Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-03-22

every effort to conquer the contiagra-
ton.
For few minutes the issue of the con-
f1iot that was now being so fiercely waged
between the water and the flames was in
doubt, and for short space it appeared
as If the former would obtain the mas
terry.
But soon this hope was shown to be
vain. Gradually the darting tongues
OF flame spread themselves above, be-
low, and on each side, ard then the
Kissing volumes OF water seemed to
spread their force without the least
appreciable effect. And higher and
higher leaped those snaky coils of fire,
further and further they shot out as if
they were exulting in the victory they
were winning.
1t was nearly dark now. Ten min
utes since the steam whistles belonging
to the surrounding factories, foundries
and workshops had pierced the air with
their strident voices, bidding the
workers cease their labors for that day
and out Of the great buildings the
"hands' were streaming to swell the
great wondering crowd that was witness
Ing the destruction Of Richard Har-
wood 8 mill.
1uO nHOAo VI Lu0 THRU, IOurLn BDu
fifth storeys were now enveloped in
flames, and only the topmost storey of
all was in darkness. But in little while
half an hour at most-the fire would
have spread to that portion also, and
then the huge, the tremendous bonfire
would be past all chance of extinguish-
ment.
Still the fremen and the operatives
shaved on, and the heat Of the fray
flooded their faces and bodies with
streams of perspiratlon. The hose pipes
were swelled almost to bursting, and
from out the great brass MOBILES there
rushed four thick liquid columns, to be
Tapped up and converted into sheets of
steam by the intense heat almost before
the burning mass was reached.
It is all over l fear, Mr.. Harwood -
said the chief of the fire brigade, in 8
COMMUNICATING tone to the millowner,
who stood beside him. CIT would take a
dozen or twenty engines like these to put
ii out now. I have sent one of the men
to telegraph to Bolton for help, but it
will take them an hour to get here, and
by that time ali will be over.'
eyes said Harwood, stolidly, ''it
will be all over then-it is all over now -
AS the cotton-spinner spoke be turned
away, and strobe backward and forward
along the front of the excited crowd,
and at that moment some one sent up a
loud cry of terror, which thrilled the
hearts and souls of the assembled thou
sands
''There's a woman on the roof A
woman on the roof! There she is at the
end nearest the ohimneyI''
In moment every eye was flashed
upon the spot indicated, and then it was
seen that the speaker was right. There
at the very edge of the roof, standing
with one foot upon the coping stone, was
the slender figure of mill girl.
CTS Nellie Pemberton! Nellie Penn
berton!' - rose in E. deep hoarse scream
from hundred lusty throats.
Yes, it was pone else. There upon
that dizzy height the girl stood, her face
lit up now and again by the great glare
of the fire that burned beneath, while at
other times she was hidden altogether
from the gaze of the crowd when the
flames fiickered down and the bundles of
smoke and sheets of steam rose up.
"How is she to be saved?' was the
question asked by everyone and an
sWered by none. There was not fire.
escape on the ground of sufficient length
to reach her, and had there been one it
could not have been used, for the great,
the intolerable heat of the burning struo-
ture would have roasted to death any
one who had ventured to ascend it,
Mark Eliot saw Nellie's desperate
peril, and the sight unnamed him,
quite paralyZed him for few moments.
AT that supreme instant he realized that
the beautiful factory lass was the sweet
est, dearest being tho whole world held,
and that he would have willingly changed
places with her at that moment, so great,
true, and overmastering was the passion
with which she had inspired him.
Then the trance of lethargy passed
the young fellow had regained his
faculties of thought and action. He re-
fiected little, and then daring, God
sent idea sprang up in his BRAN.
Without word to any one, be ran
along the front of the crowd, resolved to
venture his life in an attempt to save
Nellie. He would either rescue her or
perish in the flames by her side.
And the agonized thousands gazed in
silent, awe struck wonder and pity at the
terrible picture before them; and the
great, tapping tongues of flame spraug
hither and thither like writhing snakes,
and the streams of water fell upon them
with deep, Kissing roar.
fro BE CONTINUED.