Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-11-08


head. "And we will find him, Tommy"
he said. He went over to the foreman's
desk. "Bill, did the warden come up
here? Tommy is looking for him; his
mother sent him out"
The foreman raised his eyes from
his books. YES" he replied, ''he went
in there, with couple of gentlemen"
The guard looked at the little boy.
Hes in the Stock-roOm," he said.
you'll find him in there, Tommy"
Then he turned and walked out Of
the shop. The child ran on into the
room beyond. His father was not
there. The stock-keeper did not OBJ
serve the little boy as he tiptoed, in a
childish way past the desk. Tommy
passed on into the farther room. He
knew he would find his father in there,
and he would crawl along between the
tiers of straw bales and take him by
surprise.
He had hardly passed the door when
the stock-keeper, raised his head from
the lists of material he was preparing,
held his face up and shifted the air.
chair and went to the door of the
straw-room. lie merely peered inside.
Turning suddenly, he pressed upon the
lever near the door and the iron screen
slid down into place, cutting off the
farther. room. Then snatching a few
books that lay on his desk, he slipped
out into the shop, and at that door re-
leased the second screen. AS it fell in
to place with slight crunching noise,
the foreman turned in his chair The
eyes of the two men met. The stock
keeper raised his hand and touched
his lips and with the first finger. He
crossed rapidly to the desk.
Get the men out! Get the men outv'
he gasped. THE store-room in there is
on tire"'
The foreman raped on the table
twice. Every man working in that
room turned and faced the desk.
''Work is over for today" said the
foreman. His manner was ominously
calm, and the men lookedat one another
wonderingly.
Fall inr'
At the order, the dngy gray suits
formed the same old serpent. and the
line moved rapidly through the door
at the end of the room ami down the
outside stairs.
There. in front of the building, they
We're halted, and a guard was de-
spatched to find the warden. He was
discovered in the foundry. Fire
in the broom-shop! whispered the
guard.
The warden's face paled. He dashed
through the doorway ,and one minute
later came round the corner of the
building. just in time to see the first
signs of flame against the windows Of
the rear room upstairs.
Within five seconds, troop of 10
guards had drawn the little hand-en-
gine from its house and hitched the
hose to the hydrant nearest the shop.
From all the other buildings the men
We're being marched to their cells.
These men" hurriedly whispered
the foreman to the warden. What
shall do with them:'
Get 'em inside as soon as you can!
This won't last long, the front of the
building is cut off. It'll all be over in
ten minutes
The foreman gave an order. At that
instant woman came running down
the prison yard. Reaching the ward
ems side, she fell against him heavily.
why. Harriet" he exclaimed, what
is the matter?"
oh" she gasped, Tommy! Tommy!
Where is Tommy"
y guard at the end of the enginerail
turned ashy white. He raised a hand
to his head, and with the other grasped
the wheel to keep from falling. Then
he cried, "Mr. Jeffries, II believe
Tommy is up there in the stock-room.
He went to look"
The warden clutched the mans arm.
up there? Up there: he cried.
The sudden approach of the woman
and the words that followed had
wrought so much confusion that the
men paid no attention to the foreman's
command, and he had even failed to
observe their lack of attention, in the
excitement of that moment.
Great God"' cried the warden.
What can | do-what can l do: No
one can live up there"
There was II crash. One of the win
dows fell out. Get Il LADDER some
one cried. a guard ran back toward
the prisonhouse. Then, in the midst
of the hubbub, u man In Il dingy gray
suit stepped out yard from the line
of ccnvicts. His prison number was
203I. lie touched his little square cap
III you'll give me permission. think
| can get up there" was all he said.
you! YOU exclaimed the warden.
NO. 70. will tell no man to do it''
There was II second crash. Another
window had fallen out, and now the
- Ion. Al l.A