John B. Arthur rescued Wanda L.and Costoma Moore from burning, Wichita Falls, Texas, June 2, 1933. Wanda, 2, and Costoma, 3, were alone in their home when the house, the walls and ceilings of which were of painted pine, took fire. Arthur, 21, painter, forced open an outside door, and a puff of smoke and flame caused him to recoil. Breathing deeply, he entered and could see not more than two feet in front of him. He opened a door into an adjoining room. The walls and the ceilings of both rooms were in flames, and small pieces of burning wood were dropping from the ceilings. Holding his breath, Arthur took three steps to the center of the room, stumbled and fell over articles on the floor, got to his feet, and took two steps to a bed on which the two children lay. He snatched a blanket from them, picked Wanda up, wrapped the blanket around her, and then picked up Costoma. He was choking and gasping. Carrying one child under each arm and groping with his feet around the articles over which he had fallen, he hurried to the other room, ducked to escape the flames, and ran outside. Arthur sustained serious burns that left scars on his left arm and shoulder. The two children sustained slight burns. 33082-2808
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