The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1908-07-16

he had done this. He was responsible
for the fire-he and the drink within
him. He Jumped to his feet, his eyes
smarting. his breath coming with DIFF
ficulty, because of the smoke. He dimly
heard people shouting and laundering
at the door, bat he gave no heed to
this, he was thinking OF Ethel and
| Kiddy.
A great wave of smoke came out to
| meet him as he threw the door open.
| He felt his way through it to the bed,
shouting ETHEL" at the top of his
| voice His scorched and bleeding hands
grasped at the smouldering sheets, but
there was no life beneath them. Like
! mailman he begun to feel about the
room, thrusting his hands before him
through flame and smoke, until suddenly
he felt something soft on the floor.
| 1t was Ethel, and beneath her was
Kiddy.
He called passionately to her, but she
made no reply. Then, with sudden
fierce strength, he gathered the girl and
the baby in his arms and plunged through
the fiery smoke to the doorway. Down
| the trembling stairs he went, his clothes
on fire, his hair burning, his skin black
and scorched. Burning wood and masses
of plaster fell about him, but on he
strobe, until a sudden blast of cool air
met him as the street door was burst
open by the fremen.
Then all seemed to 60 black before
him. Great arms seemed to seize him
and hurl him through space. On, on
+, he flew, until suddenly he began to fall,
DOWNTOWN
II think he'll do now" said mans
voice.
Dicks eyes opened, and he gazed
vacantly around, to see whitewashed
walls, nurse, white-coated doctor,
and-Ethel and the Kiddy.
A wave of feeling so intense as almost
to suffocate him swept over him. What
were they doing here? They were dead
he knew they were dead
''Only three minutes, Mrs. Caring
ton," said the doctor.
Then the girl knelt by the bedside
and Dick felt her cool, soft hands smooth
his shorn hair. Her soft face was
pressed to his.
''Dick, my love, my hero" she whis-
pered.
''Alive?" he murmured weakly.
Eyes, my dear, and loving you more
than ever Oh Dick, 1 was so afraid
you were going! But alls well now,
Dick; you're getting better. See, here's
Kiddy; he wants his daddy"
The man felt the chubby hands of the
boy straying over his face, heard the
childish grooming, and then a scalding
tear fell on to his cheek.
mo, no, Mrs. Darlington; that won't
do' said the doctor. ''You must leave
my patient now"
Ethel bent over her husband and
kissed him passionately, and, with Kiddy
in her arms, went from the ward.
So it was only a dream-they were
not dead. From his heart the mar of
fered a silent prayer of thanksgiving
Then suddenly he shuddered She had
called him her hero. A grand hero he
had been, almost murderer. His teeth
gritted together. Hero she had called
him, and he meant to earn the title
And he did, though his proves was
humble enough. Yet it brought life and
living to Ethel and the Kiddy-it made
a weak man strong and if it was not
the V. c. bravery, it was, at any rate,
bravery that was as noble.
Sure enough that visit to the We'll
come club was the last Dick Darlington
paid. The appointment that had been
offered him was still vacant, but the
man who offered it made the proviso
that Darlington must become an alb
stainer-a proviso that was accepted
and faithfully adhered to.-E. Newton
Bungey in Parsons Weekly.