The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-12-27
DRIVEN INTO The COLD
BY the ksrCllsss Flames That legaured
Their Home and Nearly Destroyed Life.
HARROW ESCAPE CT TWO CHILDREN
tIhey Snnie Ncnr Lcing Circulated In
the E.asnts of til" HInximg :cnc.
nirnt- stn.inns SKIP Town Keel
lent pr"sentntion OF '.Ghc ~ ro-
Ican Queen"

Suffolk. Va. Dec. 2G.-(SpeciaO-
Driven by the flames in their home, twu
families III Eas; Suffolk, half clad and
4shiver'nr with cold. We're forced into
3 the bitter night at 9 O'Clock this morn
4 ing. They barely escaped with their
lives So far had tne n!.sIc ad.anE'd
sthat Ii was only by heroic e.-orts Of
y their parents that TWO small children
Were saved from cremation. Having
eescaped fiery death they stood mud
Sdied together in night attire to prevent
freezing. rs they saw their little home
and effects waited up in smoke. Mrs
Sarah Smith saved the unfortunate peo-
pie from chi ling death. She gave
%theS9 shelter for the night in her home
me arby. Two families are without
( homes witneut money and almost with
Z out clothes. They are worthy objects Of
Acharity.
Just before O'clock an alarm was
4 rung from box IL. on Washington
Ssquare The department was directed
s5of avail The house was too near
gone. The building was situated out
i side the corporate limits. at the inter
Il section of the Norfolk and Western and
Suffolk and Carolina railroads. and
there was no immediate danger of the
{ blaze being communicated to the near
Sest dwelling. 1t is not known how the
Names originated. The fire was first
seen In one of the lower rooms OH the
opposite side from the fire place James
downing. with family of five. and
Doc Saunders. with a family Of three,
lived in the house.
The building was insured with Har-
per & West for 5000 The loss is SEQ
ION building, and 500 on furniture The
&dwelling was owned by Colonel J. H.
Mncleary. of Suffolk, and A H. Tay-
Tor. of Baltimore
SKIPPED THE TOWN.
The rltaNans who have been doing a
,Sconfert eneFy and grocery business on
Kilby sstreet; near the postofice. have
+ skipped town. Before going they for
s gots3oc ssttte, q mum Der of bills This is
anptheae cnses like the Greek confecton-
ers who Just. a year ago to-day swind-
4 Red Suffolk people. out of severa! hun
sdred de4iarsr!~ Some people who have
an apathy about extending credit to
deserving but poor home folks. have no
Shesitation about trusting their goods 10
tsforeigners. Then they lose.
SURPRISING AMATEUR OPERA.
The presentation. OF the "Tyrol,an
Queen" at the City Hall Theatre last
might was stellar event among all
THE amateur operate performances ever
wi tHessed in Suffolk. even including
S aloianthe recently given by cast
singing was as good, the costumes bet
ter, the staging superior and the per
scentage of beauty higher "Iolanthe'
was a strong amateu: show. but the
49, yIptedH t(ueen goes them one bet
ter. Indeed. last nights cast had tai
Sent which would do credit to profess
Istpnals. Suffolk people are prominent in
various, ways. and when theatricals are
attempted they don't go half way and
stop
There we're three choruses-one by the
ssTyreleans. one by the Gypsies. and one
by che fairies. Then the grand com
ibination chorus Of sixty voices. followed
Sby tableaux with beautiful scents effects
ended the programme. The Tyrolean
Queen. Miss M. Stella Freeney. was
sdenoyed and carried away by the eyp-
sizes After a while she tired of their
ToviHg life ard was restored to her
former throne. The restoration was nc
scompanied by the closing chorus. Miss
Lula Cutcbin was the Gypsy Queen. and
AZ rs+ John Boothe officiated in like ca
'pacftY for the fairies,
& III is hard to decide between the merits
scf the several choruses The gypsies
sprNbahlys had the advantage. Their
costumes were excellent.
e 'hefi they We're les In number and were
sdiEplayed to better advantage. Billie
lsraha m was great. The performance
SHitsEether was q mammoth success. n
.s:s Sc s1afi that so much talent and beau
~ Gre combined. Miss Lizzie Nurney.