The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-03-29
MRS. COOKE TELLS
 OF RELIGION FIRE Describes Rescue of HerSeIf
 Sister and Children DROP FROM THE WINDOW The Sisters Are Improving From In- juries Received-Tel of Loss of Much Valuable Material for
 Books and Stories.
DROP FROM THE WINDOW

Chattanooga, March 2S.-(special.)- Mrs Grace MacCowan Cooke, who, with her sister. Miss Alice MacCowan, was so badly injured in the fire at Helicon hall, has sent the following account of her ex- perience:
 You know when the fire occurred. It is my belief that it started directly out side the doors of our suite, which was a charming corner apartment of four rooms Helen CMrs. Cooke's daughter aged ID had taken to sleeping in my dressing room, which opened off the study, and was, therefore, the nearest human being to the fire if it started where 1 think it did
 Miss MacGowna, baby Katherine and myself, in our adjoining rooms were sleep ing heavily-we both think we may have been slightly narcotzed by the smoke for the rooms were full of it. Helen came across the study and said to me:
 Mama, the house is on fire
 'I leaped out of bed and answered that l believed it was. The children stood there in their pajamas. l had on light cambric gown, and jerked up a heavy ulster, slipping it on l ran into the study. There on our our long library table stood boxes full of manuscripts. We had been very active for several weeks trying to get things in shape for moving, we meant to so to New York next week. l grabbed three or four boxes at random and hurried to the window to throw them out. As l did this l coudl hear the fire roaring and pulsing outside the door. Nv bui ct though very beautiful, and the doors were scarcely thicker than the wood used to make cigar boxes. They were cracked in d curious way, and through these cracks the flames sent d dull glow that light ened the rooms. As l worked there the tongues of flames began to pour through these cracks. and oyer me, tiingng out long. rbbony streamers, sucking in the direction of my open bedroom door, behind which was an open window
 "katherine followed me in there. and l think one of these things singed her hair off, for it is all moved down the back of her head.
 T saw that l was doing foolhardy thing and risling the lives of the children. l hurrend back to my room and shut the door against the fire, leaned out of the window and began to scream for some body to come and save my baby.
 Miss MacCowan sat at the other win dow with Helen. She tried to get a heavy blanket around Helens waist and tie it, but of course we could get no scissors or knife to cut it into strips-or rather start the tear and the knot failed.
 Sinclair Appears.
 Upton Sinclair came under the window with his little secretary, Miss Edith Sum mers hurrying after him. He put up his arms and slrielIpd tO Miss Mact'OWau tn jump, certain death to doth of them of course. Then he called for lis to throw some bedding out l ran back and 1 gathered up bedding from my bed and hurled it down. Miss nIacCowan threw down the stuff she had there, and let Helen down into the blanket as far as she could, but when the little girl dropped you must remember she is getting to be pretty big girl now-she split the tlimsy thing they were holding, and jared her hip a little.
 If l had had the presence of mind to go to the window l suppose l could have heen throwing things out. but l was so desperately afraid that Katherine would be killed that I picked her up and held her out of the window. screaming to them side me was the closed door into my study, which I could see now was already roaring with fire, because smoke and spiteful gleams poured through at me l stood there
 Miss MacGowan had her down robe around her and jumped from the window,