The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-02-03
Saved by II ljrunhurd.

a woman, whose husband is a lawyer
IN the Ashland block, took her small
son, aged G, and her smaller daugh-
ter, aged 4, to the irouuois Theatre
on that fatefui "Wednesday afternoon.
They had seats close to the stage.
The mother occupied the seats farth
est from the aisle, then came the lit.
tie boy, and then the ,i,,le girl. Next
to her was q vacant aisle sca.. Pres
emily fairly well drc> scd man came
in alone and sat down in the vacant
seat.
1t gradually dcvclrp ped that the
newcomer was intoxicated. The Ii
Iuor had had the effect of putting
him in perfect good humor With the
world. He paid small attention to
the stage, but was apparently much
struck with the beauty of the little
yellow haired tot who sat next to him.
He began to talk with her, but the
baby was frightened and tried to edge
away.
PURITY ILL girl" he said coax
ingly, patt!ng her gently on the head
with large, red hand. The man s
talk was attracting tho attention of
other people, and the child 8 mother
leaned over and asked him to stop.
"Thas' aw rig" he said with a
broad smile. Thas' aw' righ.' She
is purity liz girl, amt she?'
Finally, the embarrassed M Ter
appealed to an usher, who came down
the aisle and asked the man on the
aisle to stop talking to his neighbors.
lie, too, was answered by grin and
request to look at the purity liz
girl"
Shortly after the first symptoms Of
fire were noticed on the stage, the
mother with ncr two small children,
were frigh, en.l from the first. But
the drunken man leaned over and
shook finger at her reassuringly.
Don't you be 'fraid nussin'," lie
said, thickly. Don't you DO 'fraid.
\ ou chess come with ME"
Without waiting for an answer he
seized the little girl, tucked her away
undea ono arm, picked up the boy
under his left, and with the half hys-
terical woman clipging to his coat in
the rear went staggering up the center
aisle towards the main entrance. He
started before there was any great
alarm in the house and people still
sitting in the aisles had til !. 60 laugh
ut his drunken efforts to appear dig
ni6ed.
But just az the strange party reach
ed the door the storm broke out be-
hind them. Out into the street stag
gered the man, still firmly holding the
children under his arms. He showed
DO Inclination to put them down.
Wont you come up with me to my
husbands Office in the Ashland
block?' pleaded the woman.
Sure" stammered the man, still
with smile. "Ganywhere wiss the
purity Ill girl"
They went over to the Ashland and
took an elevator to the husband 8
office. In staggered the man, still
carrying the babies, set them down
on sthe floor, and promptly relapsed
into chair and went to sleep. Mean
while the terrified woman was telling
her husband the awful story of the
fire and how strange and drunken
man had saved them all. Naturally
the husband was extremely grateful
to tho stranger. lie went out into
the outer oficc to express his thanks,
but found it first necessary to wake
up the hero, who was by this time
snoring noisi!y.
'Nos-atall," " said the drunken man,
waving an unsteady hand. Nos atall.
No thanks tall. Purt ty liz girl
amt she?"
He smiled aimlcssly at the child 8
father.
"Hcre," said the father, pulling
$40 bill from his pocket. "Take this
for me, anyhow, just to show that I
appreciate what you have done for
me-"
With stiff and drunken dignity
the man straighteued himself up until
his head was further back than his
heels.
"Aw, give your money to tn heath
en-. l got money my own, have"
he said, angriiy. You're stiff, you
are."
Whereupon, having untangled his
feet, he went out into tho street, re.
fusing to give his name or to allow
o,.o