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NOVEMBER 20, 1908
The Commoner.
5
STORIES THAT MAKE THE HEART BEAT FASTER
A WOMAN'S COURAGE
Beverly W.Robinson, while following the
Meadow Brook hounds near Searington, L. I.,
yesterday, was thrown violently In taking a high
fence. Horse and rider came down together.
Mrs. Frederick Swift was close behind Mr.
Robinson, and her horse was tugging at the bit
endeavoring to catch up with the hounds. Mrs.
Swift was unable to swerve aside in time, and
rather than have her hunter bungle and fall up
on Mr. Robinson she sent him straight for the
papel of the tall fence, and with a quick tap of
her whip sent the hunter sailing over. Mr. Rob
inson and his horse wore then struggling to rise,
but -Mrs. Swift, by rare presence of mind and
courage, was able to clear, leaving thern unhurt.
New York World.
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How Two Youngsters
Adopted a Baby
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Charles and Genevieve Kilcullen, children
of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Kilcullen, of No. 21
Centre street, aTe the proudest and happiest
youngsters in Newark, for they have adopted
a pretty eight days old child with the consent
of a mother forced by poverty to relinquish her
first born to strangers. In the Kilcullen family
were eight children of whom four belong to Mr. ,
and Mrs. Kilcullen by adoption. There had not
been a very small baby in the family for several
years, Genevieve being the youngest, and she
is past ten. Charles was next, he being thir
teen. It was inherent in the family to love
babies, and Genevieve would discard the biggest
and dearest doll for a chance to roll a baby
carriage or coddle a pink faced infant.
Two days ago Mr. Kilcullen read in a Ne
wark paper the advertisement of Mrs. Yanzaka,
deserted by her husband and left destitute with
an eight days old baby, which she wished to
give away. The family commented on her lot
and Genevieve asked her father a lot of ques
tions about the woman and her address. Ge
nevieve did not tell her parents why, but when
she and her brother Charles were alone Ge
nevieve unfolded to the boy her deep plot and
found an instanj; confederate in the boy.
The next day Mrs. Yanzaska was nursing
her babe in her wretched home, No. 193 Prince
street, when the boy and girl called upon her
and accepted her offer to give the child away.
A little while later Mrs. Kilcullen was aston
ished to see her two youngest enter the home
in Centre street proudly carrying the infant. It
was the mother's first intimation of the act of
her children. She remembered the four others
she had adopted years ago, all of whom had
grown up into worthy manhood and woman
hood, and with tears In her eyes she took the
babe from her son and daughter and told them
they could have it for their very own if they
would promise to be good to it. They consented
eagerly. Then when Mr. Kilcullen came, home
from work and learned what had occurred he
Baid he-was willing, as there was plenty of room
in the house for the stranger, and arrangements
were made to christen the new member Thomas,
after a favorite uncle of the children. New
York World.
A PRACTICAL PHILANTHROPY
Standing on a box placed beside the curb
at the southeast corner of Broad and Chestnut
streets, a' well-dressed man about 35 or 40
years old, collects money nightly to provide
food and lodging for penniless and homeless
men.
He seldom makes a spoken appeal. What
he wants is set forth on a placard held aloft by
a man standing at his side. Each night he
provides beds and arranges for breakfast for
from twenty to fifty men, ho says. When his
collections are not sufficient' to defray the ex
pense, he explained last night, he pays the nec
essary sum from his own pocket.
The charitable stranger is Kenrlck Maguire.
ACTS OF HEROISM
GLEANED FROM THE
DAILY NEWS RECORD
been at his helpful task In Philadelphia for
three weeks, but did the same thing in New
York for four years, ho says.
Last evening Mr. Maguire was standing
at Broad and Chestnut streets. Beside him
stood a man holding up a placard upon which
was stenciled this statement:
"I have many of these poor and deserv
ing men and women out of employment and
willing to work. Some are without food or
shelter, in need of clothing, shoes, otc. If you
have any of these articles kindly let mo know.
"If you prefer to see these poor peoplo in
warm beds rather than on the streets thou re
member 1 0 cents put some unfortunate r.way
for the night. Are you in favor of this worthy
charity? I am. I d this work entirely alone."
Mr. Magulro is a medium-sized, well-set-up
man, fashionably dressed. A handsome scarf
pin and watch fob and a charity worker bndgo
upon his coat gave evidence that he at least
was well off. He said when questioned that ho
is a broker, at 54 Broadway, Now York. Ills
name is not in that city's directory.
Whenever any one read his placard and
handed him a contribution ho thanked him
quietly. Occasionally he would say in a low
tone:
"If you are broke and out of work come
to me; I will take care of you and help you get
work. But 'panhandlers and bums' had better
keep away from me. You can't help mo a bit.
I don'.t need it. But you can help those who
do need it. If you don't I will, anyhow."
A, reporter for the North American ap
proached him and said:
"You look very much like your distin
guished uncle.'
He started visibly and blushed, and. said:
"What's that? What do you' know about
me?"
"Aren't you - a nephew of Archbishop
Ryan?"
"I am not ashamed of my work, and I don't
think I am disgracing my uncle. I haven't told
him anything about it, but I don't believe that
lie will think I have disgraced him. I don't
care what their creed or race is, if they are de
serving poor I will take care of them. Why, it
would break your heart to see the misery and
distress among honest people! Do you know
that I am taking care of 200 of these unfortu
nates who don't want charity, but do want work?
Thank God, I can pull them through the winter,
if necessary, and I believe that by next spring
there will be work for everybody. But they
can't be left to starve meanwhile. Just to show
the character of some of those I am caring for,
this man with the banner was once a business
man in this city, and a good one. He lost his
business through no fruit of his own. I know
his story, and any one doubting It can have any
part of $5,000 If It isn't true as I tell you. lie
is an old man but capable, and would be useful
in a business house, but there is nothing for
him to do now. Then there Is the son of a man
who was a millionaire only two years ago. I
know all about him. His father was in busi
ness with me In New York. The panic wiped
him clean, and this poor boy came over here
looking for work. I found him starving three
weeks ago. That showed me how necessary it
Is that some one should do something practical.
That ts all I am trying to do."
When poor men approached he talked with
them quietly for a moment or so. Then lie
either shook his head and they turned away, or
else they took a position in his group of the
needy. To some who evidently did not want
to be seen standing therehe gave cards that
read:
"This card will entitle any person applying
to me, who proves deserving, to get work, cloth
ing, food and shelter aB quickly as possible.
None refused. Imposters and 'panhandlers' be
ware of the consequences. Hours, 8 to 11 p. m.
Apply to southwest corner Broad and Chestnut."
"I haven't any regular place to house them
yet, but that will come, he said. "But I put
them away somewhere. It takes only 10 cents
to get them a bed. I devote three hours a
night to this work, the rest pf my time to my
TKACIIKHS AND PUPILS SAVK IIOMI3
Miss Ellznbcth Harris, aided by boys of
tho Elmsworth school, yesterday afternoon
saved many frame residence from destruction
by a 'brush fire which burned over flvoacfo.wd
consumed a barn owned by J. S. Crawford.
Tho blaze, started at noon by a spurk from
a locomotive and fanned by a stiff brorao, wftt
rapidly up a hill, through dry grass and under
brush, toward Allegheny avenuo, ICmsworth, An
alarm was sont to tho vo'unteor lire department,
but few of the flromon wero available, and, tfojs
of tho eighth grado of the public school, dis
missed by their teacher, rushed the hone car
riage to the flro and finally got throe streiitiis
of water playing on tho houses threatened.
Miss Harris boat out the advancing flamott
with a broom until almost suffocated by smoke.
Tho work of herself and pupils saved tllt-do
dwellings. Tho loss, Including tho barn and its
contents-, Is $3,000. Pittsburg Dispatch,
How Two Brave Women
Battled for Their Home ,
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Two women, fighting flro wlthn ntx toot
of a shed containing sovoral bars ot dynamite,
hold residents of South Broadway spellbound
late Thursday. Aftor vnlnly beseeching (ho
women to desist a crowd of more than 100 walk
ed In sllenco several hundred yards distant,
whilo Miss Mario Louise Walsh, 17 yoars old,
of 7918 Pennsylvania avenue, and Mra. William
Bedford, 4324 South Broadway, fought a hqijd
and well nigh hopeless battle against a blaso '
in tho Bedford-Allen quarry In tho rear of Mrs.
Bedford's homo on tho river bluffs. ,
Some tramps from tho river bank had loft
the embers of a fire near tho dry weeds whJcji
have overgrown part of tho quarry. A nolghbor,
rushing to the Bedford home, told Mrs. Bedford
of tho fire. From her window Mrs. Bedford
realized at once its proximity to the dynamite
storehouse.
Sho called to hor niece, Miss Walsh, to
follow her, and each grabbed a blanket and ran
down tho circuitous path to tho quarry and tlio
dynamite. Though a crowd soon gathered, hq;jo
ventured beyond tho brink of, tho quarry, en
trance.' ' , ,
Just as tho flames seemed to havo ,bgon
effectively chocked tho blankets used by the
heroic fire fighters Ignited and added fupl to
tho flames.
"Come back," shouted the crowd. But Mrs.
Bedford and Miss Walsh seemed to hear noth
ing but tho crackling of tho burning bufihqs.
Each tore a paling from an old fence and.' re
sumed the work. The new weappri ajjdhd
danger, for it threw showers of sparks ino'tho
air, which circled high above the fram'd'djianmo
house. '" ,
Burning leaves could be seen to light tiftcm
It. There were holes in tho side of the ho'ugp,
and no one could tell when one stray. 'sprJc
might cause a terrific explosion. And nbv cTqe
knew better than Miss Walsh and Mrs. Bedford.
Almost exhausted, It seemed as If tlipy mtist
give up. The flames would almost rpach tho
side of the-dynamite shed, when by.'cpmfjftidd
efforts'" the women would master them,' pnlyio
see the fire' encroach' upon them from andtrier
side. '' . " f , ,??
Still the. crowd withheld its cheer's, until
suddenly the clattering of horses' hoofs was
heard to break the appalling stillness. Not till
tho hose cart was in the midst of the crpwd' and
the firemen already had run down the steep hill,
dragging hose behind them, did a shout' go .up
from the crowd. Then cheer after cheer rarig
out.
' Paint from her work and the nervous strain,
Mrs. Bedford was assisted to the top of tljo
hill by a fireman. Neither of the women fainted,
but they were hastened to the Bedford homp,
where it was found their hands were blistered.
In the excitement they had not noticed this.
Almost 1,000 fet of liose was' run frdm
Broadway to the fire, and the fire'men fought
it for fifteen miilutes before 'extinguishing It.
When' the fire was oufJCaptafn George. Prey
of Engine company 14 personally extended Ma
congratulations to Miss Walsh and Mrs. Bed
ford, Pittabnrir DisDatch.
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