The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-02-07
SAVED EHRFE MFS.
Drunken Mans Feat at the Iroquois
Theatre Fire.

A4@1tfS FIRE
fchicsso Tribuae.)
a ToTaan who's husband is lawyer ia
the Ashland block took her Snan son,
aged 8. and her smaller daughter, aged &
% tie iT0qGols theatre on that fatefos
Wednesday afternoon. They had seats
close 70 tie stage. The mother occupied
the seat farthest from the aisle then
came me little boy, and then the little
giTt Next to her was vacant aisle seat.
Presently fairly wei dressed man came
II alone end sat down 81 che vacant seat
K gradually developed that the new
conner was Intoxicated. The liquor had
had the effect 81 putting him in perfect
good huuor WIfh al the world. he paid
small attention to the stage. but was
/ apparently much struck by the beauty Of
TIE little yellow haired tot who sat next
- nm lie began 20 -ask TO her, but the
BABY was frightened and tried 10 edge
away.
Purity D. gir-rl." he ssid. .coaxsngly.
pattiDg her gently on the head with
( iaEEe red hand TIE mans talk was at
traeting the attention of other people.
I and the childs mother leaned over ana
asked him to stop.
"Ihas aw righ," he said. With a broad
smile. 'Thas' aw righ'. She is a purity
Ii gir-ri, amt she2'f
Finally the embarrassed mother ap-
peaied 70 an usher, who came down the
aisle and asked the man on the aisle 10
stop talking to els neighbors. He. toe.
was answered ty a grin and request to
logk At the purity III girl
2Atft4E 4teE the IlTSL symptoms o.
fire were noticed on the stage. The moth
er, with her two small children was
frightened from the first But the drunk
en- man leaned over and shook a finger
Don't you Be 'fraid nt1ssiIt'." he said
come 9Th me-
Without waiting fer an answer he seized
( the little girl, tucked her away under one
arm, picked up the boy under HIS left
ard with the hslf hysterieal woman cling
ING 10 his coat in the rear went stasgeT-
Ing up the center aisle towards the main
entrance he s.41rted before there was
any great alarm in the house. and people
still sitting Ia the gislss had time 10 laugh
Il lied ms drunken efforts to appear disni-
But just as the strange party reached
the door the storm broke out behind them.
! Out on the street staggered the man.
{ stu firmly holding the children under
his arms. He showed no inclination TO
! put them down.
Won't you come up with me to my hug-
| bands office in the Ashland blOCk2"
pleaded the woman.
Sure. stsmmered the man sin with
2 smile &C anywhere wiss the purity
They went over to the Ashland and took
an elevator TO tie husbands office. IN
staggered the man, still carrying the
I babies, set them down ON the floor, and
promptly relapSed into a chair and went
70 sleep. Meanwhile the terrified woman
was telling her husband the awful story
OF the fire anc how strange and drunk
/ en- man had saved them all. Naturally
the husband was extremely grateful to
the stranger. He went out into the outer
/ otiiee TO express his thanks, but found
I IT first necessary to wake up the hero,
who was by this time snoring n0isily
'Nos-atall,' said the drunken man,
/ waving an unsteady hand. "Nos-atalL
! no thanks tall Purity III gir-Tl, ain t
He smiled aimlessly at the childs IA
Here" said the father. pulling So
bill from his pocket Take this for me.
anyhow just to show that r appreciate
what you have done for me-
/ With a stiff and drunken dignity the
[ man Strengthened himself uD until his
/ lead vas further back than his heels.
Aw! Give your money to tn heather.
/ 1 got money my own, I have" he said,
/ dngrtiy- You're stiff, you are"
" hereUpon. having untangied his feet.
/ ne went out into the hallway and took
! an elevator TO the street refusing 10
give his name or to allow anyone to ac-
/ company him.
Is there a moral to this true story? II
/ so, what is iL2