The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1842-10-01

pohcFeu mat he, "Whose IAN Is IN Ills hanu, had
como TO winow the chafr from the wheat before the
whole should be consumed with unquenchabe fire.
1t was midnight before she rose TO retire 10 her
chamber. She felt unwilling to leave her father.
itseemcd to her that this night was the crisis Of
his destiny-that angels and demons were wrest
ling for his souI--ihat the angels had prevailed;
but might not the demons return ?--or the good
angels, too sure Of heir victory, wing their way
back 10 the Skies Long after she had retire to bed,
she heard him walk backwards and forwards, and
sometimes she heard his voice ascending in
prayer
CLEAR him, gracious Father" cried she, from
her mostened pillow, 'ihear him, an s>ver and bless
him !"
Then folding her arms closely around the infant,
who sIum6ored 10y her ST 'e, she gradually fell Il
sleep, and it will throw shade over her ial
piety to believe, that thought OF Henry Blake
associated with pure images of future felicity gid
ed her dreams. How long she slept, she knew
not; but size awoke with strange feeling of suffo
cation, aud, starring up in bed, looked wildly
around her She saw nothing, but the chamber
seemed filed with smoke, and a hollow, cracking
sound met her ear. The dread of fire for a mo
! ment par yzed her limbs. 1t was but a moment
when sprnging from her bed, the infant still
the terrible reality of her fears Such rush of
hot mir pressed Upon her. she staggered back pant
ing and bewildered. The flames we're rolling in
volumes through the next apartment, land the wind,
blowing in violently through the other door, which
was open fearlully accelerated the wolk Of destruc
! ten.
! "My father" shreked Kate; "my father where
is hc?"
r,o,c C,l ,L,;I
ed and chung in terror closed TO her BOSOM but
her mother, who seldom slept except under The
influence Of poweriulopiaes, lay sill unmoved
| unconscious of the terrific element which was rag
ing around her
"Mother!' cried Kate, lranticly, ''wake you
die The house is in fumes!--they rolling to-.
wards us!-tbey coming. Oh! my God moth
| er, awake!"
She shook her arm with violence, and shire ked
in her ear; but though she moved and spoke, she
seemed in lethargy so deep, that nothing could
rouse her to "a sense Of her danger.
The flames began to curl their forked tongues a
round the very door of the chamber, and the house
shook IL quvered as if with the throes Of an earth
quake Kate knew she could make her
cape through door, in an opposite direcuoa but
she resolved, ic she could not save her mother 10
her arms were it not for the inf cliuging to her
bosom. Per chance that infant nigh, be saved.
She rushed through the door, maze her way
through the drifting snow TO the street, laid the
child down on the chill but soft bank by the wall
side, silently commencing it to the protection Of
God-ihen winged her way back to the building,
though the flames busting from the
roof, and reddenng the snow with their lurld
glare.
"Mother, dear mother, speak ifyou i've" cred
Kate, shuddering at the supernatural sounds of her
own voice. a faint groan issued from the bed
round which the flames we're rapidly gathering
It is astonishing what strength is given by desper
alton. Kate a slender girl, of delicate frame,
unused to physical exerlion but now she felt
ed with giants strength. She took up her moth
err in her arms, just the fro caughtthe bed
tain and communicated even to her night dress.
lsmo,hering the blaze with the blanket she had
dragged from the bed IN rescuing her mother, she
flew rather than walked burthened as she was the
flames roaring behind her, gaining upon her at ev
cry s,ep-the hot air almost sitting her breath even
" lille her naked feet were plungIng through the
SNOW drifts, aud the iios,s pene, rating her thin
night wrapper. 1t seemed if ages OF thought
and feeling were compressed in that awful mo-
freezing on The snow her houseless mother faint
ing in her arus-her own desooe condition-all
was as wildly impressed on her mind as the lurd
blaze Of tho conAasrntion the dark gray OF the
wjntery night. She bent her steps 10 the nearest
dwelling, which was the residence ei Mr Bike,
the father Of Harry. She reached the threshold.
and fell with her sens less bnrthen, heavily
against the door She tried to call aloud for asis>
tance but sound issued from her parched and
burning ips She endeavored to Iii her right
hand to the knocker, bat il was numb and power
less, and in her left, which encfced her mother,
she felt for the first Time the most intense pain.
'Mercilul Father" thought ohio, "thou who has
sustained us thus far, leave not to persist
Even when this prayer burst from her soul, foot
steps approached, the door opened, and MIR Blake,
accompanied by servant, hearing lamp, stood
npon the threshold. He had been awakened
few minutes be lore by the reflection Of tho blaze in
his chamber, and had just al oused his family,
when the sudden arring of the door excited his
,Io 10 first with horror from The