Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-01-08

She was bearing on her face and per-
son the marks of her desperate energy.
But size had never ceased to be Grace
Andrews, calm. self poised, patient, in
domitable but never hysterical or
nervous.
y faint color appeared in her face,
and she let Gordon bring her SOME
thing to cat. She tasted it sitting on IA
beam near the ruins. The firemen, who
knew her, never thought of rcfusii z
her place with the workers. Through
the dawn up into the increasing light
of the awful day that revealed new
horrors she worked on. and Gordon
and Barton silently worked beside her.
The great excitement had kept Bar
ton nCrvcd up to the occasion. AS the
dawn broke, however. the strain was
too severe for the fruil tenement. lie
felt something snap somewhere, and
his eyes blinded as he staggered over
the ruins. He brushed back the hair
that hung matted and dripping over
his forehead and tried to steady him
self. There was Il child's arm protrud-
ing from n mass Of plaster and bricks
at which lie had been working as i'm Il
nightmare, sObbing and coughing, and
alternately cufSing and praying. Cor
don was several feet away, lifting Il
beam with Miss Andrews.
He Strengthened up and saw it ali in
a mist that darkCned swiftly. Again
he brushed his hand over his forehead
and tried by all the exercise of his will
to keep from falling, but the next mo-
mont he reelcd. stumbled against n
projecting timber and fell face down
ward. The fingers of the child. which
had been moving slightly. touched his
warm check. When John Gordon came
over to lift Barton up. the child's arm
encirclcd Barton's neck.
Gordon gently unclaspcd the arm
and, lifting UP his friend. carried him
into Hope House. AS he laid him down
Barton opened his eyes and wills
pered, "Ncvcr mind me, save the 9th
erS."
Gordon hneelcd and kissed Barton's
forehead. and. leaving him in charge
of one Of the residents. he went out to
the work. When Le and Miss Andrews
had dug ont the child, it had brcathed
its last. Miss Andrews kissed the dis
figured face, and the first tear that
Gordon had ever seen her shed fell on
the body.
zone of our children in the kinder
garten. oh, my God. For this slaugh-
ter of the innoccnts who shall be
counted guilty.
She carried the child into the house.
and when she came back there was an
added divinity of righteous Indignation
in her blue eyes added sadness in the
lines of her patient face.
Day broke on Waterside district.
Ward Is, over Il scene that had never
before been witnessed in any part of
the city. There had been very many
fires before this horror of tenement
house fire. Ward l.. But no disaster
had ever before been marked by such
sickeuinG slaughter of children. In No.
81, Mr.. Marsh's double decker, twenty
nine children We're burned or crushed
to death. In the other blocks twenty
three more were victims of tho falling
five families were instantly hcGgarcd,
saving only the clothes they wore. and
left without roof to shelter or Il cent
to pay for bread. Great piles of value
less furniture and bedding filed the
streets and alleys, soaked by the rain
which continued all day Hope House
stood solitary and alone, chokcd with
he dead and the living, among whom
iisS Andrews moved with an angels
pity and Il commanders iirmncSs. She
was perfectly self possessed and knew
just what to do next Under her lead
orship order grew ont of awful confu-
sion. and Hope House. transferred into
Il hospital, knew at once that she who
had been the gracious head Of the set
tlcmcnt was also its director under the
shadow Of this fearful calamity.
Barton had been carried into one of
the residents rooms. When Gordon
came in to see him after he had yielded
TO rc-cnlorcCmcntS sent in by the de-
pertinent, Barton was lying So pale and
still that Gordon feared the end had
come, bat the great eyes opened in
moment and Barton whispered:
Take me up to my rooms, John.
Williams is used TO caring for me, and
l Tam i'll the way here"
I'm the way. Miss Andrews" Cor
don spoke 10 her as she appeared ut
the door of the room. lis Fay friend Mr..
Barton in the way here"
in the way. feared you had
passed ON, Mr.. Barton when | saw
YOU carried into the house by Mr.. Cor
don. You are not able TO be moved.
The exposure
"Ihe exposure did me good" Barton
interrupted almost roughly. Send for
a carriage, John can go easily enough
| tainted out there. I'm not used 10
night work. They saved Hope House,
Miss Andrews;'
Yes. thank God" she said softly.
Even with all the horrors of that night,
and the awful sight ont in the hall and
library, she felt Il thrill at the thought
that the people had loved her little.
Get me out of here, John" Barton
said again as Miss Andrews stepped
back into the hail and resumed her
and | don't want it to come to me
here"
Gordon did not demonstrate. Under
other circumstances he might have
done so. When he had first entered the
room, he had partly closed the door, but
. IT,.