Show coot PREVENTS a PANIC Altar Boy Calms Crowd by Standing in Burning Surplice cn Ch March Rare 20 O-It O Rare CHICAGO re presence of mind of James Berney an altar b boy y of the tho Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady Lad of Lourdes s and the discipline tau taught ht by bv school fire Jho drills prevented I a fire the p panic ni nu and aud probable loss of life iu in the Oil crowded church yesterday lust before the service ic the lad who is 14 11 years old entered with his taper an and and- started t to Ji light ht the candles before t the tho 11 0 a altar Har The lo lower 1 candles were ere lighted and Dna then thon the upper ones were f set ct ablaze and aud the lad lads lad's R work worl seemed complete when one of time the candles can les high up on the altar went out Y Young Berney ed up tho the narrow nary nar row stairway ay nail and 3 just liar bad succeeded etl in in lighting tho the t troublesome candle caudle when his 1119 white surplice fluttered directly into the flame of n n. lower taper The Tile lace laco immediately look took fire faro and several eral cries of hire Firo iro Firo Firl from front the tho congregation Realizing the danger cr of inciting a n panic pani an as tI well na as of making a misstep which might top top- Pro polo over Iwer ninny many other blazing candles s. s the tho boy stood perfectly still on tito tiro stops while thy the surplice blazed c l it itself out Several men ran forward and ex cx- extinguished the tho nl dying flames and carried tho the lad Ind down The whole congregation congregation after the thc first cry P of Fire seemed hypnotized by hy th the tho boys boy's quiet immobility ity its und rand n a panic with a consequent rush I for the doors was rt a averted d. d When taken into tho vestry estry rooms it I was found that had Nape escaped burns burn almost miraculous miraculously miraculous |