The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-04-15

VIII pTONlQe. toI SOd AcHe1 NAS"
what play meant here.
AS the rear wall fell, crushing in the
roofs Of the smaller houses near and
sprea ding the fire into the adjoining
blocks David Barton gripped John Cor
don's arm tight and exclaimed: THE
wind is changing! Hope House will go
next
They were on the corner next to Hope
House. and the horror Of the whole sit
uation was suddenly intensified If pos
siDle oy the danger which now threat
ened the one building in the whole
ward that represented humanity at Its
best. The wind had changed to the
east. The rain was increasing. It came
down in a steady cold that had no ef-
feet on the fire except apparently to
increase its fury. The awful confusion
was increasing every moment. Ihe
alarm had been sent in for the entfe
department. In almost seconds time
the mass Of low wooden tenements that
stood crowded together on both sides
Of Hope House was bursting with fire.
The maddened, panic smitten people
were carrying their goods out into the
streets Under the shapeless mass Of
hot bricks and twisted iron beams in
Bowen street human forms could be
seen-here a face staring up, here
hand, a foot a trunk Of formless nor
ror. The whole pile seemed writhing,
tangled heap Of human agony. Groans
and cries burst from it that were ap-
pallinS. The mass had fallen so near
to the two men that some Of the bricks
lay at their feet. Before either realized
what he was doing they were both dig
ging at the ghastly mound, Hope House
forgotten for the time being. Their
hands were burned and torn by the hot
bricks and splintered beams. Barton
especially seemed inspired with unusu-
al strength. He was drerched to the
skin. His light overcoat was soon
mass Of tattered rags. He was lifting
a beam that lay across figure that
had moved a hand thrust out of the
debris. Gordon was helping him.
Its Mrs. Caylorr!' Gordon exclaimed
as the face Of the figure appeared
The woman was crushed into sick
ening physical mass, but she was alive
and conscious.
"It's Mr.. Gordon, Mrs. Caylor!" said
John, with sob, as he tenderly wiped
the face and with Barton's help lifted
off the beam that had crushed her.
The woman gasped and spoke feebiy.
but clearly:
"Do you think I'll see Louie? he was
q good boy-a good boy"
eyes, yes, Mrs. Caylor, and his body s
straight now, and he's out Of pain"
"a good boy. Yes, out Of pain now"
she murmured. Gordon and Barton
lifted the form and carried it over to
Hope House entrance. There was no
need of words. No other place was
possible. AS yet the fire had not
touched it. The crowd that surged
through Bowen street had suddenly
left everything else unsaved to protect
Hope House. Miss Andrews w:lS out
BY that tangled heap Of torture and
death, digging with her hands sat the
monstrous pile, working with mans
energy and shaming more than one
man by her calm but determined cour-
age.
But Hope House had suddenly come
to mean more il 4 few seconds than it
had meant in dozen years to the peo-
pie. That silent, pale, resolute, awfully
patient woman who had been loving
them resistlessly all these years, who
was now over there digging at the liv-
ing graves OF the people, what Of the
place called her home, the center OF
her benignant influence? 1t should not
perish. The people Of Bowen street
surrounded the place and fought death
fer 4 grim hour, aided by REINFORCE
ments of the department. In almost
a dream Of action Barton and Gordon
had participated in this wild fury Of
defense. They first carried the body
of Mrs. Caylcr into the hall. AS they
laid it down both knew that what they
laid down was a ifeless, shapeless
heap of bones and flesh. She was with
Louie now
On the other side Of Jordan,
In the sweet fields OF Eden
Where the tree Of life is blooming.
The men rushed out to the defense,
and in that next hour Waterside dis
trict witnessed as heroic 4 struggle rs
any age OF chivalry ever bcasted. 1t
was not an occasion for the depart
ment to dictate any rules or methods
Of procedure The people made rules.
They tore down buildings, flung them
selves upon flaming fragments,
stamped under foot and literally beat
back the fury of the encircling fire.
And Hope House was saved. When it
was all over, the building stood black
ened, defaced, scorched, but intact,
and into its archway came streaming
q dark procession Of forms bearing
dreadful burdens, which were laid in
straight rows through the hall and on
the library floor Before the gray
dawn broke through the pail of smoke,
dripping with drizzling air that pen
etrated even the warmly dressed early
risers on the boulevardS, thece were
forty-sevcn forms lying side by side on
the floor CT Hope House, and under the
ghastly mound how many more no
mar dared TO guess.
John Gordon found Miss Andrews
still at work out by the ruins.
You must stop and eat something"
lie said gently, but firmly. and as he
spoke he laid his hand on her arm.
She was bearing on her face and per-
son the marks Of her desperate energy.
But she had never ceased to be Grace
Andrews, calm, self poised, patient, in
domitable, \but never hysterical or
nervous.
A faint color appeared in her face,
and she let Gordon bring her some
thing to eat. She tasted it sitting on a
beam near the ruins The fremen, who