The Washington times., 1894-08-26
p MODEST HEROINE

You can't wonder at that; for Annie Foley's
lullaby was the shrieks OF drowning men,
which she could not keep from echoing in
her ears; and, close her eyes as tight as she
would she could not shut out vision OF black,
oily water in which white-faced men strug
gled and fought for life.
Luckily for some of the men who went
down with the collapse OF the bridge over
Newton Creek, Annie Foley lives only a
stones throw from the water. Her father
keeps roadhOuse at the top OF the steep en-
bankment on the Williamsburg side. IL is a
two-story frame house, with a small summer
garden on one side and a yard for wagons on
the other. There is a porch in front and
above it are the windows ofthe Foley parlors,
for the saioon-keeper and his family live up
stairs. There are outside blinds to the par
lor windows, Ii fact worth noticing on account
OF It's bearing on the story.
When the reporter steppe into the saloon
he found a barren, untidy sort OF place, with
round tables scattered about. The floor was
freshly sanded and the room seemed to be
empty. Then tall, slender girl in the back
room rose from corner table and was about
to retreat, when the reporter asked If she
were Miss Annie Foley.
Yes. she admitted. warily.
How do you like being heroine?"
"Oh, it's dreadful she exclaimed. 81
didn't do anything TO make such a fuss about
My father is very angry about all this news
paper talk, glancing at man who Just then
went through the room with a frowning look
at the reporter. And my mother and broth
ers-we all think it is awful TO be written
about so much.
why, aren't your people proud Of you?''
son. l didn't do anything" she repeated.
at was this way. About $40 o'clock on that
afternoon l opened the parlOr windows up
stairs to close the shutters. You remember
what bitter night it was and how the wind
was blowing. 1t kept the shutters banging
back and forth, so l opened the window TO
close them, and just as | did so / heard the
most terrible shrieks. Oh l can never forget
the cries of those meDi A train was passing
across the river at the time and couple Of
tugs were making good deal Of noise, so
that might not have heard the men so dis
tinctly If l had not been right at the window.
Perhaps IT was good thing was there, for
l knew right away what was the matter.
II have expected for long time that the
bridge would fall some day. Why, whenever
any heavy weight crossed 1t it would tromble
just like soup (EaStsiders will not need to
be told that soup Is a swing. AS soon as
heard the cries knew that the bridge had
gone at last. / ran right down 10 the sum
mer garden, got heavy piece OF rope that
l remembered was there, and took II down TO
the bridge. 1 tied one end TO the draw on
which 1 was standing, tied a knot on the
other end. and threw it over to the men. That
was all. Three OF them caught hold Of it.
couldn't pull them in, so | went back and
told some men to take boat and 20 round
and get them. They did" remarked Miss
Foley. as if that was the end Of a very stupid
story which some on had beguiled her into
telling.
How did the men who were around act?'
"Well, those who had been on the bridge
and didn't fall in or who got out ran away.
Just think of il, They ran right up the street
as fast as they could and left their fellow
workmen 10 drown. There were some men
on the bridge when l ran down with my rope,
and l begged them TO go and get more ropes,
but they laughed at me. Ny father took a
rope, though, and he saved two men. 1t was
dusk when the accident happened. and
couldnt see the men in the water until / got
way out on the bridge. l cannot forget 1t. -
She closed her eyes and shuddered. There
were about fifty in the water. 5and they were
struggling and shrieking and groaning. l
saw one man l knew. and 1 was so glad when
he caught hold Of the rope
How did you feel when it was all over z"
"Oh, l was upset by it, of course. l haven't
eaten thing since then and l can't sleep !
was going to a reception that night, but
staid AT home"
At this point Miss Annie seemed TO think
that she had reached the limit of conversa-
IL.
IDENTIFY still nervous from the strain OF the
last few days. Her slender brown fingers
trembled, and her cheeks, which were bum
ing with nervous excitement, grew redder
than ever. She is rather fragile-look king
girl. not at all the brawny maid Of whom
one would expect cOol-headed bravery. Her
hair is blond. and was eIaborately curled
and waved. Her eyes are gray. and she has
nervous sensitive lips and hands. She wore
q dprE-hlua serpe Or1tingy drnss with q wide
sailor cellar, trimmed with white braid.
That's all l have 10 say, she said firmly,
in reply TO another question. ANY one else
would have done just what l did"
How about the men on the bridge?"
''Well they're different, she said, relaxing
into a smile.
Didn't you have any fear that the part oi
the bridge you were on would fall, toO?'
NO. 1 wasn't afraid of anything. There
wasn't anything to be afraid of.
But at this her father, who had been trying
TO listen out in the other room, came back,
solemnly shaking his head and trying Eot 10
look a bit proud of his daughter, and show
ing in every glance that he thought there
wasn't another girl like her.
Il like girl to be plucky" he said, with a
slow drawl. 'but there is such thing as car
rying pluck too far. It's all right for women
to be brave in case of fire. but in case OF water
it's different. What would have become oil
Annie. I'd like to know, if she'd fallen in there
the other night? l tell you we must teach oul
girls to swim. There's science for you. Why
if Annie knew how to swim, there's no telling
what she could do
docs she always show presence of mind?''
''Bless you, you ought to have seen her
thirteen years ago, when we had a fire here
She want more than a little snip herself then.
but she picked up three-year-old baby be-
longing to neighbor out here in the road,
carried him way off up into ward, where ht
couldn't get hurt and then came a-runnina
back and grabbed up her little brother anc
carried him off out of harms way"
He looked at his blushing daughter proudly
MY, but it was q fine thing" he said, hal
to himself, Ito see her a-runninS out on thai
bridge the other night, when the air was ful
of shrieking and cursinS. She whipped
knot in one end of the rope as she ran an6
threw herself fiat on her face at the end o.
the draw and tied it around plank.
"'Ketch a-hold, boys she said. I'll pull
you in"
"Well," said the blushing heroine, "if II
known there would be so much talk about i
rd-well, I'm afraid I'd have been slower
about going out there. l haven't been out
side the door since it happened because peo
pie have talked so much about the little
thing l did.
Ibid you ever tend barr"
Miss Foley was shocked at the bare idea.
"Oh, no. she said Il never come dOwI
here; but to-day there was Il gentleman tC
| dinner with papa, SO l staid down, and if an,
! one came l was to wrap on the dumb waiter
didn't have chance when you came, sh
remarked, reproachfully.
How do you spend your time when yol
i - H.. l. l.