The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-12-04
HEMMED IN BY FIRE.

But my uncle, my uncle!" cried
| the girl.
"Oh, let him come" sharply an
swered two or three voices from the
| crowd who were crushing themselves
without mercy at the narrow door.
They left me there.
During this time the struggle was
desperate in the orchestra chairs,
stalls and pit. There were only four
doors, each three feet wide, for this
torrent that wanted to rush out in
two seconds. The terrified people
used all their efforts to reach these
doors. Each wished to pass those
who were in advance. They pushed,
cried, shrieked and fought with fury
Two strong men braced themselves
back to back near an opening that
they intended to pass before any one
else, and during that time no one,
neither they nor the others, could es-
cape. Behind them were sobs and
imprecations, and the crowd pushed
with blind fury.
81" oomV yOuhS men WIN ndu
already felt the heat of the flames
jump on the seats and then on the
shoulders of those nearest the door.
Thus they crawled along on their fell
low sufferers.
Meanwhile the scenery was burn
ing. The flames were rapidly ap-
preaching the auditorium. The heat
had become more intense. 1 was
perspiring freely, but it was more
from fear than from heat. Already
the spectacle was sublime-sublime
and grand. In spite of the anguish
which chilled my heart, found some
thing violently gay in those enormous
tongues of fire, frisking before me
and caressing the front of the stage.
At the doors the contest was be-
coming more violent, more compact,
more frantic. oh, woe to the weak!
Woe to the kind! Woe to all those
who had not yet consented to become
ferocious beasts.
l saw great demon, his eyes dis
tended with fear, stretch out his
hand. He seized by the shoulders
a young woman in front of him, and
dragged her backward, so as to gain
her place, at least. The contracted
| fingers of that giant hand we're driv-
en- into her flesh, and bruised and
scratched it. But she resisted mad
ly, fighting with all her strength and
trying in her turn to plunge her nails
into the face Of the cruel man. That
bastard l knew by sight. He was
regarded in society as a polished gen.
| tleman.
Suddenly fireman appeared.
Why had he come? l called out. He
looked at me, seeming to ask what
was doing there, and disappeared
supposed he was coming to my res
cue. Not at all.
Little by little, however, the the
atre emptied. Some who had waited
until the last still had the courage
to draw into the corridor the van
quished on whom the crowd had
trampled. Among them many women
were mortally wounded
The fire had reached the orchestra.
The stands were overturned; violins,
hautboys, flutes, clarinets lay on the
floor. Scarcely any one had the pres
ence of mind to take away his instru-
ment. On some OF the stands, still
erect, there were scores and sheets
of music already scorching. The
smoke, quite thick from the first, was
drawn toward the roof by some phe-
nomenon of ventilation.
The sheets of music curled slowly;
the heat was becoming intolersble,
and violin string broke from the
heat of the lire. That sound of the
dying instrument was heartrending in
its sadness. Soon all the harp strings
snapped, one after another. This
admirable, exquisite instrument
seemed to sing death song in that
agony. A melody flew away into the
fame with its soul. After the harp,
the strings of the bass-viol broke
with a sharp sound, like the reports
of revolver.
At this moment head rose in the
door of the parquet to the left. II
seemed to be a child's head. Soon
the body entered. Suddenly it took
two steps forward. and l screamed
1t was not child. 1t was the little
deformed musician. Deliberately he
walked toward the orchestra. A vol
ume of fire stopped him. He recoiled
but appeared not to renounce some
mad project Selling a favorable
moment, he darted forward. Hi.
arms covering his face to protect it
he approached his place among the
musicians. He had returned to seel