Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1907-05-23

| ler's paper box factory, and Margery
waa up on the fifth floor. As the
engine turned sharply into Thompson
street he could see the factory half
way down to Canal. Thick pufs Of
smoke jette1 from the windows, with
licking A.meJ between, pile yellow
| in the bright sunlight.
"lt's got hold already, said Raw
ley. There come som s'of the girls
down the escapes.
Burke never answered. The engine
pulled up short below Blocker. Over
from Fifth avenue the hook and ladder
company was Changing, and he looked
up at the fifth floor OF the fictory, his
blue eyes dark with dread.
The girls were trying the escapes,
but even 30 soon the iron was bllste--
hot, and their cries of pain made the
crowd below SILVER There WIS a
voice at his elbow, and Burke turned
as he was on his way into the build
ing It was 0 'Fe,rlll, the pohcsn4n,
and, under MS helmet, bis face was
white and drawn.
'Blrke, nav sisters up there on the
fifth h)or. Ali the other girls are
out, but the top floor crowd is cut of.
The stairway's burning now. There's
20 girls peuned in up there, and the
smoke will get them sure before the
flames. >
Burke nodded grimly. The hook
and ladder had drawn up outside,
"I'll go upand get them to the win
dows," he said. Hurry up the lad
ders."
A great stiffness fell on the waiting
crowd that packed the street beyond
the stretched ropes As the big lad
ders were put in position. it leaked
out that one fireman had gone to Il ht
his way up through TIE burning stairs
to save the fifth floor lacers. Then
all at once cheer went up. The
ladders were up, two of them, and
steadily working their way down each
one were two fire laddies, each with a
limp girls figure over one arm.
O'Ferrall knew what it meant. Burke
had reached the floor and was getting
the girls to the windows, and the big,
smooth faced policeman shut his lips
tighter, and thanked God for the
pluck that lies In the smoke eater g
heart.
Burke counted the girls as he made
his way back and forth through the
smoke, steadily, grimly. gaspiug now
and then at the window, then going
back for more. Some had tainted
but most were anxious to help, and
kept their nerve. As he handed Sue
McManus out the window. lie asked
where Margew wa4. She was the
last OF the regular girls.
I "She fell over by the stairs trying
to shut the safety DOORS" Sic told
him, sobbingly. you'll never get
her, Tom"
Burke looked back. A hook and
ladder boy was yelling to him to get
out, that the floor was weakening.
"Wait | Ooe more he answered,
and went at the thick. black smoke
that hid where the stairway had been
He never knew afterward how ne
had found her. 1t seemed frightful
nightmare fighting blindly at leaping
6ends of fame that tuggei and throt-
tied him and choked out HE life by
| inches. And then somewhere in the
fiery hell he had found her, felt the
slender, limp 6eure aud lifted it in
his arms, close to his heart.
There was just one thing about that
rescue that Margery never was sure
| of until long after her wedding day
Then one autumn night when Officer
O'Ferrall had dropped in on the new
home to- say a brotherly blessing,
Burke told:
"If hadn't thought it was all up
with us l never would have done it, :
he explained, peniteutly "but when
/ measured the distance TO the window
and heard the loft crash back OF me l
just thought it was quick heaven for
mine and then death, and | kissed her,
kissed her and never had an intro
duction to her even. Bat it didn'i
matter. Dead or alive, / knew | had
the right. She was the only girl in
the world for me"
And Mrs. Burke blushed softly and
ran her hand over the thick brown
curls of her smoke eater
"Ain't he the bold boy, though,
she said tenderlY. 81 knew it all the
time and ttought it was dream, bui