The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1904-03-05

anu put Uu ICt iii tllHt W serve!
At that moment something happened
There was a clanking as if crossed link
in the chain had suddenly Strengthened out
The ladle tilted more to one side. An in
slant it hung there, and then with a rattle
as of ratchet, it sank suddenly to the
ground and turned on its side
A great glowing pool of molten metal
poured out on the earthen floor and spread
in every direction. A cloud of steam from
the damp sand ascended to the rafters
The men knew the danger all too we'll
They had started back at the premonitory
sounds, and now they fled instantly, blind
ly, from the horrible flood
The little boy stood with his back tight
against the stone wall, wondering and
thrilled, clasping and unclasping his hands.
He was not frightened, but he was fairly
sobbing with the excitement of this terrific
climax to the wonderful sights he had seen.
His eyes were confused by the sudden glare
of light, and great wave of awful heat
swept over him.
The first irresistible rush of the fiery
wave was checked, but still it spread out
slowly in rivulets and branches on every
side, like the tentacles of some hideous
monster. Several of these horrid, glowing
arms were stealing toward him, silently,
mercilessly. He turned to fly, first one
way, then another. He was surrounded
on every side. The little fellow gave one
awful cry of terror and despair, and stood
there trembling and sobbing.
The men, who had fed instinctively at
the first warnings, had turned now and
were gazing in horror at the terrible specta-
cle
What could they do? Whatever was
done must be done in an instant, for, second
by second, the octupus-ike arms of fire
were creeping toward the boy. There was
no time to wait aud think out a plan of
rescue, and Big George Smith had not
waited
Without a word he had rushed toward
the boy. Men called to him to stop, but
he did not hear them, or if he did, he gave
no heed
Leaping the arms of molten metal, he
sprang nearer aud nearer the boy Once
he fell short few inches The heel of
his boot barely touched the edge of one of
the streams, and was cut off as with knife.
With one last, mighty bound, he reached
the boy, aud, gathering him in his arms
without a moments hesitation, he turned
to retrace his steps II was harder now.
New streams and branches had formed, and
interlaced aud made pools of FIRE.
Keeping close to the wall, he hurried on
desperately The heat was sitting Meas
uring with his eye he leaped from spot to
spot Of floor vet uncovered, where some
times only the half Of his foot could rest,
holding the lad high and close to his arms.
Once he staggered and almost fell into the
seething mass. The distance was less than
80 feet altogether that he had to 90, but
so erratically had the liquid spread itself
that his course was zigzag, here and there,
wherever he could gain an instant foot
ins. To fall. he knew, meant death inits
most horrible form for himself and proba-
bly, for the boy.
Out at the edge of the little lake of fire
the men were working like mad with shov
els. building dam of sand and throwing
great shoyelfuls on the outer edge of the
pool to make a last footing, for the iron
had filed in for several feet from the edge
all of the bare spots which had served for
stepping places when Smith ran to the
rescue but a moment before.
He was within u feet of the edge now,
standing on little hill of sand where there
was only room for one foot to rest, and all
around, on every side, was a sea of death.
There was but one way, and he did not
hesitate. Without pausing an instant, he
sprang as far as he could, splashed for a
single step into the awful, burning food,
and staggered into the arms of the men
waiting to receive him.
The father gathered his boy unframed
into his arms, while the men, trained to
such emergencies, knelt over Big George
Smith, tearing away what had once been
shoes from what had once been feet, and
applying the first aid remedies, always
at hand.
An hour later the surgeon came into the
office. where the general manager and the
chairman of the board of directors sat
figuring out the details of the ten per cent.
increase in wages.
ssWe'n save his feet said the surgeon,
cheerily. "A little crippled, but still
pretty good feet. There 5 man for you!'
he continued, with professional enthusiasm.
''Wonderful vitality magnificent physi-
quer'
''Strong as a horser' remarked the
general manager.
s'Please don tt said the chairman of
the board of directors, gently, and there
were tears in his eyes. Don rub it in.
The question now is 'What can we do
with Big George Smith p
'Well, IN tell you what I'm going to
do, said the general manager. "We
need another assistant foreman for No. 3
foundry, and there no better man for the
Job. He's my choice.
eyes, said the chairman, musingly.
Perhaps that will do-for the present
But | can't let you have him long.
have in mind little private enterprise of
nv own which needs lust such man as he