The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-08-23

hOlOC Vi tilC Caught ny LAG
two children in my arms and told
George to take hold of my dress and
to follow me- know he followed me
out of the room The smoke was so
thick in the hall that | almost smoth-
cred, and | could see nothing: but
l was sure that George was right
behind me. When | did not see him
after l reached the lawn, | supposed
he was mixed up among the crowd.
Oh, George, where are you?" she
screamed.
Father DAILY ran around to the rear
of the house. AS he did so a wall of
horror arose from the crowd. At
| window of the back room which was
not yet burned although the roof was
on fire and the flames were belching
out of the windows of the floor be-
| meath, appeared the face of a little
| boy. So small was he that only half
of his face was visible over the lower
sash.
| "A ladder-quick!" shouted the
priest
I DuI lO lduuCI. mere udu
been a step-ladder, but that was in
the kitchen, and was probably in
ashes now.
| Holy Mother, have pity on the lit
tie one!" calculated Father DAILY, as
he rushed to the front of the house.
looking into a furnance. But he
noticed two things; first, that the
main stairway was not yet burning,
although both sides of the hall were
afire, and secondly, that, it being
warm weather, all the front windows
were open and the draught drew the
fire towards the front of the house.
If the child could be reached, he
might be saved before the fire had
eaten it's way to the rear room
His mind was quickly made up
Snatching up portiere which was
lying on the porch. he wrapped it
about his head and face and dashed
up the staircase.
AS he did SO, there were loud shouts
of remonstrance from those standing
around the house. Hes going to his
DEATH" at will mean two dead
instead of one!" Some Catholics
began saying Hail Mary in behalf
of their beloved priest, while others
sobbed and bemoaned the sacrifice
Father DAILY heard them not. The
roar of the rushing flames drowned
all noises from the outside. The var.
nish on the banisters was bubbling
from the intense heat and at intervals
a shaft of fame would burst from the
opposite wall. The acrid smoke made
his eyes and lungs ache, and but for
the fact that the front windows were
open, allowing part of the smoke to
escape, he would have been stifled
before he gained the landing.
Finally he reached it, and pausing
a moment to recover his breath, which
came laboriously from his racked
lungs, he snatched open the door and
plunged into the room.
Although the flames had not vet
reached it, the situation of it's two
occupants was perilous, indeed. Smoke
was oozing from the cracks in the
floor and it was with difficulty that
Father Daily discerned the child. hud
died in a corner and crying bitterly
There was no time to be lost. Al
any moment the roof might fall in and
the smoke was growing more and
more sitting. Clasping the child in
| his arms and wrapping the portiere
| a h0nt him 10 r,rcIoI oly ;n{o 4.
hall
His escape by the stairs was cut off
They were now burning fiercely, while
startling crashes evidenced that the
roof was falling in.
Mother of God" he murmured. "i
lever I needed thy help need it now.'
He re-entered the room and opened
the one window on the north side
There was no window directly be
meath, but there was one about five
fleet distant, and out of this the flames
and smoke were pouring. Below mel
Istood watching him, paralyzed By
horror and absolutely unable to ait
him, as there was no ladder
Father Days eyes swept the room
There was no rope-not even a core
with which to lower the child, anC
to run the risk of the men catchins
him if he dropped him out of the
window was one he was loath to take
as the house stood very high from tn,
ground
Then he caught sight of a large
cask near the pump.
Stand that cask under the win
dow" he called.
The cask was speedily brought ant
stood on end
Now called the priest, 'let on,
man mount the caSk and let two 9th
ers support him. l am going to drol
the child from the window"
A man leaped on the cask, and two
men stood on each side giving hin
their support. 1t was a position oil
peril, as the burning gable threatened
to fall any moment.
Leaning out of the window as fal
as he dared, the priest let the chile
down by his hands and then released
him. There was great sigh of relic
from the anxious crowd below as HI
dropped safely into the arms of tn,
man on the cask.
i cracking noise behind hin
caused Father Daily to look around
The door was burning and in a mo
ment the fire would sweep through
the room