Middletown transcript., 1917-09-29


Mabe, HsrpeIt Urus, objection.
"Well, they cal
wait Now, don't strike any matches
Get me that big pan you use for the
starch"
In the bathroom Helen emptied the
whole half gallon of gasoline into the
starch pan and dipped into it her chif
Fon waist.
The filmy material wilted down as
1T soaked up the fluid. Her hands in
rubber gloves, she swished it around
held it up to drain, and pinned it to
the shade before the open window.
After dipping a lace collar and the
net yoke and sleeves Of her gray taf-
feta, the gasoline was still clear
enough for something else. While she
was at it, she would clean those pink
satin slippers.
Even with the open window, the
Stupefying fumes were now sickening-
1y strong. Hastily, with held breath,
she Immersed the slippers, brushing
them with soft nailbrush.
The sOiled gasoline she always
saved to use again after it had cleared
by standing, but now, too dizzy to
pour it back into the small -mouthed
bottle, she emptied it out into the
washbasin. Then, escaping from the
bathroom, she closed the door on the
sitting fumes.
Here, Dora" as she took the starch
pan out to the kitchen, wash this out
well. This gasoline bottles empty
sIll put it here on the lower shelf. Be
careful not to use it for anything else"
When, little later, she went back
10 the bathroom, the waist, except for
the thicker parts around the neck and
sleeves, was almost dry. 1t was beau
tifully white. Had she sent 1t to the
cleaners, they would have charged 50
and done it no better.
1t was Low after three, and she was
anNious for the things to dry quickly
80 there would be no traces of odor
la-hen Warren came home.
He had repeatedly forbidden her TO
use gasoline, insisting. that he would
pay any amount of cleaners bills rath-
Yer than have her take chances with
this infammab;e fluid.
The dress on the towel rack she re-
arranged so the air could get to the
yoke and sleeves, but the slippers on
the stone ledge outside the window
were still quite wet.
She had just examined one and set
1T back when a lighted cigar butt
tossed from Il window above, fell
straight into the pink satin toe.
A sizzling flash and the gasoline
soaked slipper was afiame. For a sec
end Helen stood petrified Then, jerk
Ing up a lOng-handled bath brush, she
thrust it off the ledge. But it was too
late! The blaze had leaped to the
thin lace waist.
Screaming for Dora, she hurled the
waist into the bath tub and turned on
the water. But now the dress had
, caught and the flames were leaping up
the tiled wall.
Dora, bursting open the door, stared
panic-Stricken, then rushed back
Shrieking: "Fire! Fire."
The water, now filling the tub, eX-
tinguished the waist; but the dress,
which hung on the towel rack. was
still ablaze. Frantically Helen tried to
poke 1T down into the tub with the
long handled brush. Then, reaching
over to turn on the shower, the flames
caught the lace of her kimono sleeve,
saturated with the gasoline fumes.
SIZE might easily have smothered it
with the heavy bath mat, but now,
paralyzed with terror, she ran wildly
out, TOO frightened even to scream.
Blindly she dashed through the hall
door that Dora had left open.
After that everything was dazed
blur. The draughty elevator shaft
famed the flaming sleeve as she flew
stusblingly down the encircling stair
way. Excited voices, rushing feet and
Dora's still piercing shrieks of Fire"
Someone caught her. Something
heavy was thrown about her. The
rest blurred into Oblivion.
'Tve sent for her husband" it was
wOman's voice, lowered to a discreet |
whisper.
"She'n soon be all right" a mans !
vtice. deep and restful.
For several moments after the con-
seriousness of the voices, Helen, still !
clinging to the sheltering darkness, |
kept her eyes closed.
A sharp pain in her shoulder. Some
one was bandaging her arm. Then she |
realized that the man bending over her
was Doctor Marden, whose office was
on the first floor.
you're all right now" reassuringly,
as he met her bewildered gaze. Drink
a little of this" raising her head to
the glass.
Dropping back on the pillow she
saw Dora and Mr.. Thompson, their
at the foot of the bed.
Standing just back of the doctor was
Mrs Reed, who had an apartment on
the floor below.
Still dazed, Helen again sought
refuge in the protective darkness Of
closed eyelids. The heavy Odor of
fodoform added to her sense of strange
ness. Her mind was struggling to
bring order and clearness from her
chaotic thoughts.
She heard Mr.. Thompson murmur
to the doctor and tptoe
heavily from the room. Then the tele-