The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-08-01

hav
his neck and tried to twist his he eS of afr'"nd
He forced his way to the middle of tn.
all he could do to tight his way out again e. was
The other end md. Of the e. room oa was In flames
under side '" 's
glance at Celestial filed his heart with
It seemed had gone mad with terror Along
shs half e fa ,he of were 6 S
caught up one Of them and was running
poana the the Hus sa a ha
mad. She was excited. but her mind was
She hurled the contents Of the bucket. into
the thick Of the crowd and and RACED ss. off tor
shower of cold water was extraordinary. Il
sses from ean e. I sas 81 a the
Tommy. perceivinE this instantly himself
caught up a bucket and began to fling water
on pan 'nt to Clear way to the door .nes But ss
the me fact that the door was beginning to burn
i open. That l started another I.h stampede
aommy # the door ana Gslestis II Re- crowd
to e herd e e
like sheep. not too many at time.
Twice there s but Tommy
busy to see what Celestia was doing, but he
called to her from time to time
It had been slow business. and by
the floor was burning clear through In many
places. 50 that some Of the last girls i to pass
feet. : ~ 49, :
Hurry. celestia." called Tommy. I'VE
70 now.
She did not answer.
He saw her at window struggling to
open It She was you may say on ae little tie
tide { eet thereof
.-rhi. way. celestia. For Gods sake don't
And he ran to her across the smoking and
burning floor. AS he reached her portion
fell in with cracking. crashing sound, and
through the aperture flame and smoke roared
Celestial had not succeeded yet in opening
the window. As Tommy reached her she
staggered and fell into his arms.
He turned with her toward the door. ane
death. Escape that way was Impossible.
Supporting CeIestiA with one arm m he . sue,
in 91 the street below saw them. and kind Of
grooming and lamentation arose.
3 Celestia began to- revive.
Tommy had turned his back to the win
dow. Not until thu last moment would ne
let her Jump and then only to escape aert h heas
to s his Breast as II be thought as they had :.
make her understand how much he loved
her. Speech could not help much. And o.
great command. So he pressed her close to
his breast and Kissed her upon the eyes ana
the mouth, and murmured and murinured
over her.
"oh." he thought. 'if only she could love
me- could let me know she loved me. oeioF'
the end"
It seemed to him that he couldn't die that
he mustn't die without her knowing that
Then sudden and more practical tnoush'
came into his head If he was to de- ms
must die trying to save her Then she "ouiu
understand. He looked about him whdiy'
and his eyes fell upon great roll OF p,a a.s
and white striped material for making si'ii's
Leaving Celestial leaning against tne va"
near the open window. he made dash ao
the shirting and unrolled a number OF the if'
buckets that still contained water
1t was his notion to wrap Celestia III VI.
wet stun, to take her in his arms. and carry
her safe to the door. and to that s'
which still seemed to exist beyond.
BY some strange freak of the fire there was
sti1l quite n large area of flooring surround
ing Celestial as yet unburned. but oet"e
that and the door. to make the crosss'
seemed to offer but one chance In h"hu' =,
The one who was carried might live 10 t.
the tale. Tie one who did the carryihs eou
hardly hope for SO much. He "ouiu Ia
badly burned that although he might "a
alive when he reached the street. ne "oON
not live long thereafter.
1t takes many words often to tell Oh "ia
happens in few instants of time FROM ~.
first cry of fire to the time when io't
had wrapped Celestial in the wet shlrtlhs' ~
was preparing, you may say 10
hell for her, was only lie" ms
utes.
The last girls to leave the sewing maen.
room had only just reached the street 49,.
engines were still coming. The crown a'
watched the 'confagration was sun s'o
ing :,
Now for It," thought Tommy, ana .
Celestial he shouted Che had to shout TO
himself heardJ: 80,
"Don't be afraid. dear. I'm going to se'
you out of this
And he gathered her strongly IN MS d."
out with swift eyes. what appe
to be the best route through the Names -.
one great long breath of fresh air. anu '
then another great piece Of flooring Ken
and Tommy saw the narrow hallway oes
the door burst suddenly into perlee' az"
of fire.
He was too late by matter OF lnstaii
If he had not wasted those precious
stants in kissing her he might have .
her The agony of soul that ne ~,
through with this realization was risn -.
Death by fire seemed almost too good ~
such fool ,,a
Then suddenly 1t seemed as II MS -
broke and that he had gone mad. ior ne
gan to shout and laugh all at once
Had he gone mad?
Or hadn't he?
Go be Continued,