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

through In many places. so that some
OF the last girls to pass through the
door to safety went with burned feet.
Hurry, Celestial" called Tommy.
I'VE can 60 now"
She did not answer.
He saw her al a window struggling
to open IL.
This way. Celestia. For Gods
sake. don't jump"
And he ran to her across the smok-
ing and burning foo AS he reached
her a portion OF the floor over which
he had just passed fell In with a
cracking. crashing sound, and through
the aperture fame and smoke roared
upward as from the crater of a vol
cano.
Celestia 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.
and groaned like a thing that had
been hurt 10 death. Escape that way
looked impossible.
Supporting Celestia with one arm
he succeeded In opening the window.
The crowd in the street below saw
them. and a kind OF grooming and
lam%entation arose.
Celestia began 10 revive.
Tommy had turned his back TO the
window. Not until the last moment
would he let her jump. and hen only
e. ruunpz vrnw. Choking nlnfn
Meanwhile his heart beat strongly,
and he pressed her closer 10 his
breast as II ne thought as they had at
best but a few minutes To live he
must make her understand how much
he loved her.
oh" he thought. If only she could
love me. could let me know she loved
me before the end"
Ii seemed 10 him that he couldn't
die. that lie mustn't die without her
knowing that.
Then a sudden and more practical
thought came into his head. Ii he
was TO die. he must die trying 10 save
her. Then she would understand. lie
looked about him wildly. n his eyes
fell upon a great roll OF black and
white-striped material for making
shirts. Leaving Celestial leaning
against the wall nea the open win
dow. he made a dash for the shirting
INC unrolled ii. dashing over II the
contents OF a number OF the fire buck
cts that still contained water.
ID was his notion to wrap Celestia in
the wet stun. to take her I'm his arms.
and carry her safe TO the door. and 10
that safety which still seemed 10 tx.
list beyond.
By some strange freak OF the fire
there was still quite a large area OF
flooring surrounding Celestia. yet un-
burned. But between that and the
door, 10 make the crossing. seemed 70
offer but one chance In a hundred.
The one who was carried might live
TO teH the tale. The one who did the
carrying could hardly hope for 80
much. He would be SO badly burned
that. although he might BE- alive when
he reached the street. he would not
live long thereafter.
IL takes many words often TO tell OF
what happens In a few instants or
time. From the first cry OF fire 10 the
time when Tommy had wrapped Celes-
tia In the wet shifting. and was pre-
pairing. you may say. 10 wade through
hell for her. was only a few minutes.
The last girls 10 leave the sewing
machine room had only just reached
the street.
Now for H." thought Tommy. and
TO Celestia he shouted The had 70
shout TO make himself heard:
Don't be afraid. dear. I'm going to
get you out OF this"
And he gathered ner strongly in his
arms. pictured out. with swift eyes.
what appeared 10 be the best route
through the flames. drew one great.