The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1896-02-06
THIS GIRL A HEROINE
SAVED A BABY AND HER AGED MOTH
Err FROM A FIERY DEATH.

First Rang the Fire Alarm-Made Two
Trims of Rescue-When Danger Was
Tillie Stern, a tall, dark haired girl
of 10 years, saved two lives the other
day at her home, in tenement in East
Eighty fifth street, New York. One was
O life almost spent-that Of her mother,
who is past 80 and helpless from lnfiam-
metory rheumatism, the other that OF a
golden haired child just learning to talk
-Hortense Speakmaster, Is months old,
and the pride and joy of the big tene-
ment.
Tillie and her widowed mother live
on the second floor, and on the top floor,
three flights further up, live Leonard
Speakmaster, his wife and the baby,
Hortense. The mother had just dressed
the child in its pretty gown OF white
muslin at 10 a. m, when Tillie knocked
at the door. She intended just a morn
ing call to inquire about the little one,
and, incidentally, to borrow a kitchen
utensil. Hortense showed her new gown,
and when the girl started down stairs
cried to go with her.
"P'ease, mamma, Please" she plead
ed, and the mother nodded consent. Til
lie took the little one in her arms, and
old Mrs. Stern showed her the pictures
in the morning paper. Title left her at
this pleasing entertainment when she
started for the grocery hard by.
She smelled smoke when she reached
the foot Of the stairs The hall was filled
with it. but she thought it came from
some careless neighbor' stove and went
on to the store. When she came back,
she saw the smoke coming in volumes
from the speaking tubes The halls were
sitting, and she screamed for the jan
itor, Charles Roeder. He came, but
stood paralyzed with fear, and Tillie
thrust him aside impatiently.
AROUSE the people! Tell them the
house is on fret were her orders.
She ran to First avenue and fell,
half fainting, against the post contain
ing the alarm box. She turned the ham
die and then started back to the burn
ing house, her mind filled with anxious
thoughts. Was her old mother safe? Had
they saved little Hortense?
The street before the house was crowd
ed with people when she got there. Ex-
cited tenants ran to and fro, and among
them she spied Mrs. Speakmaster.
"Where is Hortense? Is she safer"
"She is up stairs with mother" an
swered the girl, her pale face becoming
even more blanched.
Instead of answering, the mother fell
in dead faint.
The smoke was now pouring in dense
clouds from the open hallway. Tillie
glanced at the mothers form being
dragged to e place of safety and with
her lips tightly compressed rushed into
the hall and to the stairs.
They saw her throw her bingham
apron over her head as she dashed 70
and stood breathless until, minute
later she came 9Hlt through the smoke,
ReazAssss-t tie golden haired baby in her
arms. She handed the little one to
neighbor and rushed back.
my mother! She must be saved!''
they heard her say.
The rooms were black with smoke.
Mother Where are you? Come quick y
she called. The old mother staggered
forward and leaned on the girls arm.
To return through the hall was impossi
BILE, and Mrs. Stern, helpless with rheu
matism, begged to be left to die.
Tillie threw open the window and
ran over the fire escape to the apart
ment next door. The men were too ex-
cited to listen to her. "Come help me to
get out my mother" she said. "She
will suffocate.
One of the women was touched by the
appeal. She forgot her fear and followed
Tillie back over the fire escape and into
the room where Mrs. Stern sat. They
lifted her oct Of the window into pure
air and over the fire escape to safety.
After she had done all this the relapse
came, and Title became hysterical and
staggered into a chair weak and limp.
She recovered after the firemen had ar
rived and put out the fire, and the ten
ants were restored to their water soaked
rooms. New York World.
TO yoUInInR MS Kissing ner was SO
much of surprise as she says?" Il
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