7i8 Reminiscences of the Old Fire Laddies.
terrible swiftness along this covering of the dome, thus firing the roof
at once and filling the upper part of the theater with a dense, suffocat¬
ing smoke. This smoke was forced down toward the floor, and, in an
inconceivably brief space, enveloped the entire upper gallery in its
folds. Those in this tier had meanwhile rushed toward the entrance,
but the stairs leading downward were tortuous and narrow, and the
asphyxia that speedily seized upon the struggling crowd made even
this slight chance of escape impracticable. Therefore, the first of
those who reached the gallery entrance only were able to make their
way to the street, and the rest either suffocated as they were striving
to escape or sank down to await the fiery death that soon followed.
When the searchers went about their work, the most of them were
found under the vestibule, doubtless as they had fallen when that
portion of the gallery fell where they had gathered.
On the night of this terrible holocaust the play of " Two Orphans "
was being performed for the last time but three. The full cast was
as follows, and, with the exception of Miss Morant, Miss Vernon, and
one or two of the minor characters, all the members were in the
theater at the outbreak of the fire :
Chevalier De Vaudry....................Mr. C. R. Thorne
Count de Linieres, Minister of Police.............. Mr. H. F. Daly
Picard, Valet to the Chevalier..............Mr. Claud Burroughs
Jacques Fiochard, an Outlaw.........■.......Mr. J. B. Studley
Pierre Frochard, his Brother................Mr. H. S. Murdoch
Marquis de Presles.....................Mr. J. G. Peakes
Doctor of the Hospitals St. Louis and Salpetriere........Mr. H. B. Philhps
La Fleur...................... Mr. H. W. Montgomery
Officer of the Guard.............'.......Mr. John Mathews
Martin..........................Mr. L. Thompson
De Mailly..........................M. J. Clements
D'Estres...........................Mr. Geo. Dalton
Footman...........................Mr. E. Lamb
Antoine..........................Mr. R. Struthers
Louise, ) The >.............Miss Kate Claxton
Henriette, ) Two Orphans, S ■ ■.........Miss Maude Harrison
La Frochard..........................Mrs. Farren
Countess de Linieres...................Miss Fanny Morant
Sister Genevieve......................Miss Ida Vernon
Marianna, an Outcast....................Miss Kate Girard
Juhe......".....................Miss Ethel Allen
Cora............................Miss L. Cleves
Sister Therese......................Mrs. L. E. Seymour.
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