The record-union., 1896-03-29

iiame. The merchants son, cool and
/ fearless, sprang forward, caught the
lamp in his hands. and strove to make
1 his way to the door with it. Some ex-
citable man took off his coat, and in en-
4 deavoring to throw it over the lamp
! Knocked IT from the hands of the brave
man who carried it, Then it was:lzicked
down the aisle to the door and down
those fraiI stairs, leaving a trail of fire
behind it.
Instantly all was confusion. The men
Inearest the door rushed down the stairs
for buckets and water; but some time
was spent in procuring buckets-the
houses were widely separated. the
wells far apart Deep and white and
around, and the stars looked down from
the clear, blue sky A fair night for the
celebration of the birthnight of the Mes
siah; but within the old building scenes
/ or horror were witnessed that drove
| people mad.
| The old stairway was dry as tinder
and was soon in flames. When the men
realized the hopelessnass of their under
taking some went back and brought a
ladder to the window in front, while
others rushed up the narrow flaming
stairs to seek their loved ones VIII
was among those who went for the lad
/ der
/ AT the first alarm, in common with the
rest, rose to my feet in the first mad
impulse to rush for the door; but some
of the men bade us women sit still and
keep the children quiet, assuring US that
the fire would be extinguished So,
with blanched cheeks and wildly beat
/ ing heart, l sank back in my seat with
an arm around each child
At any other time, in any other place.
| their advice would have been best to
follow; as it was, to many poor soul
| it proved fatal counsel
Can you realize the horror of our po-
Isitiop? There We're some 200 people in
the hall, and the only means of egress
were narrow door and frail stairway
at one end and a narrow, fashioned
window at the other. The smoke rolled
up in clouds, and above the terrible con-
fusion of sounds I could hear the crackle
OF the flames. Children screamed and
women wept and wrung their hands.
saw strong, brave. men with looks of
horror on their faces that I can never
forget.
l remembered Wits words. Bitterly
| repented of my willfulness. The wir-
dow was surrounded by a struggling
mass of women and children, realizing
that through it lay their only avenue Of
escape, yet afraid to make the twelve
foot leap to the ground before the ladder
was brought, standing there through
seconds of indecision that cost the lives
Of others, God forgive them. One young
arm and reached the ground in safety.
knew what difficult task it would
girl jumped with d child under each
be for me to try to reach the door with
the two children, so /, sat still as long as
dared, waiting for Will to come as 7
knew he would if it We're possible Then
with my two children rose and started
for the door Slowly I made my way
In front of me was struggling mass Of
humanity, in their mad fear akin to the
brute creation, pushing down and
trampling on the weaker ones in their
frenzied efforts to reach the outer air.
Behind me pressed others, with eyes
starting from their sockets in their fear
OF frightful DEATH JeagA g2
l saw a gray-hatred woman on her
knees, in prayer I4er son came to her
and implored her to go with him. She
was dazed and gazed at him with va
cant eyes while he entreated her to rise
and go. He was burned then, poor fell
low. He could do nothing with her.
He kissed her poor, bewildered face,
and saying, "Good-by, mother" took
his sister and left his mother on her
knees. No one knew him when they
first saw him after he left that awful
place, so burned and blackened was he,
with swollen and distorted features.
Poor fellow! He died after months of
suffering.
Someone pushed violently against
me. lost my hold on little John and
he slipped from my arm to the floor. /
stopped to raise him, but the cruel feet
of men kicked and pushed him away
from me. l never saw him again, my
darling, my BABY boyt u
I was down, then, myself, trampled
on, partially lying on my baby, unable
to move, with my feet in the fire. oh.
the horror of it! I wal1en, screaming.
from sleep sometimes thinking myself
in that place, reaching, always reaching
for my little boy
Once raised my voice in wild cry,
calling my husbands name with all
my strength, although I knew he could
not hear me in that horrible confusion
OF sounds. I thought that [ must die,
and I wished that my head instead of
my feet were in the flame that ] might |
die quickly, instead of by inches. 1
closed my eyes and tried to pray.
In the midst of the pain and horror
T hQo pd O 1Oxyn6
that / shall not forget to my dying
day, Jennie, my wife! Thank God."
My husband had heard that one wild |
cry and somehow, he does not know |
how, he had found me. He took my
hands and dragged me to the door. / |
struggled to free one hand with which |
to hold the baby and tried to tell him
that she was under me, but / could not
make him understand, half-suffocated /
as 1 was by the smoke and weak and /
faint from pain, but as he dragged me
to and through the door, with the I
strength of despair, I held the little /
body tightly between my burned and I
throbbing feet, and only as we reached |
the outer air did he see the child.
Where is our, boy?" asked Will.
l, who felt nyself the slayer of my I
child, answered, covering my face with I
my hands, in the one word, Lost
Wills only answer was the low moan I
of anguish that is heard only when a
mans heart is breaking.
Did you see 5ennie?'' asked a man
of my husband.
NO for Gods sake, Ray, don't go
back my husband entreated.
IF she has to die in there [ viii die |
with her." he said and shaking off [