Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-04-08
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
An Episode of the
Great Chicago Fire

very comfortable. His house stood on
the banks of Lake Michigan. on a
bluff Il dozen miles north of the city.
One evening after dinner we were
smoking on his piazza overlooking the
lake. Mrs. Kennedy sat with us, strok-
ing the hair of her little daughter. Be
meath. the waves were FLASHING on the
sand. We We're speaking of the rapid
growth of the metropolis OF the west
by the bye. Kennedy" l said, ''were
you in Chicago at the time of the great
fire.
We'll, yes he said; then. after
moments silence, 1T was the big burn
that gave me my start"
l looked expectant. but did not care
to ask for his confidence.
Everybody about here knows the
story" he said presently, $50 1 might
as well give it to you. In 1871: l re
greet TO confess, l was little better than
street arab. l lived from hand to
mouth on what 1 could pick up and
never had Il cent over. Indeed il never
occurred to me to save anything out
IF my scant earnings. l remember
well the opening of the great fire. 1t
was Sunday night and, though Octo-
Der, was very warm. l was playing
craps with some boys on the street
when the fire alarm sounded, but we
had had so many alarms for the past
month that we boys paid no attention
to 1t. Presently there was such great
glare to the west that we stopped the
game and went across the river to get
nearer view. We found the people
over there moving out of their houses.
and the streets lined with furniture
and bedding. on which were lying the
little children.
Il roamed about. enjoying the novelty
of the situation, till found myself in
the track OF the fire. looked about for
way out, and, seeing that there WAS
but one chance, down street running
southwark, l started to run for my life.
The buildings l passed were deserted.
their owners having realized their dan
ger and got away. Not human being
was near-yes, one. Passing a mat
tress lying on the sidewalk. / heard 4
cry. Stopping. 1 examined 4 diminu-
tive bundle on it and unrolled Il mite
of u girl baby
'She weighed twelve pounds" put in
Mrs. Kennedy. You weighed her Il
few days after"
We'll, then" continued her husband,
81 unrolied twelve pound baby. The
most natural thing in the world to do
was to pick up the baby and take it
along with me. At any rate, this is
what / did. There were flames in my
path. though more smoke than flame.
Covering the baby'S face carefully,
shot through it like an arrow. Now
was safe. The fire was sweeping north
eastward.
"Well, here 1 was, near midnight on
the Sth of October, 1871, boy of
twelve years without n cent in my
pocket suddenly become a father.
went on southwark, where the people
in safety were standing in front OF
their houses or on their roofs watching
the great glare and listening to the
boom of falling buildings My burden
was squalling. and a woman, taking
pity on me and it, brought out from her
house some milk in a bottle. The baby
drank II. and when L gave the woman
my story she had the liberality to give
me the bottle, but not the humanity TO
take us i'll.
There was an clubhouse in the neigh
borhood where had often slept, there
being n board loose so that l could
crawl into place where hay was kept
| took the baby to this place and laid
her on n soft bed. Fortunately / had
found her we'll wrapped in blankets.
shall never forget the companionable
feeling of cuddling up alongside the lit
tie thing and going to sleep. In the
morning Twas awakened by something
tugging Mt my hair. and there was the
baby laughing at me.
81 took the bottle. went out and beg
ged some food of n woman and brought
1t back for the child's breakfast"
1T was fortunate you went to wo-
man." remarked Mrs. Kennedy. You
wouldn't have known how to prepare
the food"
"It was then learned, and after that
I prepared the food myself. Well. as
soon as the baby was asleep again I
went out and earned some money car
rying things for people-for they We're
pouring southwark OH Michigan ave
nue-then went back again and gave
the baby it's dinner She looked to
me like a birdlet just hatched, her nose
was so small and her mouth so wide.
The only name l knew for n bird was
'chippy.' or what we boys called chip
Ply bird so l called her Chip.
zone day l was doing a job far n
gentleman and told him about my ba-
by. He asked me where she was, and
after he had promised me not to take
her from me l told hi:u. He went with
me to our home. and when he saw Chip
smoothing away. with an empty bottle
beside her. great was his establishment.
He told me to pick her mp. and follow
him. but said that all l wanted was
to earn money TO buy milk for her,
and. seeing that | was determined. he
left me alone with her. telling me to
come to bis store and he would give
me work. / did so and soon after took
Chip to little room l hired. Having
something to work for, l attended to