Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-03-24
Poor Old Hans
BY Don Mark Lemon.

our heads to the solemn occasion.
How the fire engines shook and
throbbed, as ii their great hearts were
bursting to know that the flames were
gaining on brave old Hans, rare old
Hans. Gaining in spite of all their
heroic effort.
So raging was that terrible wall OF
flames that the thick jets Of water
seemed to turn to smoke and fire, as
they Kissed against the burning build
ing
From every window to the eighth
floor, red tongues of flame leaped out
ward, licking the walls and melting
the bricks till they ran and fused X
An explosion to the rear of the
building had long before swept away
the fire-escape, the stairs and elevator
shaft were pillars of fire, while the
fremen's wooden ladders were licked
off at the second joint like straws in
a furnace.
Poor old Hans! Honest old Hans!
Oh, for an arrow-gun. to have shot
him a line of rope! Yet only a coil
of steel would have hung intact
against those flaming walls, and that
in minutes time would have beeN a
writhing, white-hot serpent Nof fire.
We thought all had escaped from
the fated building and were curiously
watching that great torch of timber
and brick, when a face suddenly ap-
peared at a window on the ninth floor
and looked down on us.
Poor, honest old Hans! We were
struck dumb with horror for a mo-
ment, then a hoarse shout arose, a
shout of sympathy and encourage
ment Hans heard it, and he took his
pipe from his mouth and nodded his
head solemnly.
His lips seemed to say: "Goot pye,
poys!" and we groaned at the thought
of it-at the pity of it.
Many a man there was who could
do the work of Hans, but what man
could take the old Dutchman's place
in our hearts?
We shouted for him to wait-we
would get life-net for him to leap
into But there was no net! Not even
a cheap mattress to break that tel
rible leap.
He put his pipe back into his
mouth. He was taking his last smoke
like gentleman, hero and a Dutch
man.
"Goot pye, poys!" his honest face
seemed to say: BE goot to your
selves!"
Rare old Hans! Gentle old Hans!
He had always thought of the mean
window where old Hans stood-a
light, white smoke that was near to
flame-but poor old Hans was too fat
to jump. Better to die where he stood
than to be smashed
His face was gone from the win
dow! Food for fire and
smoke! red fire and thick smoke!
No! there he was on the roof, peer
est of us ere he had thought of him
self. Just an old Dutchman, but his
heart was as big as a barrel of sauer
kraut!
Jump" we shouted in desperation
We'll catch you, Hans! Sure we
will"
The flames had reached the ninth
floor and smoke was coming from the
ing down at us. He had taken his last
stand!
Poor old Hans. Who owed him mon
ey-and which of us did not?-would
never need to pay him now, and we
who owed him love-and which of us
did not?-were too late to repay him!
Food for fire and smoke! He who
deserved to have died in bed peace
fully, with his friends, his pipe and
his favorite stein near him.
He leaned far out from the build
ing. He was going to jump?
ten stories to the rock-paved street
below!
We shouted for him to wait-wait
one instant until we could bring net
"a mattress-anything to break that
terrible fall. But the roar of the hun
CRY flames and not our despairing
shout must have reached him, for sud
denly his feet left the edge of the
roof.
Poor old Dutchmanl We would
never drink beer with him again
never borrow another dollar of him
never again fill our pipes with his best
tobacco! Never!
Why, what in heavens name!-An
other instant we we're a mob of yell
ing, gesticu| eting madmen, falling OF
one anotheFs necks and pointing up
ward and laughing through our tears
Dashed to death on the rock-paveC
street! Food for fire and smoke! No
Hans! He came sailing gently dowI
over our heads, smoking his pipe, will
his favorite steih in his hand.
Its yoost as easy-when you're |
Dutchman, poys!" he smiled.
We unstrapped him from the BIZ
parachute that he had always KEEP
slowed away under his bed, and thel
we nearly mobbed that pretzel-eatini
Dutchman.
UnIoVeIness of Mind.
No woman or man can go through
life scoring at the feelings and wishe