The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-02-16
Daily Short Story
The ILLUMINATION


Georgette had resolved that her
small brother Joseph. In one wav or
tne other. should take part IN the Ma
tional festival
She was 10 years old and he was
Tie was very small for his axe. with
Wrtnkled and grave Little face He
was always suffering from some in
ness, and he was permanently bedrid-
along
Two years had passed since their
mother had died. and II was George,te
VINO took care OF him now. The father
vas fond OF wandering about and was
very seldom at home He strolled
around, working here and there. then
returning with some money and a Sc
cret fear that the children might have
died OF starvation in the meantime lie
cried and kissed them and accused
himself OF being an unnatural father
and swore never TO leave them again
Then he would stay at home for some
days without doing any work and com
pain OF unemployment This made
him nervous and uneasy. and at last
ne would make his escape. leaving his
last money with Georgette.
They lived on the top food Of a
house in one OF the suburbs. an un-
healthy house IL was. so miserable
that II had become a proverb even in
A-AAH o-Aahbe AlaAAfI It's tenants were
mostly ragplckers. beggars and drunk
ards. whose number was always de.
creased by sickness and death
In this house in a small shabby
( room, with one single window facing n
dark yard. a room which was alway s
dark even on a bright day. Georgette
spent all her time with her sick broth
er. Once she had persuaded a physi-
| cian 10 visit him and he had given her
some medicine. but what was most
needed was fresh air and more
healthy place in which TO live
hut little Joseph was not longing FOR
! the country. the sea or the wood. as he
had no idea what they were like
What he missed was that he could not
70 down into the street and see the
illumination on public holidays. which
TO him was the most wonderful thing
in life
From the beginning OF July he had
talked TO his sister OF all the wonder
ful things ne had seen that year when
he himself had been able to go out in
the street and look at the festival. and
Georgette. who wished that he should
nj be disappointed this year. and who
did not dare TO try TO carry him
through the crowded streets had
made M her mind to make an illumin-
alton for Joseph alone
She began her preparation I'm good
time. She helped her neighbor TO un-
wrap colored lamps and got three Of
them in return. Near the mayors
house one day she found four colored
glasses filed with oil and for her last
Few centimes she bought a small Ro-
man candle.
As the small boy lay in bed she
could not surprise him and he enjoyed
Georgetie's preparations very much
She hung the lamps on cord.
In he. 10 III 81.
were Illuminated the sister lighted the
colored lamps and the colored glasses
she put in the four corners of the
room. II was wonderful. Joseph Law I'm
his bed and laughed with iov. hut the
lamps smoked and Georgette had to
open the window facing the ill-smell-
ing yard At lu o'clock she lighted
the Roman candle 10 was a very
cheap one and at first II would not
burn, but suddenly IL caught fire and
filed the room with red light and a
horrible smoke.
The small boy coughed Georgette
rushed 10 the door and opened q. In
the draught the flames in the lamp
reached the wall paper. In few min
utCs the fire reachCr he wooden frame
oi the window ana The door In vain
GeorEette tried 70 stoD tho fire. and
with little joseph ClinEinc TO her neck
she rushed 20 the stairs.
A. Midnight the. old house had
burned down and only heap OF stones
were lett
4 crowd OF people had collected in
the square. together with the former
uCCUpautS 81 the old house The au-
'horities of the suburb had arrived and
one Of them. tail gentleman. put
some questions 10 the concierge.
1t was the little one on the tor
floor WHO started the fire she said
only she and ] were ln the house
when the fire broke ont + won't saw
that she did 10 purposeiy but !
shouldn't wonder II she did
The concierge caught hold Of small
shadow who Was carrying something
on her back
"ls 8, YOU who Uur the house on
fire. the tall gentleman asked her
h1rshIy
GeorEoUtr did not try 10 Die. Ir shr
was fo ue pm into prison and her lf-
t' brother taken away from her % 4
was better fu get through 10 ~ quick /
lN ss u1s5iulC She confessed with I
irCWbliuE voice.
"loe. 30 was me ! did NOT I..h- if on |
purpose u was Tor Joseph sake lie
vas ill aud ] wanted 90 amusc him by |
Illuminating the room--aud then b. d.. !
gan 10 uGru as . opened the door t0 2