Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1908-191?, 1910-04-18
The Heroic
Role

IT'S nothing short OF a miracle that
l am spared to my friends and reia.
tives," declared Patty, with a lugubri-
Gus air, as she proceeded to unload
the millinery creation Of birds and
animals from her head It's a won
der that my sad and sudden end"
why, Patty, what In the world has
happened?" asked Corinne, pumping
down on the hatrack seat and draw.
Ing her caller TO the place beside her.
Il came over to tell you the wnOio
thrilling tale" said Patty. You know,
dear that all my life / have longed
20 do something worth while-I mean
to put my own powers and resources
to the test | wanted to know just
what l should do under circumstances.
calling for coolness and quick decision.
Well, yesterday my opportunity
came"
why what in the world hap
pened?" exclaimed Corinne. DO get
into your story quick, Patty and leave
out the preliminaries"
mo story is good without the prop
sr introduction" returned Patty, rO-
provingly, "and this is just like the,
stories you read in books"
Seeing that her listener was proper
ly impressed, Patty went on: Il had
promised Merrill that / would press
out his muller, so l put an iron on
that little stove attached by hose to
the Jet near mothers dresser and
then went down to the library to
read, while 1t was heating. Only n
few minutes later there came smell
OF burning stun and the room began
to MI with smoke"
Why Patty, II was a fret
please don't interrupt, Corinne. but
you guessed correctly Instead OF
rushing wildly into the street or
screaming for Hilda in the kitchen. L
ran upstairs and by some instinct
made for mothers room. There tho
seething, roaring flames mot my
gaze"
"You didn't go in7" cried Corinne.
Il did" declared Patty grimly,.
though well pleased with the effect of
her recital upon her listener. ''Of
course, the FIRE was over in the cor
ner. where Merrills muffier, dangling
from the dresser, was a mass OF
flames. Without cry, but with my
face deadly pale-I could see myself
In the mirror-I rushed into the midst
OF that terrible connagration and
turned off the open gas Jet. The
frightful heat and smoke and odor al
most oVercame me. fell back only
to come on again with renewed de-
termination, dragging mothers new
blankets which had lain folded on the
couch. | dashed the bundle with aIl
my strength on that wicked blaze
why, what II you had caught ON
fre?"
I'm such moments OF peril" said
Patty grandly, "one must not think
OF ones self. Next / rushed to the
telephone and told the operator that
our house was burning TO the ground
and asked her to ring the alarm for
me. In an another second or two
had Merrill on the wire. TO him i
had barely reported that our home
was In flames and was battling with
them all alone when | heard the re.
ceiver drop at his end OF the line.
by this time l was faint and gid
dy with the smoke. / ran to the win
dows and threw them open just as
the hook and ladder wagon came tear
ing along. waved to the driver to
stop and the firemen yelled to me not
to jump.
There came a horrible crashing
and failing. II proved to be our front
door, which they had broken down.
Then the house Immediately was
filled with the firemen.
II had scarcely finished showing
them the smoking debris when Mer--
rill came dashing wildly into the hall,
grabbed me and carried me out in hia
arms TO the street.
'T-sueceeded in explaining to Merrill
In Just few more minutes that 1, all
unaided, had quelled the blaze As
he had rushed down in a taxicab,
without his hat or coat, we went back.
into the house to get thawed out
Honestly, after he came and was
holding me hardly swooned at all.
"The firemen were all filing down
the steps and every one Of them was
smiling and chuckling as IL pleased
with my heroism. Still, one horrid
fireman said as he passed that It was
a pity l didn't have sense enough 10,
thrown a glass Of water on the muhier
instead of making bonfire OF my,
mothers blankets. But the others
told him to hush and Merrill said u
was brave, coolheaded little hero
Inc"
"Wen, l should think you wereT-
breathed Corinne, allowing herself to
relax "If you had only called me
up, too. I'm SO sorry missed IT," !