Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-12-20
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the gallery entrance to well down Fourteenth
street when Blink arrived.
Step by step he moved along the line. passing
the brilliantly lighted stores from which snone
an unending array Of Christmas things Al iaS'
q glittering display Of surgical instruments daz-
zled him; his eyes rested on two long pieces ~. =.
polished wood crossed q background to the
shining metal pieces, and he stopped, VIDE
eyed and open-mouthed.
In a moment Blink was out Of the line In an
other hour he was home, standing before ms
mother and holding pair Of clutches up to ner
astonished gaze, with but fifteen cents left In MS
pockets.
and asked her to wait until next week Tor ner
Christmas present, at which Mr.. Corrgan folded
Tie boy in her arms until he suddenly straight
ened up, excited
"Say. look dere!" he exclaimed, pointing
breathlessly to a bright glare in the western sky
Gee VIII yez look at it. Dere's whoppin' big
fire sOmewheres.
II was half mast ten o'clock when Blink
reached Broadway The sidewalks were filled
with the usual Christmas eve crowd, most OF
them unheedful of the fire toward which Blink
was hurryfng.
with, each step the crowd grew denser. the ex-
citement 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 theater; an explosion that seemed
To start fire all over the theater at once, panic,
and a score or more of people supposed to have
been lost.
For a moment Blink shuddered at what he
felt was q narrow escape for Skeeter and him.
self. But his boyish excitement gave little room
for sentiment, and he became all intent upon
getting nearer.
"couIdn't You Stop It~
Presently the voices Of two men caused Blink
TO draw farther in. They stopped near by and
one said:
"My God, Gallagher! There's speople been
killed Wasn't there no way? Couldn't you
stop itr'
"How could stop itr came the growing reply.
81 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. X, 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. l was maxim
slow work SOS the scene wOnld be over, but the
stage manager was fiery. He had them things
connected in a second, turned 'em on, and when
the gasolene spray hit them red-hot limestOnes
in the lamp-My God never seen anything like
TT Both tanks burst together, and-you know
the rest"
The two men were silent for q moment. then
"Where's the manager, JimT
81 don't know" was the reply Blink heard
I'VE warned him. Well, it's done now, but wish
we could have burnt his house without"
"Shut up, man. Somebody might hear"
heavy prolonged rumble. followed by dull
crash of falling walls. the shouts of firemen and
an increased cracking Of the flames held the
men speechless for a moment while Blink crawled
TO the edge of the areaway. Then:
allow about Collins? He might blow. Let's go
to the hospital and talk to him. It'll be safer"
There was another pause, then the reply: II
never got the name Of the hospital. don't know
where he is"
You dOn't!" came the astOunded voice. "Then
we will have to beat 1t. This is no place for me
and YOU"
The story had become very apparent to Blink,
and before the men started he had picked his
way down the smoke-filled allev. turned back.
ming, purpOsely stumbled against them, and
stood painting for breath.