The Penn's Grove record., 1895-12-27
a HUSBAND
TAKEN BACK.

foom, Its foot In the open window. From
far beneath came the night hum OF
Chicago, but it was Quieted by the dis
lance to a mere lullaby. So high was
the top Of the great hotel that the gar
tsh blue-white of the electric lights,
which so lavishly dotted the city, was
toned down to a gentle luminous haze.
The man on the bed tossed from side
10 side uneasily, rolled or his back. lay
with his mouth upon the pillow. In his
right hand he held crunched o letter
written In q woman's writing. and as
pertain waves Of dream crept over him
be rumpled the letter savagely and
mumbled through his cfinched teeth
words Of i~narticulate fury. At last his
dream seemed to eliminate, and he
broke into q paroxysm Of coughing.
which awoke him. His senses, dim at
arst drew rapidly to the alert. His
eyes, 20 recently glued with sleep, OPP
sned quickly to their fullest stretch
His nostrils worked like the nostrils OF
a dog on a trail.
"Smokei Tobacco smoker I don't
think so. 1t smells to me like the reek
Of burning wood"
His eyes were beginning to open
wider, with the unnatural expansion
Of terror. George Carr had been In
America before, and knew what these
things portended. Quickly dropping
his feet on to the boards Of the floor,
he walked across them, unlocked his
door, and, opening 1t, looked into the
passage. He had no doubt then as to
what had occurred. Not far below him
was the crisp cracking of flames, n
with It came the cries OF badly frighten-
cd women and men.
'.My Godi the hotel is on fire" be ex-
claimed. at is built Of wood from Gel
lar to roof tree; 1t Is crammed with
people, and l am close under the shin
giles on the eleventh f1oor!"
He went out on the landing in his
night gear as he was, and attempted to
descend. Columns Of gray vapor which
stung the eyes and nostrils rolled up the
shaft Of the stairway, and, looking over
the balusters. he saw through the
smoke arms of tawny fame which shot
greedily up toward him. The heat was
terrific; 1t drove him back to his room
even before the smoke forced a retreat.
Baked by the continued heat Of sum-
mer, the great wooden hotel was burn
ing as though 1t had been anointed with
tar.
Carr ran back to his bedroom and
stood In the midst of the floor, trem-
bling like a leaf. He still held In his
Fingers the crumpled letter In woman's
handwrinng-his wife's, but. remember
ing it, broke out into new fury, and
tore It into tiny squares, which nut
tered like white butterflies before the
rising draught-
"Grasping, heartless wretch that she
49," he cried. IF it had not been for
this letter, goading me to make more
money and still more money, l should
be catching this mornings home boat
from New York harbor. As 1t 10. I'm
here to burn slowly to death unless ]
choose to make a quicker ending Of Il
by jumping out on to the road 200 feet
below. He gave a fierce snort Of q
laugh. Suicide Is wrong, we r told.
/ wonder II 1t would be sinful for me to
end my miseries quickly, instead Of re-
manning till life Is tediously roasted
out Of me here. 1t Is a nice point, but
shall not argue 1t out now, I'm going
10 shut my ayes and Jump-nto eter-
nifty"
He walked steadily acros to the win.
dow, put one leg over the sill, and look.
ed down from a dizzy height which no
FIRE escape on earth could span. Flames
were beginning to Jet through many Of
the windows below. In the street two
steam fire engines were already at
work; others were coming mp with
teams at a furious gallop. The black
carpet Of people In the vacant space
had a curious white mottling Of upturn.
ed faces. Carr threw the other leg over
the sill. and. STOPPING over. wondered
where ne should drop. He wanted to
fall clear, and-the ghastiy thought
would come-he did not want to splash
anybody.
The booming roar Of the flames in the
shaft Of the stairs drew nearer and
nearer. 1t was of no use to walt OF
earthly hope none could come. He
made up his mind that he would jump
then without more torturing delay. But,
when 1t came to the actual leap. his