Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-08-21
A RACE OF FIRE.


Dell Dowler Ringeling in Cosmopolitan.
A RACE OF FIRE.
We had grown up together, as 1t were,
Mollie and /, our parents being near neigh
bors, and-which does not always follow
firm friends as we'll They were poor, and
| suspect that fact had much to do with
their friendship, for opportunities were
always turning up for helping one another;
and have often noticed that when near
neighbors are well off and have no need for
mutual help, there is very seldom any
friendship between them. There is more
apt to be jealousy and competition.
Our parents being such good friends, it
naturally resulted that Mollie and l fol-
lowed their example. We went to school
together, read together, played together,
and somehow, when Mollie was eighteen
and twenty, we agreed to travel together
all our lives, and were very happy in that
In fact, no other would
have seemed right Or natural, either to us
or our parents.
From the earliest days of my boyhood l
had fondness for the water, haunting
the palatial steamboats, that foated on the
great Mississippi river, on whose banks
nestled the city in which we dwell, and at
the period to which am about to refer, l
had just secured a position as pilot on a
small freight steamer.
1t was not much of position, to be sure,
nor was there much of a salary attached
to it; but, small as it was, Mollie and l
decided that we could make it answer for
two people, neither of them extravaganza
or unreasonable; besides which had hopes
of better times to come, as | had received
words of commentator from my employ
ers, and promises of speedy promotion.
So early one bright morning, having OBJ
tafned a days leave of absence, ;Mollie and
I were married, and stepping into a car
rage had hired for the occasion we start
ed off, having decided on days excursion
to celebrated cave near by, this being all
the wedding trip we could allow ourselves.
Not that we cared in the least, however;
we were too happy to be disturbed by any
shortcomings of time or purse.
We had scarcely driven beyond our own
street when we were brought to a halt. A
messenger whom recognized as belonging
to our steamboat company hailed me.
"Here is note for you from the super
intendent."
Thus it ran:
cam sorry to have to recall your leave
for today, but you must Immediately go
on board the Mobilia, which is ready to
start up the river. The pilot is too i'll to
attend to duty, and you are appointed to
take his place for the present"
"There goes our wedding trip all to
smash" said l, as Mollie read the order.
"Why so?" she asked.
"You see, must go into the pilot house
of the Mobilia."
Every we'll" she replied; 1--WE will just
go up the river instead of to the cave.
Drive on, Rob; let us go down to the wharf
in state"
'But you cannot go into the pilot house
with me, little goose"
"Of course not: but can sit on the deck
outside" laughed Mollie. land we can cast
Ianguishing glances at each other"
And so it came to pass that | took pos
session of the Mobilia's pilot house, my
heart glowing with love and PRIDE With
love, for there, just below me. on the little
forward deck, sat my sweet bride. With
finest of the beautiful floating palaces of
the Mississippi, and to pilot such one
had for years been the height of my ambi-
ton
The steamer was fitted up with double
cabin, one above the other-the upper one
opening upon small deck, reaching out
toward the bow, near the center of which,
on raised platform, was placed the pilot
house. This deck was always occupied by
passengers, and this morning it was par
ticularly crowded. for the boat was heavily
laden with people taking advantage of the
beautiful weather to make an excursion up
the river
Some rough fellows jostled against Mol
lies chair after awhile, and she rose and
passed down into the lower cabin, ''to get
a drink of water" she whispered to me as
she passed, but suspect it was really to
prevent the bursting of the thundercloud
she saw gathering on my brow.
I saw that the insolent fellows made no
attempt to follow my dear one, SO 1 gave
myself up to my own happy thoughts, and
looking upon the far distant peaceful
shores of the great river over whose placid
bosom we were moving SO swiftly, there
rose from my heart glad, silent hymn of
rejoicing.
But suddenly a cry broke forth from the
cabin behind me that effectually changed
the current of my thoughts.
% Fire! firei firer' A horrible cry at all
time, but most horrible of all when it
rings forth in the midst of gay, unsuspi-
cious hundreds floating in fancied security
in the midst of the waters.
An instant's awestruck silence succeeded
that awful cry, and then 300 voices of men,
women and children united in fearful,
heartrending shrieks for help.
"Firel frel freP
Ayei there was no mistake about it, no
false alarm. No one could tell how it had
commenced, but there it was, creeping
along the roof of the upper cabin, with the
deadly flames greedily tapping up every
scrap of awning and curtain they could
find on their way, ever and anon darling
loose tongues of fame down to the floor to
clasp the light chairs and tables and set
tees ia their fiery embrace.
As we'll seek with sieve to scoop up the
waters on the great river on which the
Mobilia foated as to try to subdue the
roaring, deyouring enemy that had selzed
upon the ill fated steamer.
The people darted down from the blazing
upper cabin to the forward deck below,
where as yet the foe had made but little
Roadway, and there our brave captain-who
was that rara avis, "the right man in the
right place. in partially quell'
ing the PANIC.
"Keep quiet" hs ordered, 'keep quiet,
and stay just where YOU are or will not
answer for the lives of any of yaHl The
steward will provide every one of you with
life preservers, but there is no reason for
any person to go overheard; not yet awhile,
at any rate, unless suicide is desired. Keep
quiet, sayl Pilot, head her straight for
the land, half mile aheadT eve were at
least twice that distance from the main
land on either shore.) "Engineer, put On
all steam-crowd her on We will run q
race with the foul aend who has boarded
the Mobilia."
There was an instant's pause, and then,
with groan and a surge, with timhers
creaking and straining and the windows
rafting as though in mortal terror, the
Mobilia gathered herself up to run her last
race.
Each passing moment the flames crept
on and on, never pausing in their terrible
march. Fortunately they leaped upward