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

Who shall deliver your eulogy, VIII.
hall rear your monument? FOR ont
mong those who lcapcd into the street
we'd long enough to tell your story
nd TO say that you ran back into the
turning building to warn sleeping in
mates and then was SrdtchCd away
from the window, from the only place
If possible rescue, by the very men and
women wakcHcd out of suffucating
death. II there is reward or compen-
Sation in the world beyond. the good
God has surely folded YOU into the
vale of pleasure. into the paradise Of
childhood's playground, that eternity
will provide. For you never knew
what play meant here.
AS the rear wall fell crushing in tive
roofs of the smaller houses near and
spreading tho fire into the adjoining
blocks David Barton gripped John Cor.
don's arm tight and exclaimed: "rhe
wind is changing. Hope House will 20
next!
They were on the corner next to Hope
House, and the horror of the whole sit
uation was suddenly intensified if pos.
sble oy the danger which now threat
cncd the one building in the whole
ward that represented humanity at its
best. The wind had changed TO the
cast. Tho rain was increasing. 1t came
down in Il steady cold that had 10 eff
feet on the fire except apparently to
increase its fury. The awful confusion
was increasing every moment. The
alarm had been sent in for the entire
Department.. In almost Il seconds time
the mass OF low wooden tcncmcnts that
stood crowded together on both sides
Of Hope House was bursting with fire.
The .maddoncd, panic sinitten people
were carrying their goods out into the
streets. Under the shapclcss mass OF
hot bricks and twisted iron beams in
Bowen street human forms could be
seen-hore q face staring up. here Il
hand. foot. Il trunk OF formess hor-
ror. The whole pile seemed q writing.
tangled heap Of human agony. Groans
and cries burst from it that were mp
palling. The mass had fallen so near
to the two men that some of the bricks
lay at their feet. Before either rea lied
what be 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 drenched to the
skin. His light overcoat was soon
mass CT tatterod rags. He was lifting
beam that lay across q figure that
had moved hand thrust ont of the
debris. Gordon was helping him.
It's Mrs. Caylor" Gordon exclaimed
as the face OF the figure appeared.
The woman was crushed into sick
eu!ng physical mass but she was alive
and conscious.
IT'S Mr.. Gordon, Mrs, CUyor."' said
John, with sob as he tendoriy wiped
the face ana with Barton's help lifted
oil the beam thar had crushed hcr.
The woman saspod and spoke fecbly.
but clearly;
do YOU think I'll see Louie? lie was
good EcJ--a good boy"
Yes. yes, Mrs. Cuylor. and his body's
straight nov. and he's ont Of pain
"a good boy. Yes, out Of pm now"
She nurrured. 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 il. The crowd that surgcd
through Bowen street had suddenly
left everything else unsuvcd to protect
Hope House. Miss Andrews was out
by that tangled heap Of torture and
death. digging with her hands at the
monstrouS pile, working with Il mans
energy ANA Shamilg more than one
man ny hcf calm but determined c0ur-
age.
But Hope House had suddenly come
10 mean more in Il few seconds than it
had meant in Il dozen years to The pco-
pie, That silent pale, rcsolutc awruly
patient Wouan who lad been loving
them rcsistloNsly al these years, Who
was now over there digging ut the liV-
Ing graves Of the people. what Of the
place called her nome, the center OF
her hcnignant influence? 1t should not
perish. TIL" people of Bowen street
surrounded the place ana fought death
for II grim hour. aided by ro-cnforcc-
monts of The department. In almost
dream OF action Barton and Gordon
had participated in This wild fury Of
defense. They first carried the body
Of Mrs. Caylor into the hall As they
laid it down both knew that what they
laid down was n lfcless, shapelcSs
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 Watcrside dis
trlct Witnessed rs heroic Il struggle us
any age of chiyalry ever boastCd. II
was not an occasion for the depart
mcnt to dictate any rules or methods
CT 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 encirc!ing fire
ANA Hope House was saved. When II
was al over, the building stood black
encd, dcfaceG. S"orchcd, but intact
ana into it's archway came streaming
Il darl procession Of forms hearin.
dreadful Burdens, which were laid il
straight rows through the hall and on
the library floor, Before the gray