Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1900-05-19

there was any chance OF help from the
iiremen. \ cry Of horror reached our
ears as the crowd in the street caught
/ sight Of us.
/ The fremcn raised ladders against the
side Of the building bat cur hearts sank
for the ladders reached only the window
Of the fourth floor.
One cry reached our ears. hat it sound
ed like Il death sentence. Some one
evidently a fire chief. roared through n
trumpet, Jump. it's your only chance!
1 at the same time pointing to group of
men hold ng large blanket directly be
MY God groaned Oglethropc, its
rsuieide to jump from this height 1t
makes me dizzy to mink Of it,"
\ Proctor was as cool as the provcrbial
4 cucumber. and talked TO us rs calmly as
i II discussing business scheme in my
private office
ats a case of roast or jump" sad he;
that's the whole thing in Il nutshell
! My case is much worse than yours. gen
i tlemen Your families will be well pro-
yided for but God only knows what
viii become Of my wife and children
when I'm gone"
See here, young man." Oglethrope ex-
i claimed, grasping Tom by the arm. Il
i can't be roasted here like a rat. and to
i jump is worse. God, man, isn't there
/ some escape? We can't die like this?
4 Why. man alive, I'd give a million dol
4 lars TO be landed safely on the ground,
As he spoke he emphasized his words
4 by shaking PrOctors arm, staring into
4 his face with a fierce, desperate express
1 sion. | glanced at Tom-for the instant
4 forgetting orr perilouS situation--and
a noted that. unmlndful of Oglethorpe. he
4 was gazing intently to one side; then
suddenly his face lighted up with CLEAN
Of hope. Turning quickly to the million
Il aire, he exclaimed: DO you make that
as q bona iide offer, Mr.. Oglethorpe?"
Il Certainly | do"
"All right! j accept the contract. No
4 time now for any business formaites
-safr -nurrowg.' said he, Hoddirg his heal
! in my direction, at the same time extend
/ ing his hand to Oglethorpe.
They hastily grasped each others land
/ aud ] bore witness of the strangest
transaction on record.
Pushing the millionaire asida roughly
/ Proctor ran to Il case of drawers uader
/ the counter few feet away. On the
upper drawer was tackled a white card
! which bore the simple legend Fish
! lines. 1t was only the work of a second
/ 70 pull the drawer ont and select a heavy
strong line. about the size used in cod
fishing. The drawer underneath was
labeled "Sinkers." and from this he
| grabbed lead sinkcr. which he defilv
| fastened ia the end of the line. From
the wall h. tore down a sign which read
''No smoking allowed" ON the back of
this card he wrote in plain letters.
Hitch on Il rope, quick
/ Making he card fast to the Enc near
| the lead he rushed to the window, fol-
/ lowed by Uglethorpc and nySef
We watched the descent of that white
messenger with brca'hless interest, for
eur lives were IN the balance and time
was precious Three souls hanging to a
cod line and piece of common, every
day cardboard,
/ a man on the ladder seized the card
and read its message. Waving his hand
1 upward Ia signify that he understood.
he ran nimhly down the ladder. dartCd
. across the street to Il ladder truck and
with the help Of comrade seized a coil
I Of ropc, which they flung on the ground
directly under our window. Fastening
the end of the rope to his belt, the hose
man climbed to where the end of cur
precious codlinc was swinging to and fro.
Proctor leaned far outward and care
| fully ohcyed the command to haul" He
was in happy mood, probably from the
fact he was earning Si,00O.0O0. and also
that he was working for his own dear
life and ours, too.
This is n kind Of fish worth fishing
for cried he, with enthusiasm: sort of
q goldfish. hey, Mr.. Oglethorpe?"
/ | believe that Tom had been to sea
q couple Of voyages when yoUngSter.
and evidently the old sailor instinct re-
turned the moment he got hold Of thar
rome.
When the last fathom fell ut our feet
Tom grabbed it, and with quick turn
Of the hands tied Il loop, which | think
sailors call "bowline" Slipping this
howlime over Mr.. Oglcthorpc's head and
down to the hips. he said to him. tersely
New. then. Mr. Oglethorpe. you're to
sit in this howliue hold on 10 the rope
/ with a death grip Don't lie afraid: YOU
( cant fall out it you try. Mr.. Burrows
and | Will lower You down. and all You
have To do is to keep yourself away from
! the building with your feet. You may
bark your ShihS, but that's nothing. Live
IL, now. There's not moment To Lose
Even then the millionaire hesitatcd
The prospect Of dangling from a seven
story window on the end Of A rome APP
palled him. Proctor almost dragged him
10 the window, aud after few more in
S;ructiCnS and no little urging, the man
Of money lIhOriOusly crawltd over the
sill we Stacked away on the rope and
his head disappeared from view. We had
a turn Of the rope around a steam pipe
and had no difficulty in holding his
weight
Presently we heard a tremendous cheer
from the crowd below. which told US
that Oglethorpe was safe. Running 10
the window. We saw him descending the
ladder with the help of Il fireman.
Tom hauled UP the rope again. and in
an instant | was ready 10 descend. His
instructions IN me were the same as 70
Oslethorpe. only he added: If l don't
get cut q this alive Mr.. Burrows. YOU
see that BESSIE and the babies get thar
Million He glanced over his shoulder
% the regr of the room. where the danes
were lugt beginning To break through.
maze a pro">t.-an1 meant it, too