I rushed to Mr.
Thorn's room, he was sleeping heavily, but I roused him, saying the
house was on fire; then I went down to the boys, Philips and Keen,
who were in the schoolroom, called them up and told them to save the
children, and rushed upstairs, nearly choked, calling 'Fire!'
"Mrs. Wade, Miss Baylis, Miss Moore, all came out. Downstairs I ran
again and unfastened the front door, and went to the corner of the
verandah. Philips was getting out the children, and the flames were
coming on with frightful rapidity; it was blowing a perfect
hurricane, and the whole building was enveloped in smoke and ashes; I
ran back half-way upstairs to see if I could get a dress, or my
cash-box, or watch, but I was too much suffocated, and had to get back
to the front door. Mrs. Wade, Miss Baylis, and the children, were
making for the fence. I saw Mr. Thorn, and called to him to search
again with Philips for the children.
"The intense cold in the snow seemed almost worse to bear than fire.
We all climbed the fence and ran to the nearest house. Poor Mrs. Wade
had got her hands frozen, even in that short time, as the thermometer
was about twelve or fifteen degrees below zero.
Pages:
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102