The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, July 30, 1899, Page 28

THE SUNDAY CALL. THE TRULY. HEROIC ACT @Gk A 5l SHOULD.SHE SAVE HER MOTHER | AND HERSELF OR RISK BOTH LIVES INRESCUING HELP- though some of its palatial rooms hawn been cut up with partitions, and many persons are sheltered under its broad roof, it has fallen into more appreci- ative hands than most of the others, and its surroundings of lawn, and shrub, HAT is true heroism? Is it In time of uttermost danger and peril to think of v instead of the few— forget self entirely—to for- all tles except the one 1 vine, and tree, and its own beauty t 3 nds every life to all architectural design and interlor Y t all duties except nent have attracted to it tenants ¢ SRS - better class than are usually und in such gregarious estab- hicago L ¥ y went on dovillas occup the front ul con- the first floor—maljestic during of frescoed ceiling, with n around the mantels, windows looking out on dead by s when the cructal st to the voice of the 1 the voice of the s bowered of golden-flowered moss y clambering vines, and senora tends carefully during when her d ters are ab- when the three are together 2 heroine. v a tr £ y e thinks of nothing, cares for t sh ything works for nothing but their S d what 1 welfare. E t be her 1 mother and daugh- f is formed of rsh word i{s ever and when s wide in won- ay down in her the other rther and Her Mother Imprisoned in a Folding Bed and an Overturned Lamp Likely to Explode at Almost Any Moment. of an important message which one of the landlady’s friends had left with her during the afternoon, while that lady was absent, and asked her daughter to go to her room, in another part of the house, and deliver it. Like the dutiful girl that she is, the genorita twisted up her hair again, stuck her little feet back into their dis- carded slippers and skimmed through the deserted halls like a swallow on her errand of obedience. The ‘landlady, being conversationally inclined in spite of the lateness—for that house—of the hour, kept her for a tife talking of various happenings, and fully fifteen minutes elapsed between her departure from her mother’s room and her return’ to it. The sight which met her eyes when she opened the door that she had closed behind her so brief a space before, with no thought that she was shutting in the grim Angel of Tragedy behind it, was enough to daunt the bravest soul. She had left her mother sitting in a low rocker beside the open bed, which was arranged for the night, brushing out her hair by the mellow light of a large porcelain lamp that sat 6n a stand close at hand. It had been a pleasant picture of guiet contentment after a well-spent day. Thepopening door showed her the room plunged in darkness, save for a lurid and crater-like glow on the floor in one corner. The dim light from the hall, made visible an overturned a porcelain lamp shade brok on the carpet, her mother's day ga ments hanging neatly over a ch and a closed folding bed sta nding straight and tall in the center of the room. For one the threshold as together with this smoky glare, ght stand, n into bits instant the senorita stood on if turned to stone. What had happened? Why was the table thrown over and the shade broken? And where was her mother? Another instant and her keen woman'’s brain made the situation fa- tally clear to her. Impatientof herdelay, the mother ‘h'x(l finished her preparations for the night and retired. The folding bed, imper- fectly balanced, vibrating under her suddenly imposed weight, had swiftly and silently closed of its own volition, making her ‘a helpless capiive in a smothering confusion pillows and blankets. In rising from the horizontal to the perpendicular a corner of the bed had struck the stand and knocked it and its dangerous burden ov: That was the lamp, a half-gallon ervoir of explo- sive fluid, fdaring over there in the cor ner. And her mother was a suffocating —perhaps a suffocated—prisoner that treacherous ‘piece of mechanism before er. 5 hOne step the senitora made toward of the place where her mother was being tortured—it might be unto death. And then— The flames in the corner shot up higher. The la was “lying on its side; the carpet was a blazing in little flickering con drops of oil had fallen. If the lamp exploded there the fire would £o with leaps like a horse through that old , where every bit of wood was as ¢ der. There would be no possibiiity of stopping it, and the house was full of tired people sleeping the first sound, heavy sleep of i vere on the floors above and in ot the back and below—men, and children. The house was high, the stairs ng, the back part a veritable catacc of small rooms and blind passages. She could rescue her mother and es- cape with her through the window, in nb RANCISCO GIRL even were the room in a whirl of flame. But the few moments that would be re- quired to pull down the bed and drag’ her mother from its choking embrace would make that whirl of flame a cer- tainty and mean death to many others. As in a vision, the senorita saw before her horror-widened eyes the awful maddening, death-dealing terror which would fill that quiet-house with the first knowledge that the fire fiend had claimed it for his own. The frantic men trying to save their dear ones— the mothers with their babes clasped to their hearts—the little children wa- kened from their innocent dreams to face Azrael's cruelest weapon. She seemed to see their terrified faces. She seemed to hear the roar of the all- devouring flames, and through it the mingled shrie! nd prayers of the flames’ victims ringing in her agonized ears. . And then, higher and clearer—obe- dience-compelling—she heard the Voice of Her Soul. She erc d the room with the swift- ne of thought and lifted the blazing lamp in her two white and slender han The brass burner and neck- band were red hot. The cone was full 1" was dripping Should it explode, young body would of an fire. The « through her fingers. then her whole fair be enveloped in blistering, charring blaze. The beauty which was hers in life would be unimaginable hideousness in death. And the hall door was so far —s0 hornib] She dared not run, lest the rush of air might fan the flame higher, or send it down intc the heated stratum of gas above the oil in the b-like globe. She could only walk steadily forward— and pray. Thank God! the door had been left ajar. She put the toe of her tiny slipper in the opening and pushed it back with all her strength. The heavy door swung < S 1 of night with an om nous, gasping splutte And then all the force of her numbed arms, s flung it from he: sh into a the sand fragments a shower of blaz ing oil drops, on the graveled drive be- low. An instant later she was at her mother’'s side, and with trembling, ntic fingers was tearing at the mur- 1s framework whic held them Once, twice she strove in vain to start the ponderous weights, and then the Fed moved slowly forward and downyv 1 . o iter et . s not dead, although en her daughter first ut her, and it was fully recovered iffering of her >r brave girl, ho hesitate to sa; so. a Ondovilla herself, - nothing about the matter, does not r Aurc that she “did the best she except cculd.” I think she wa FLORENCE MATHESON. a_true heroine. Elephcqts in Ceylon. The elephant shooting of Ceylon is the best in the world, and the easiest attal The Ceylon ele] ully preserved by which regulates the shooting Jer of animals. a constant herd of X R More than 3000 persons are nually in the paupers’ cemeter arfed an- of Berlin. e mother both naking t and em- SENORITA AURORA ONDOVILLA, THE HEROINE. one. ied during the day, and have an -old- Senorita Aurora was to sleep with her in Ondovillas sion fashioned but commen idea that mother in the large folding bed, but just 2 y fortune than wher for ten- night was intended as a time for sleep. as to take the pins out of Z s old c. who are bus- Her sister b , the her hair senora happened to think nions, for ants are Gird’ s (?xpefl'enee at a Cozmz'ijz] Dance. | | i out—ladies “Salute your partners,” yelled the e hair, magenta face, your title?” I asked in the course of hands call aneously music and dance cfoh de war’ suit and the begar more like work than dan- shirt. colonel swelled up with ' pride. cing. ller screamed until he looked h'm shure ah'm mighty proud to Watermany* ‘growlng: ai coupie ot loor swung open on the of apopl ter and meet you,’ shaking my hand like an old :s. “I fit in the Mexican War"—what faster grew the music jddlers sawing friend He sat down beside me kind of a fit he did not say. The dar e bit different from yoh town and “of The music away with m ““Take your pardners for the Chicken the ca I reckon,”® the colonel said. dancers stood in ;- geetod obeying every ; i i Foot r mopped his face rushed back and forth, from side to side; “Ah've lived here nigh onto fo'ty ve 3 W chief, the fid- now whirli around at a About long enough to get used to That savéd me. T laughed until the ¢ and ev speed at ‘swing your pardn the colonel chuckled tears rolled . down my _ face, and the P e X T hia everything 1s a little 'Colonel—bless his innocent old heart— ced myself by Those waiting to join the figure put in —your danc not. exactly Jaushediwithime. = € barn,” and it their time ther ragging, stop- like oyrs.” I wondered if the colonel had hicken oot”—did you ever hear \ w kind in t 2 part. The build- ever been at a cotillon. such a nami was o idently a popular 2\ '\\\1\\ v d with d rocked, the lamps flickere Wouldwt ‘vou Hke o damer An Jsnce. The hall lopked HEe & collegs ) -‘x“\\di‘ I girls in Tt was ke & el earth- havemt danced for more. than twenty ,c2mDUS durlng & class rush. 1 bosp the VAL NSy rom three g vonr. Dard el prom. years. Used iv eawve dowh of‘the old colemel to ISt watch Hotced of dknc R ot, shouted the caller—his plantation when ah was a boy. Niggers In& with him L and h donts veat ‘collar xnditio on Mlayeditor nE2 Chicken Foot! I knew as much about 1 Great strap- I I had heard the colonel’s story. Ran It as a Chinese orchestra about the *An- = burned and a rush for seats, thank away from home. Roughed it in Mexico &el'S Serenade.” hot summer’s rodeo. an » men disappeared. cowboy. Drifted back into the That music and that jiggety, Jig of a aired and. stooped with Miss Wa ‘low me to make you ;. So on until he became one of dance! % t and bent upon hav- acquainte 1T 0 the richest men in “that neck of the = Fun! Oh, dear me. The couples held cial event of the T I raised my e; woods.” The colonel interested me. hands, shook one foot and then the other, whirled around, back stepped, slid a few and found the typical Ke “Tell me, colonel, where did you get gnats, an and gnats usually delight should be made in or about the ant nest GCre (S‘I'lltiq of in warm L R S anior Sow o orld lighter & molstier than cold air, the two of bisulphide of carbon poured into . ws of air runs higher, but when each hole. The holes should be closed im- c ; Weather Signs e e e arries 7foncy g s almost certain that, as the them. The chemical evaporates and pen- e for excursions to the cold air flows down Into It, water will etrates throughout the soil, quickly de- _To the initiated a man’s nationality is a8 come & hint fall, stroying the ants. Three or four ounces betrayed by the way he carries his money. 7 will be op- h of wet should be sufficient for a large nest. Very The Englishman carries his loose in his As an indication of the appro: silver are red In the inning of colonies can right-hand trousers’ pocket—gold, iz 1 weather, nothing {s more certain than a Small nests or be s e T I nato aroniia e e e odmecd De exterminated by making one or two and copper, all mixed up together. He o leat nnking rayss Jry by the precipitated water; and the larger holes only. If used in large quantities it pulls a handful of the mixture out of his | yards and shook thelr feet again. It was 5 \not inenisotly Bif vt ko ar bt the circle the nearer the clouds, and, con- I8 apt to kill grass, and should not be llmtkt*lh‘n a large, opulendt V;a). and se- | gimply beyond description—that shaky, in reflected in the hcriznn.' gequently, the more ready to fall. A cop- used in large amount within one foot of lects the coins he }'12\5 need of. wobbly, jaglike motion. It was catching. pery or yellow sunset also foretells rain. . the roots of any valued plant. It must _The American carries his wad of bills| “qpe” ‘fiqdler and the caller danced in a peculiar, long, narrow pocketbook, in which ‘the greenbacks lie flat; the French- man makes use of a leather purse, with no i around in & limited space, and I almost wished T knew how they did it. “Well,” drawled the colonel; “what do overb sa L 2 1so be n S fo*ths morntny fa|the/snep- 0! also be borne in mind that bisulphide of carbon is an extremely volatile liquid ion teaches that when the sea assemble on land stormy and rainy herd’s warning. weather is approaching. The little petrel and very inflammable, and in lts storage e A rainbow at night is the shepherd’s de- enjoys the heaviest gale, because. living It €hould be kept carefully bottled up and distinguishing characteristics; while the | yoy think of Like to try it at.” partly on the smaller sea insects; he 18 ¢ from fire, even lighted cigars. In German uses one gayly embroidered in | «Not now,” I sald hastily. iribosw’ Goetirs whan! the: cloudls con®' BUTa'to And his £00d 1i'the sitay of haayss Ustn gL the: Bresautions iniliefma tler 02N h e iigl o s aend of some Lottchen | wpyriy good dance; $hat music makes or depositing the rain are oppo- Wwaves. The fish on which they prey in fire must be constantly observed. The half-civilized capitalist from some | Your feet go. Seems to me that that torrid South American city carries his | ‘toano’ is out of tune. May be it's the gite 1o the sun. In the evening the rain- fine weather at sea leave the surface and e e bow the east, and In the morning go down deeper during the storm. The . dollars in a belt with cunningly devised | fiddler. He's a terrible thirsty fellow.” 1t is in the west. As the heavy rains in different tribes of wading birds always SR LIS pogkets to bame the gentlemen with tho | T smiled and wondered if the colonel N € always sald “toano.” To Eccles, an English town of 22,000 {n- habitants, belongs the honor of possessing the first motor milk cart. Its ‘‘round” :z:nbrnx'os Bn'eigh;y-milte radlu!!. and ;P}:! can cover in a day of seven hours. work of thtge horaga aiioacta e savedl | LLpanGotIes e GIET Lo —_——————— Spaniard; while the lower.class Russian The favorite small arm in Brasil s a exhibits a preference for his boots or the double-barreled pistol, made 1n Belgium bis saviaga O °ioe® o8 & Bding place for | rate are usually brought by the migrate when rain is about to take place. winds, & rainbow In the west in- Upon the same principle the vulture fol- that bad weather {s on the roa lows armies. s the rainbow in the east proves e eaee How to Get Rid of Ants. 1 the swallows fly high fine weath- Professor C. L. Marlatt of the Depart- be expected or to continue. But ment of Agriculture gives the following v fly low approaching rain {s in- as the best method of ridding lawns and Bwallows follow the files and Gower beds of ants: A number of holes very expensive. The Italian of the poorer classes ties up his little fortune in a gayly colored nand- kerchief, secured with many knots, whieh he secrétes {n some mysterious manner 1 did want to sgs a cowboy. I told the colonel so. He pointed to a young man dressed ‘in the prevailing fashion. I wasn't sulted; he didn’t look like the cow- boys I had heard about. I had my wish later on. “Pardners for a waltz! there; most suppertime.” The colonel and I waltzed. It wasn't Get a move on dicated. “The door opened! bad, but I much preferred talking instead of dancing with this Kentucky gentle- man. ‘Waltzes, quadrilles, schottisches, chick- en foots and polkas followed one another in quick -succession. The caller was getting hilarious, the mu- siclans sleepy or intoxicated, I don't know which. The rest of the men—well, I am pretty sure there was a punchbowl or a keg of something or other behind that popular door. The girls flirted and smirked and smiled and danced. The old ladies had gossiped themselves clear out of gossip. The chil- dren were lying around on chairs and benches, worn out with the unusual dis- sipation. Every one was tired, but de- termined to stay it out. The door opened! In rushed my ideal cowboy, sombrero, red silk handkerchief knodlted around his throat, blue shirt, corduroys tucked In his high-heeled boots, bowle-knife sticking a:t of his In rushed my ideal cowboy.” right one. Cartridge belt and plstols around his waist. “Whoop!” he yelled as he s]id into the middle of the room. “Bring on your clty girl who wants to see a cowboy; bring her on.” Holy Moses and the angels. shrink up and blow away. I couldn’t run. Everybody would see me. I just sat and hugged my chair. There he stood, flour- ishing a pistol and looking around. It was the colonel who came to my res- cue. My long-wished-for cowboy was hustled out of the room, and then—oh, yes, I went home. 5 Did you ever see soldiers march doubls quick? That is the way I left that hall. But really sometimes I believe that tha colonel, “the colonel who fit in the Maxi- can war and whose domains were as ex- tensive as the Czar of Russia,” had something to do with the sudden appear- ance of my ideal cowboy. SARAH WATERMAN. I wanted to