The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-02-23

below.
The cars on the busy crosstown line
changed and tangled past. and the |.
noise lost nothing on it's way to her
sixth-story room Across the alley |,
an enormous truck began unloading
its burden of coal, but strangely /
enough, this continued rumbling down
the chute into the cellar of the apart
ment building, acted as a counter
irritant and actually soothed her to
sleep. Il
1t was the insistent clamor of the
gongs on some fire apparatus that
reused her from this respite, and real
izing that daylight quiet was not to
be had, at least in this neighborhood,
Nora gave her long hair twist and |
fastened it high on her head, then |
jumped out of bed. On the farm one |
became expert in the matter Of quick |
dressing A north room with no fire |
has no pity on the lagsard; it would |
take more than Il few weeks in Il |
steamheated room to lessen the speed
with which her fingers worked.
AS she knelt beside her bed, she |
could still hear the bells on more en-
gines. They're always having fires
here in the CITY," she thought. In |
deed, It's a wonder there's stick or
a stove left in it, Isn't it enough to
have bells, without the men yelling
so as they go by she said to her
image in the glass in the tiny bath
room, where she combed her pretty
hair.
I'll get my breakfast, and then III
write to Aunt Carrie, though Ill not
tell her about yesterday. She'd say,
Come home but | won't, not until
spring anyhow Perhaps the walk
to the post office will cure my head
ache. I'll try it, instead of just drop
ping my letter in that box at the cor
ner. There's another lot OF engines.
How do these people ever live
through all this racket
She was fastening her collar with
the plain gold bar that Uncle Henry
had brought her from the last coun-
ty fair, when the first vague uneasi-
ness crept into her MIND. Was the
air in the room really blue, and what
was that sitting odOr? The window
was closed, of course that was it.
She flung it up and looked down the
| six stories to the alley. There stood
an engine, the steam pouring out OF
it as it pumped with great pulsa-
tons that terrified the girl.
Mister" she called down to u
young fireman who was bending over
to examine the coupling of the hose
! that trailed its, sinuoUS way across
the alley and down the sidewalk.
Mister, where's the fire."
There are not many things that can
astOnish even a raw member of the
city fire department, but the sight OF
Nora MullanC leaning from that high
window, at such moment did bring
this fireman to his feet. Stay where
you are don't jump. III come and
get you. Don't jump he yelled
again, as he disappeared down the
alley.
Surely, It's not this building
Where are the fiamCs?" She turned
from the window and staTtfG%owa&
the door. The air was not so thick
now, but she realized that this was
because of her open window. Dare
she open the door into the outer hall:
All the stories she had read to Aunt
Carrie in those long winter days when
the drifts of snow made visiting OF
neighborS or going to town out of the
question, came back to her now. Ii
she opened the door what horror
would she find beyond?
Her suitcase was near the window
She threw back the lid and made 8
bundle of her extra dress. He saiC
he would come for me, but if | must
go down ladder this is all that
can carry She cast heartbrOker
, look at her best hat, to wear it down
ladder was not possible. But
maybe the fireman could carry it, OF
, let her throw it down. Why didnt
/, he come? She looked down again al
the engine, still throbbing, but who
ever was in charge of it now was
: around on the other side. SO it was
useless to call to him.
Hey, there, open up your window
} and get out of my way, called q
) voice from somewhere outside. II
the face OF unknown peril Nora obeyeC
. without question; however, as she
threw up the window she could not
resist glance in the direction of the
} voice.
Here | am; get back said the
young fireman from his precarious
: position on the window west of hers
The stone sill was only just wide
: enough to provide a foothold yet he
: stood erect, and as Nora, with hor
ror-dilated eyes, sank to her knees or
J Mrs. Raymond's rag rug, he stepped
; lightly to her window sill. For 8
: moment he chung 10 the window
: frame, and then jumped into the
room,
; Are you praying?" he asked, ''o>
are you one of the kind that always
: faints? There's no such terrible
: danger at this minute" he added ii
apology for his hooking tone, as Nora
rose and faced him. She looked very
) young and appealing. The whole
front of the building is burning he
cold "NTa had M idp1 tbprp was any