was lighted up by Pickering flame.
The house was certainly on fire, and shook
Mr.. Bowser and informed him of the fact.
"W-what is it?" he gssped, as he sat up
in bed.
''The house is on firei Can't you see the
smoke and the blazer
was out on the floor and dressing me
when he rolled out of bed, sprang to the
door and shouted at the top of his voice:
''Murderl Policei Fire! We are all on
fire up here!"
'Well, slip on your clothes and see if you
can't put it out. 1t must be in the back
hall"
"Firel FireI Fire!" he yelled, as he
sought to pull on his pants. sour house is
on fire! We shall be burned alivep'
In spite of the peril of the situation had
to laugh at Mr.. Bowser's antics. He first
got the left leg in the right leg of the pants.
Then he fell over in getting out of them
got up and drew them on hind side before,
and he was sprawled out on the bed and
kicking them of when 1 was all dressed
and ready to leave the room. was deter
mined to see where the fire was before
took the baby and went downstairs. The
smoke was very thick, but the tongue of
fame guided me down the hall, and found
the rug anu OdSe-DOdrQ anu uOOr- CaSln q
ablaze.
"Firel Fire! Fire ~ yelled Mr.. Bowser at
this moment as he dashed into the hall.
"Come and help meput it out!" called to
him, but he was already on his way down
stairs to the telephone.
Covering my mouth and nose as well as
could felt my way to the lavatory. There
was nothing but tumbler at hand, but
after l had filled it several times and dashed
its contents along the base l saw that had
the best of the blaze. After opening win
dow to let the smoke drive out l brought
some more water and extinguished the last
of the fire. Meanwhile could not help but
hear Mr. Bowser. He rushed to the tele-
phone and rang it continuously for twenty
seconds, and then yelled:
''Hello, centrall Hello, centrall Fire
Firel Firel Ny house is on fire! Send up
the police and three engines right away!''
He couldn't wait for an answer, but took
three or four circuits around the sitting
room, made dash into the parlor and out
by the front hail, all the time yelling sire -
at the top of his voice, and then it occurred
to him to go to the fire alarm box down on
the corner. Out he rushed, barefooted and