Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1897-11-05


waited for second alarm from there,
but jumped the moment it was rung
in. II was right in the heart of the
dry goods district, where the big
buildings, full of inAammable mate
rial, give the finest chance for @ fire.
1t sounded especially scary at night,
when there was no one round down
in that part of the city, and fire
would have fine chance to get q
good start before it was discovered.
81 knew oil this well, but this and
more would not explain the way ran
to that fire. Although it was sharp
night l did not wait to take my over
coat, but examining my hat on my
head went flying down the stairs, TAX
ing all sorts of chances of sprained
ankles, and tore up the street like a
wild creature. 1t was half-past ten
by the clock on the Liverpool Life In
surance building, and there were not
many people on the sidewalk, but L
could not wait topick my way through
them and ran up the middle of the
street as had not run for years.
could feel that the fire itself had no
connection with the way 1 was run.
ming, nor with the alarm, and that
something more to me than life itself
hung in the balance, though what I
could not tell. / slipped and STUN
bled on the pavement; l strained and
struggled, and my breath came in
great gasps and sobs, and still could
not go fast enough.
1--WE answered that box q dozen
times, and I've never thought of
going any other way than down Canal
street. 1 knew that was the quicke est
way, but in spite Of the desperate
haste that was dragging me on, / gave
that way no thought, but kept straight
on up Main street to East. 1 did not
pause, for my way seemed as clear as
though someone ran before me, beck
oning me on. Down East street /
turned, and here | was all alone, and
my footsteps echoed loudly back from
the deserted buildings as ran. Far
down the street could see something
coming, aud coming fast, and as / saw
it an oyerpowering fear took posses
sion of me, and / knew that must
meet it before something, what / could
not tell, happened.
Then in an instant I saw what it
was; great dray, probably that of
some belated teamster coming from
the ferries, but now without driver,
with the reins on the horses backs
and the horses themselves tearing
wildly up the street, with the dray
bounding and laundering behind
them.
"And then, only a short distance
ahead of the oncoming dray, | saw
someone crossing the street, and my
heart leaped up in my throat as J rec
ognized the trim little figure 1 knew
SO well. All in q second l saw her
stop, hesitate. turn back, trip on
in the street and go down
in the path of the maddened
horses.
81 gave great sob of terror and
bent forward, striving to run faster as
the realization of what it all meant
came over me, but it was like running
in nightmare; my feet were as though
to the ground, and l seemed
hardly to move, paid no attention
to the dray; my whole life and soul
were in reaching that little heap on
the ground before it, and / felt that
if | could not do that it was better
that l, too, should go under the on
coming hoofs.
at was all over in second, al
though it seemed years, SO keen was
my agony. The horses were almost
on me when stopped and, hardly
pausing in my run, lifted her in my
arms. l made bound TO one side,
but as / did SO the shoulder of the Oft
horse struck mine, and / was whirled
round aud dashed to the ground,
stunned and bewildered, but holding
Kitty safe in my arms, while the dray
went laundering by almost above us.
~ was on my feet in an instant and
fitted her from the ground. / leaned
against the building, holding her
,lose to me and shaking from head
10 foot, while my teeth chartered as if
with ague, My whole being had been
so racket and torn by the fearful
strain l had gone through that | was
nearly out of my head, and l shivered
md cried and laughed rs l tried to
ell her in wildly disconnected SEN
ences how l happened to be there
md how thankful / was and how 1
owed her.
"And she, brave little woman, only |
'ried little on my shoulder, and then
vas as calm and sweet rs ever and |
ried to soothe and steady me, who,
strong man that / was, was far more
frightened and unstrung than she.
n L..