The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1914-03-09
GEORGETTE AND JOSEPH
BY CARL muNsoN.


the other should take part in the na-
tional festival.
She was ten years old and he was
five. He was very small for his age.
with a wrinkled and grave little face.
He was always suffering from some i'll
ness. and he was permanently bedrid-
den. as his legs refused to carry him
along
Two years had passed since their
mother had died, and it was Georgette
who took care of him now The faith
er was fond Of wandering about and
was very seldom at home He strolled
around, working here and there. re-
turning with some money and secret
fear that the children might have died
OF starvation In the meantime. He
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
plain OF unemployment This made
him nervous and uneasy and at last
he would make his escape, leaving
his last money with Georgette.
They lived on the top floor OF a
house In one of the suburbs, an un-
healthy house it was. so miserable that
il had become a proverb, even in this
shabby quarter. Its tenants were most
] ~ rag pickers. beggars and drunkards.
whose number was always decreased
by sickness and death.
In this house. in a small, shabby
room with one single window facing
a dark yard. room which was always
dark even On a bright day. Georg-
ette spent all her time with her broth
err Once she had persuaded a ply
sician to visit him and he had given
her some medicine, but what was most
needed was fresh air and more
healthful place in which TO live
From the beginning OF July he had
talked to his sister of all the wonderful
things he had seen that year when he
L.Iself lad been able to go out in
the street and look at the festival. and
Georgette. who wished that he
shouldn't be disappointed this year
and who did not dare TO try 10 carry
him through The crowded streets, had
made up her mind to make an illuni-
nation for Joseph alone.
She began her preparation in 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 filled with oil. and for her
last few centimes she bought small
Roman candle
AS the boy lay In bed she could not
surprise him, and he enjoyed Georg-
cites preparations very much. She
hung the lamps on a cord.
In the evening when all the streets
we're Illuminated the sister lighted the
colored lamps. and the colored glasses
she put in the four corners Of the room
II was wonderful Joseph lay in his
bed and laughed with JOY. but the
lamps smoked and Georgette had TO
open the window facing the ill-smeIl-
ing yard. At 10 O'Clock she lighted
the Roman candle. Il was a very cheap
one. and at first it would not burn, but
suddenly caught fire and filed the
room with red light and a horrible
smoke
The small boy coughed. Georgette
rushed to the door and opened It. In
the draught the flames in tie. lamps
reached the wall paeer. In a few min
utes the fire reached the wooden
frames OF the window and the door.
In vain Georgette tried to stop the
fire, and with little Josefh clinging to
her neck she rushed to the stairs.
At midnight the old house had burn
ed down and only heap Of stones was
left
A crowd Of people had collected in
the square. together with the former
occupants of the old house. The au-
thorities Of the suburb had arrived
and one Of them. tall gentlemen.
put some questions to the concierge.
1t was the little one on the top
loor who started the fire." she said.
only she and we're in the house
when the fire broke ont. I won't say
she did Il purposely, but I shouldn't
wonder II she did
Where is she2'
The concierge caught hold Of a small
shadow who was carrying something
on her back
Georgette. who was black with /
smoke and still carrying Joseph. stood |
before the stern Judge. trembling and
unable to say word.
rs it you who put the house on
fre?" the tall gentleman asked her
harshly
Georgette did not try to lie. II she
was TO be put into prison and her lit
tie brother taken away from her it was :
better to get through it as quickly as
possible. She confessed with trem-
bling voice:
Yes, il was me. | did not do II on I
purpose. It was for Joseph's sake. He \
was III and wanted to amnse him by
Illuminating the room-end then it
began to burn as opened the door to
get some fresh air into the room."
She stopped. awaiting her sentence.
Everybody was looking at her and the
fear nearly choked her
Excellent said the Judge sudden