Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1841-05-04

want and himself, into the SKINNER Of the
seas, and was in few hours landed safe
~ al the pleasant watering place OF W is
Ton super mare. 1t wanted Yet an hour oil
night, and therefore post chaise was soon
rolling Inc young officer, his servant, and
his portmanteau towards Bristol, on their
way 10 London. He arrived al a reason
able hour, bat yet some Of the many things
that TIL inns, had happened in Bristol that
day, and Henry drove to tho Bush, the
Falcon, and the Fountain, aud several
others before he could get place Of rest.
Al length he found two comfortable rooms
~ a small hotel near the port, and had sat
down to his supper by a warm fire, when
an Irish sailor put his head in .he room,
ana asked If he were the lady that was 10
go down 10 the St, Lawrence the next day?
Henry Ashton informed him that he was
not lady. and that h. had Just come
from the ST. Lawrence aud that he was
not going back again, upon which The man
withdrew to seek further.
Ten, eleven, twelve o'clock struck, and
Henry Ashton pulled Off his boots and went
TO bed. AT two o'clock he awoke, feeling
heated and fherish, aud to cool himself he
began to think of Alice Herbert. He
found il by no means a good plan, for he
felt warmer than before, and soon a suf-
locating feeling came over him, and he
thought he smcIt strong smell of burn
ing wood. His bed room was one ofthosc
unfortunate inn bedrooms that arc placed
under the immediate care md protection
OF a sitting room, which. like a Spanish
Duenna, will let nobody in who dares not
pass by their door. He put on his css-
ing gown therefore and issued out into the
sitting room, and there the smell was
stronger, -thcrc was a considerable crack
ling and roaring, which had something
alarming in II, aud he consequently opened
the outer door. al he could now see was
a thick smoke filling the corridor, through
which came red glare, from the direction
OF the staircase: bat he heard those sounds
Of burning wood, which are not TO DC mis-
taken, and in II minnie after, loud knock
ing al doors, ringing of bells, and shouts
OF Fire. fire" shorld that the calamity
had become apparent To the people in the
street. He saw all the rushing forth OF
follows such a catastrophe, and the open
ing of all the doors in the house, as if for
the express purpose Of blowing the fire in
10 flame. There were halowings and
shoutings, there were screenings and
tears, and what between the rushing sound
OF the dcyouring element, and tie voice of
human suffering or fear, the noise was
enough 10 wake the dead.
Henry Ashton thought of his portman-
teau, and wondered where his servant was;
but seeing, by number of people driven
back from the great staircase by flames,
that there was 10 time 10 be lost, he made
his way down by smaller one, and in q
minute or two reached the street. The
engines by this time had arrived, an I'M
mense crowd W s gathering together, the
terrified tenants of the inn were rush
lug forth, and in the midst Henry Ash
ton remarked one young woman wrnging
her hands and excIaimng. "Oh, my poor
young mistresS!-my poor young LADY,"
wv here is she, my good grip dcman
ded the young soldier.
1" In number eleven" cried the girl, " in
number eleven! Her bed room is within
the sitting room, and she will never hear
the noise"
There she is" cried one of the by
ISLANDERS WI Q owe rhcard, =" there she is, ]
dare say"
Ashton looked On towards the house.
through the lower windows Of which the
flames were pouring forth, and across the
easement which seemed next 10 the very
room he himself had occupied, he saw the
figure of woman, in her night dress, pass
rapidly.
"A ladder" he cried,' ladder. for
Gods sake! There's some one there,
whoever it be-"
No ladder could be got, and Henry Ash
ton looked round in vain.
1.-The back staircase Is Of stone" he
cried, ''shc may be saved that way"
Gay. bat the corridor is on fire." said
one Of the waiters,-" you'd better not try,
sir,-it cannot be DONE
Henry Ashton darted away: into the inn,
UP the slarcase-but the corridor was on
fire, as the man had said, and he flames
rushing up TO the very door Of the rooms he
had lately tenanted. He rushed on, how
ever, recollecting that he had seen a side
door out Of his own into the sitting room.
He dashed on. caught the handle Of the
lock of the side door, and shook it violent
ly, for twas fastened.
q" will open it," cried a voice from
within, that sounded strangely familiar to
his ear.
The lock turncd-the door opened-and
Henry Ashton and Alice Herbert stood
face 10 face.
" God of heaven" he exclaimed, catch
NO her in his arms But he gave No time