Puck — January 2, 1878 — page 12: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

12 several easy chairs, a table, desk, books, a spit case, and other comforts. To this little cl ber M. de Gaillefontaine led the way, and holding the door, ushered in his guests. “Be seated,” he said; ‘I will be with you immediately.” He closed the door Fox had expected, the them, “He's a-goin’ to give us the go-by,” said the Irishman, a/ias ‘John Smith.” It’s true what we heerd in the stable-yard, and he's locked us in here whilst he cuts. Shall I bust the door?” “We will wait two minutes,” said Mr. Fox. “I took the precaution to bring the keys out of the other door.” «You are a deep un, master.” Mr. Fox felt flattered, and smilingly waited for a minute. Suddenly these two became aware of a difference in the appearance of each other; the same instant their eyes turned up- wards, The wall of this chamber extended up only some eight or ten feet. The glow upon them was reflected from the roof of the theatre far over their heads. It was no more thana moment since de Gaillefontaine left them, yet this had happened; and now smoke, hot and pungent, blew over the thin wall and down upon them. “Fire!” the two men screamed. Simulta- neously there came a rattling of the door, as de Gaillefontaine, terror-stricken, fumbled at the key. Fox's burly protector waited for no juickly, and, as Mr. ey was turned upon locks, but threw his ponderous shoulder against the thin door, bursting the lock away and throwing de Gaillefontaine to the ground at the same moment. ‘The keys, the keys!—help me!—carry me! de Gaille- —save me, for God’s sake!” cried fontaine frantically. There was no time for explanation; indeed it seemed that the time was past when action could be of use. Between them and the door, yielded by the carpet of shavings upon which they stood, was a sheet of fire. Quick as a sweeping wind the flame ran along,.eating as it went, expanding like vapor. It was close upon de Gaillefontaine as he scrambled to his feet. No time for consideration. Fox, holding his breath and shielding his face with his arms, rushed to the wall, and along it towards the door. ‘The fire licked eagerly at the air that came through the crevice between the door and the step; yet surely one might rush through that, might bear a scorching whilst opening the door that led into.that clear, cold, delicious air of safety without! No time to think: yet nearer came the flame, and there was no air to breathe. Away he rushed, over flames that threw sparks up into his face as he trod among them, forcing him to close his eyes at the time when all depended on his seeing. Still onward he pushed, stumbling, rising, seeing nothing, feeling nothing but a numbing as of intense cold, the piercing of sharp wounds. De Gaillefontaine, like a scared wolf, rushed where he saw another run; and presently, as they groped in the blinding sparks, he fell into Fox's arms, and screamed entreatingly for de- liverance. As he drew breath to cry, stinging embers flew into his mouth. Not three minutes before he had stood in this very spot, putting a light to the shavings at his feet. He clung to Fox as he, with more command over himself and stronger vitality, rushed hither and thither feeling for the door, which was not to be found. Comparative trifles at that moment were awful in their significance. The edge of his shirt- cuff was no longer straight, but ragged; and moving his hand instinctively to thrust his fin- ers through his hair, he found his head singed ld. After that his fingers conveyed no idea of form or condition to his senses. The keys dropped from Fox's useless Sages yet still he ere along the wall, guided by the resistance PUCK. to the weight of his body when the sense of touch was lost to his arms. De Gaillefontaine fell to shrieking. He had been brought to a stand by a carpenter’s bench. He could not see it, for sight was gone. Standing there, the burning wood under-his feet yielded to his weight. To him it seemed that his legs were crumbling under him, and with a yell he threw himself face downward, shrieking his last amidst the white embers, . But Fox, with silent perse- verance, now almost mechanical, for his senses were wandering, sought escape. In the scenes leaning against the partition was a great irregular circle, eaten away already by the flames. The ‘in blazed with the touch of the monster’s teeth, and the planking of the partition beneath was marked by patches of fiery saliva. The heat was cracking the glass in the skylight, and the flames roared with delight and leapt up as the vital air came in. “John Smith” saw Mr. Fox enter the fire, Saw de Gaillefontaine rush after him, and waited to see the effect before he followed, sweepin; the shavings from about him in a circle, and bending low the while. The Gascon’s awful Screams warned him that attempt to escape by the door was fatal. A. part of the partition was yet untouched by fire, and against this he threw himself with all his strength. The shock tumbled the burning embers from the scenery and shook sparks out of the boarding, but there was no cracking in the boards his shoulder hit. A stout piece of quartering backed the other side. He changed his position for the next throw, and besides shaking down more flaming rag-, split a board. Breathing was difficult; but ohn Smith ” was | a man of endurance, and his force was nowise | lessened when again he threw himself against the boards, Another split followed that blow. “Gord, how that poor brute do scream!” he thought as he banged at the walls. This time a piece of board, three feet long, flew from the quarterings to which it was nailed; but at the | same moment a wing, the base of which was gnawed away, crumbled, and, sliding sideways | towards him, fell, a wreck of smouldering can- | vas and wood, where he had been. standing, throwing up a cloud of spark-laden smoke. John Smith was blinded with the stinging smoke, and a giddiness came upon him as he tried to breathe, Once again and yet more furiously he plunged at the division, cracked another board well-nigh through just under the hole already made, wrenched it with fury from its place, and got his head and shoulders through, tearing away clothes and skin, but getting air, which was all he wanted at the mo- ment. He wriggled his body through and came down on his head and hands, murmuring his thanks to Heaven, and vowing within his heart never again to steal the midnight hare. Not five minutes had sped since de Gaille- fontaine found the key gone from the door, and the fire he had kindled beyond his power ty stamp out, when John Smith came tumbling out of the awful hell-trap into life and liberty. For to him there was safety where he now stood, and he had no sense of the terror felt by those who, a minute before, were struggling to escape at the theatre door. Smoke and flame licked out of the hole through which he had come, as if in greedy pursuit of the escaped prisoner, Choking blinding smoke filled the place, obscur- ing even the gaslights. The boards of the partition spluttered and | cracked as the fire gnawed them, and when they writhed from their place a fiery tongue shot out a dozen yards and clung to all it touched. Flaming boards fell upon the scorched stage, farther and farther the fiery tongues pro- truded, licking the proscenium, the light bal- as the words leave-the pen, as quickly as John Smith, crawling, scrambling, running, tumbling, then crawling and scrambling again, made his way into the ope air. Those who had escaped and were collected upon the lawn watching the progress of destruc- tion were astonished ais John Smith, stagger. ing in his gait, rushed towards them with arms raised, and gasping the fresh air. Soon after the smoke was perceived the screams of de Gaillefontaine were heard; but each one of those who heard the cries for help was too deeply interested in his own safety to regard the danger of another, and soon his shrieks were lost in those of the crowd fighting their way from peril. These first cries of alarm were now remembered, and men and women ran towards the poor wretch, who, now that there was no longer real danger nor necessity for exertion, appeared in the last extremity of fear and exhaustion. He fell upon the grass, and, as he gained strength to speak, cried: “Quick—go round to the back door, for God's sake! Two man are burning alive!” There was a rush to the door, A blow of the heel drove in the charred and crumbling wood- work, and out belched the flames, driving the assailants back for their lives; but there came no sound save the roaring of fire, the fall of timber, the cracking and splitting of the stated- roof. De Gaillefontaine and Fox had ceased to cry, and suffered no more. [To be concluded. ‘Tere is no law against opening a postal- card.— Camden Post. Jonan mas perliaps the worst taken in man that ever lived.— Worcester Press. Younc man, if you want to cutter fellow out, sleigh the girl.— Whitehall Times. Santa Cuaus's chimney motto:— ‘What suits you soots me.”— Phila, Bulletin. Irwill be a lively wrestle in Texas—probably in the Greaser-Roaming style.—S¢. Louis Jour- nal, Osan Pasua's foot has been amputated. The result of fighting for effete monarchy.— Kock- dand Courier. A Kunicut of the Bath—Saturday night. -- Puck. A Christian Dey—Sun-day.—Jorris- town Herald. A PINT of peanuts will keep George Francis ‘Train a week. That's why this country is down on peanuts.— Rochester Democrat. Wuy is the first chicken in the brood like the foremast of a ship? Because it comes just be- fore the main hatch.—Stray Squid. Mrs. ParTINGTON says that she does so enjoy sitting in the Pizarro of the Rink watching the play of the Rollas.— Phila, Bulletin. BertHa Von Hittern has done so many miles this season that she has produced a tre- ‘mendously mild winter.—Pis/a. Bulletin. Wuittier composes while he whittles sticks. Strange coincidence.—P. /. Man. Not so strange, when you consider that the dear old man writes for his whittles.— Phila. Bulletin. Ler the whirligig of time spin and spin until it creates a hot box, and it cannot bring the hair-trunk into fashion again.—-Ois City Der- ‘cony, the roof, advancing onward as rapidly rick, ieee