Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-08-30

Yours"
Mrlly q long time. Was there ever a
better-hearted friend, or a cheerfuller
worker? Look at poor Molly now,
She looks as sad as the East river on
a winter day. it's no news to any OF
you or | wouldn't go into II. But Mol
ly's got no big brother. nor no heavy
listed father 10 look after her. All
she had was herself 10 look after her
self and a heart that trusted every
body. And you know as well as / do.
as well as she does. what's come over
her eyes. that used to be so bright
and smiling, TO make them look the
way they do. Look here"
He took a much crumpled paper
from his breast pocket.
Girls he said. this here is a IL
cense for me and Molly to get mar
ried. It's four months old now, but
it's a perfectly good license; in per
fectly good working order. ! fooled
her with 1t. That's what ! did
He turned abruptly to the girl at
his side.
Il don't ask you To forgive me now.
Molly. not this moment | don't. not
till I've made good with you by kind
words and thoughtful deeds. But |
do ask you to step out with me right
now TO the Office OF the nearest magis-
trate. and-and I'll always be good 10
you"
Celestia stepped swiftly forward.
took the girls hin pretty face be-
tween her two hands and kissed her.
Il know you'll be happy" she said.
After Celestia. many others. some
crying with excitement. came forward
to kiss Molly and wish her well. And
then the manager made Molly take his
arm. and he led her the length OF the
room. looking proud and manly. and
out Of the door.
From the outskirts OF the crowd a
from the outskirts OF the crowd a
very young. ~sick-looking girl said sud
denly in a loud piercing voice:
II smell smoke. | smell smoke!"
There was a dead silence. And then
another voice spoke.
It's coming through the floor. Look
at II, Look at it,"
Tommy, a sudden great dread I'm his
heart. hurried toward Celestia. He
had traversed half the length OF the
room when the girl who had spoken
first screamed at the top OF her lungs.
"Firei FIRE."
Others took up the cry. and upon
the instant pandemenium broke loose.
There was no longer any doubt that
the building was really on fire. Just
how the smoke got into the sewing
machine room you could not see. but
there was plenty of it. enough to make
Tommy cough ard 70 fill his eyes with
tears. Celestia. aF'nr a desperate ef-
fort to calm the girls. had not moved.
II seemed almost as If she was wait
ing for Tommy to come and get her.
Come, Celestial" he said. lets get
out OF this"
AS he spoke a billow OF smoke shot
up between two planks. and for the
first time the cracking Of burning
wood could be heard.
BY this time really horrible things
were happening at the p~ine-bound
door. II opened inward. The first
girl to reach II had flung herself
against II. OF course. and tried to
make IL open outward.
Tommy tried 10 fight his way to II.
lie intended TO get to it and fight the
girls back from it SO that il could
be opened.
lie forced his way to the middle OF
the crowd, and then he had to give up.
II was all he could do to fight his way
out again.
The other end OF the room was In
flames. Through the soles OF his
shoes Tommy knew that the whole
floor was burning on its under side.
A glance at Celestia filled his heart
with pity that vas almost intolerable.
She, too, II seemed. had gone mad
with terror. Along the walls OF the
room were many fire-buckets half full
OF water. Celestia had caught up one
OF them and was running toward the
struggling mass OF humanity around
the door. But Celestia had not gone
mad. She was excited. but her mind
was still capable of putting two and
two together.
She hurled the contents OF the
bucket into the thick OF the crowd.
and raced on for another. The effect
OF that sudden hard shower Of cold
water was extraordinary.
Tommy got to the door at last and
dragged 1t open. That started another
stampede that had TO be controlled
with more water and with more yio-
lence. But gradually Tommy at tie
door and Celestia in the crowd | tn
to bring a little order out OF the
chaos, and to herd the girls through
the doorway like sheep, not too many
al q time.
IL had haan = alnw hnSinaaa md hu