Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1918-12-12
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the gallery entrance to well down Fourteenui
street when Blink arrived.
Step by step he moved along the line, passing
the brilliantly lighted stores from which shohe
an unending array Of Christmas things Al .as'
a gttering display of surgical instruments oazr
zed him; his eyes rested on two long pieces Va
polished wood crossed background TO tne
shining metal pieces, and he stopped, wlde'
eyed and open-mouthed.
In a moment Blink was out Of the line. In an
other hour he home. standing before MS
mother and holding pair Of crutches up 10 ner
astonished gaze with but fifteen cents left In MS
pockets.
Haltingly, Blink told his story to his motner
and asked her to wait until next week for her
Christmas present, at which Mr.. Corrigan 1oiaeo
the boy in her arms until he suddenly straignt
ened up, excited. ]
breathlessly to a bright glare in the western sky
Gee. VIII yez look at it. Dere's whoppin big
fire somewheres."
It was half past ten o'clock when Blink
reached Broadway. The sidewalks were filled
with the usual Christmas eve crowd, most OF
them unheedful of the hre toward winch oi'hA
was hurrying.
With each step the crowd grew denser. the ex-
ctenent greater. Occasionally few people
came hurrying in the opposite direction. and from
these Blink heard lot Of mixed rumors But
what he did hear made him rush the faster. II
was the Regent thenter: an explosion that seemed
to stnrt fire all over the theater Mt once, panic,
and n score or more of people supposed to have
been lost.
For moment Blink shuddered ut what he
felt was narrow escape for Skeeter and him.
self But his boyIsh excitement gave little room
for sentiment and he becnme all intent upon
getting nearer.
couldn't You Stop III"
Presently the voices Of two men caused Blink
TO draw farther in. They stopped near by ana
one said:
"AIy God. Gallagher! There's people been
killed. Wasn't there no way? Couldn't you
stop it?'
"How could stop it," came the growing reply
"I had the two marked tanks stored away In
.props' room, fixed SOS could turn 'em on last
thing before left after the house closed. Every
thing was O. K, tell you, until the tanks we
had on the calcium lights got weak just in the
burglary scene The stage manager got hot and
called for them other tanks. Well, there was
nothin to it / had to get em out. was maxim
slow work SOS the scene would be over, but the
staye manager was fiery He had them things
connected in n second, turned 'em on and when
the gasolene spray hit them redhot lmestones
In the lamp-A1y God never seen anything like
IT, Both tanks burst together, and-you know
the rest"
The two men were silent for moment, then
"Where's the manager, Jim?"
II don't Know. was the repiy AoitHh Ae"iu
1--WE warned him.. Well, it's done now but l wish
we could have burnt his house without"
"Shut up, man. Somebody might hear"
heavy prolonged rumble. followed by a dull
crash of falling walls, the shouts of aremen. nnt
an Increased cracking Of the flames held thu
men speechless for moment while Blink crawlet
to the edge Of the areaway. Then:
"How about Collins7 He might blow. Let's g
to the hospital and talk to him. It'll be safer
There was another pause, then the reply: :"
never got the name Of the hospital don't know
where he is"
"You don'tw came the astounded voice. "Thei
we will have to beat it. This is no place for mi
and you"
The story had become very apparent to Blink
and before the men started he had picked hi
way down the smoke-flled alley, turned back. run
ming, purposely stumbled against them an
stood painting for breath.