The Lamar register., 1917-06-06
A HERO'S CUE
BY SYLVIA TURNER.

"Heroism," said Doctor Marley at
the dinner table, sis largely a matter
Of accidental coincidence, and certain
excitable reaction, mental, of course,
wherein the hero feels irresistibly i'm
PEELED to act In accordance with the
exigencies of the moment"
There was a silence at the tables
where Mrs. Bardwelrs paying guests
took their evening meal. But Frances
glanced up with IA little laughing
glance at Roland, and Miss Brockway
gave vent to an audible sigh. Opposite
Frances sat Williams, absorbed as u.s.
ual In his own thoughts, and eating too
fast.
do you agree with this, Mr.. Will
llamsF asked Miss Brockway, tact
lessly.
Yes" said Williams. without par
ley. mo man is a hero who sets the
stage and acts part. 1t is purely in
voluntary"
After dinner, as usual, he avoided
the congregation of kindred souls out
on the front steps and In the double
parlors. Roland always Joined them,
room they shared in common and went
after his engineering books with a GER
tain savage avidity. 1t was late when
he finished, about IL 80. Roland came
up. He spoke of the new moon and Of
Frances dancing.
Some girls are merely spectacular,
but she has soul and Intellect" said
Roland. "She is not exactly what you'd
call beautiful, Tom, but she's tantaliz-
Ing and Interesting. Did you know she
was from Kentucky. tooT"
Williams nodded his head imperson-
ally.
II was far into the night when he
wakened with the muscles of his throat
taut and stinging. When he opened his
eyes he faced u gun-metal colored mist.
Making for the window in quick dive.
he opened IT wide, drew in the keen
air deeply and turned around to rouse
Roland. Williams wasted no time, but
splashed water in his face and told him
to get out In the halls and rouse the
people, while he found the source of
the fire.
"Ring in an alarm" he called, as he
oAuDPth u lOMtl oul VI NOlu
water and held It around his face and
nostrils In the downrush through the
halls. And from then on until he was
fished out unconscious from the sub
cellar by the firemen, Williams dropped
out of mortal ken, but Roland dis
covered Involuntary heroism. He was
In his pajamas with raincoat thrown
hastily over them. going from door to
door rousing the slumbering boarders.
Also, he went to the corner and turned
In the fire alarm, rather dazedly. And
when he came back he met the full
contingent of Mrs. Bardwell's house
hold coming downstairs with their most
precious belongings clasped in their
arms. Frances stood out on the front
steps.
"Have you seen Mr.. Williams any
where7" she asked. "The firemen are
coming aren't they7"
"oh. yes" Roland assured her, hap
pIly. II have just turned In the alarm.
| don't think it's dangerous yet, though.
Only, of course, the smoke. We might
all have been sufrocated."
THAT'S what they are saying" an-
swered Frances. ''It was good you
wakened In time"
Now right there was Rolands
chance, and he missed II because the
doctor spied him and hailed him as
hero. So did Miss Brockway. almost
fainting on his shoulder. So did each
and every one of the survivors, indl-
yidually and severalIy. He had reused
them and saved their lives. Roland
almost believed 1t himself.
Then came the engines outside and
the flremen. And Clarence, the colored
waiter. emerged from the basement en-
trance gasping and the bearer Of It'd
lngs.
Its a boiler of clothes done got left
on de laundry stove" he explained,
"and Mister Williams he's down dere
in de smoke right by de furnace. He
put de fire out all by hisself."
Two stalwart firemen bore Williams
up out of the laundry in the subcellar.
1t was a bad anticlImax. He was un-
conscious and blackened, and his hands
were burned and his eyebrows and hair
were singed. And while everyone wor-
ried and tended to him Frances turned
Just once to Roland and asked:
"And you forgot HIM"
Frances, just this minute got back
from sending in the alarm"
I aETFsN-s as