Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-11-02

hNNt III sittfHik iustIcHdillUS tutln.
driving them before them. feyerishly
striving to- avert "A panic. The tiny
flames Of Il moment before had become
roaring. spreading menaces. The heavy.
acrid smoke was binding: window
panes breaking from the heat with
sharp reports like revOiver shots were
permitting currents of air, which famed
the fire into fury. The terrified
and children stumbled, fell down one
pasSagewav after another .out to the fire
escapes. to every place where a stair
ease led outdoors. The orphans had
heen herded as accurately ss was hui
manly possible in the pitiably short
period given for flight. The younger
babies, inert. incapable of action. were
carried in the arms of the staggering
women. The cool, fresh air was reached
before the arrival of the fIrcmen; the
sisters and their charges. in the blind
rush 10 a place Of refuge. made their
way over the red path. lighted by the
swirling, spark spouting column that
was roaring high above the four-storied
building and gained shelter near the
ttHdDt1 vi tut uOSpItdI. NIlIt tDt UiSnt
was torn to shreds with the siren whis-
ties Of the speeding auto fire apparatus
and of the clang Of gongs, a hurried
count Of the huddled. terrorstricken
children was taken.
Before the count had been completed.
through the red glare in the hall rushed
Il sister whose garments we've flaming.
.,fhe babies." she screamed TO the
group of women. "Thcy are mp there
A heard them-O Mother Of God, have
pity"
The upper floors were blazing and the
fire was gaining Roadway below.
How many are there and where. sis
teri" asked Mother Mary.
II heard them on the third floor. and
there are sisters there. too
BILLY is missing and Francis and"
Was il screams or the cracking of the
flames? Mother Mary began to run to-
wards the hall dOm. The sisters who
had guided forth the orphans while the
others continued the search for possible
missing ones seized her. twined their
arms around her, begged her not to 90.
Mother, it is to your DEATH" they said
imploringly. She shook of the OBTAINING
hands. commanded them to watch the
children and swiftly niade her way into
the building, the black of the smoke
swallowing the black of her habit. losing
her to sight almost Immediately. The
fire for Il moment had re;reatcd. only to
break forth with rcdoublcd fury above.
The fircmen had arrived. The roar Of
the fire. now Il beacon light of tragedy.
cutting into the blackness of the night
with Il column OF flame shat could be
seen for miles and which was already
horrifying the city. was increased by the
noise Of the engines. Spectators told
the fircmen that they had seen a sister
enter the building. and they believed
other sisters and children were within
those walls, seemingly ready to crack
and fall every minute. Ladders were
Spliccd together. the lines Of hose were
playing thick streams OF wa;cr. but, as
though dcfving every human effort. the
pillar Of flames shot higher and the
hoarsc sucking laughter of of the fire
took a fierceP note,
And then the sisters whose cgress
had been cut of by the flames. trapped
in their frantic search. begaiu appear
inu ut the windows. Several jumped.
Nets were held by police and firemen and
did their work. but brc.en backs or
limbs. the mangling resulting in death,
was the portion Of others who failed to
strike the life ropes.
Mother Mary stood silhouettcd in a
fhirl-story window. Il thin figure of
she had in some wonderful manne made
her way up burning stairwass to ths
third floor and found at .casi one Of the
objects of her search, for against hei
breast, clasped in her lett arm. his W
baby arms tight oun her neck. was
the little child. the curly-hairetl darling
of the orphanagc. Ii was as though
they stood in front OF an open furnace
door. the raging fire within causing
every outline 10 stand forth in CHASTITY
relief. even to the nimbus around the
fair hair Of the child. Mary held the
child, Mary of the Cross of Agony, an
uniorgettablc picture in Es horror. in
it's terrible ending.
For two or three minutes the Metlcf
Superior stood there. The open window
served to give them for that space fresh
air. From firemcn. policemen. from half
Il thousand threats came shouted mes
sages. telling her rescue was coming
Thn two lnnn InllnrS snlicrd tasorlher.