File:St. Nicholas (serial) (1873) (14597809287).jpg

Identifier: stnicholasserial31dodg (find matches)
Title: St. Nicholas (serial)
Year: 1873 (1870s)
Authors: Dodge, Mary Mapes, 1830-1905
Subjects: Children's literature
Publisher: (New York : Scribner & Co.)
Contributing Library: Information and Library Science Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Digitizing Sponsor: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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tat the theater-manager. That cry of fire raiseda panic. The people turned and made afrantic rush for the doors. Women shrieked,and men howled like wild beasts as they tram-pled one another. It was at that moment thatRudolph Cluny regained his composure andsaw that unless the panic was arrested, a hor-rible disaster would befall the people. He had a very sweet voice, and at once hebegan to sing one of the popular ballads ofthe day in a tone so tender and expressive thatthe people stopped. It is a well-known factthat singing can be heard much farther than ashout or an ordinary call of the human voice.And this plaintive song rising from the soul ofthe slender lad upon the stage was so thrillingin its fearless courage and quiet repose that it 1904. THE HERO OF SAN BENITO. 617 had the effect of stopping the mad rush for thedoors. The lad finished one stanza of thesong and began the second, and the songseemed to have an enchantment for the music-loving Italians. They actually applauded the
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THE LAD FINISHED ONE STANZA OF THE SONG AND BEGAN THE SECOND singer when the last note died away. AgainRudolph instantly seized the opportunity. Hespoke clear and strong: Ladies and gentlemen, it is the rear of thetheater which is in flames. See the smokecoming toward me from the back? The frontis open and untouched. There is plenty of Vol. XXXI.—78. time to escape if you go out as usual. Beholdme! I will remain here until you are all safelyout ! The people shouted Bravo ! and began togo out, but without any panic. The theater hadindeed caught fire atthe extreme rear. Theflames burned with ex-traordinary rapidity.Rudolph could seethem bursting throughthe scenes at his left.Before all the peoplewere out of the theater,the smoke rolled in bil-lows across the stageand a burning piece ofwood was blown toRudolphs feet. Heleaped down to makehis way out. But erehe had groped his waythrough the orchestracircle, already blindedby the smoke whichfilled the little audi-torium, there flashedint

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