The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-01-08
er secret readings prolonged far into the

utSHIs
OF course the effects Of such conduc
: could not be concealed; for having beel
gentle and oblging, Caroline became ner
ivons and irrtsbls; her eyes were often re-
with weeping over the fancied dstresse
Of some prosecuted Araminta or Wilhelmi
ma, while she had not kind word or smil'
to bestow upon the common Marys and Sa
irnhs about her-her real flesh and bloo'
companions She was aLsent.minded, care
less about her dress, and walked abou
among Us, with such wo begope air, as L
excite the pity Of every behoIder. From
living so long among heroines Of roms nee
sbe inevitably became one herself: she wa,
no longer in boarding school, seni there
for her own improvement and benefit, witt
kind teachers TO watch for her good, ant
lead her into the paths oftruth aud useful
ness,. but she was immured in castle, Il
prevent her eloping with one Of the many
lovers who contended for her hand; while
Miss Parks and her coadjutors were 81
many duennas who guarded her day and
might.
! The handsome young butcher, who Wis
tied our boarding school daily to leave the
needful provisions, was to her, not butch
ler-oh! no; he was one Of the "lovers" in
disguise, hanging about the premises to OBJ.
tain some means Of communicating with
her.
/ And so were the little matters Of every
life distorted by her diseased imagination,
until their identity was scarcely distin-
gnished. Late one evening, as Miss Parks,
sa, reading in her room, she suddenly threw
down her book, and starting up, said to
Miss L., the teacher who was with her, 81
can certainly smell fire." She proceeded
TO open the door, and the smoke in the hall,
seemed 10 give confirmation to her fears.
The two FASTENED along the entry, looking
first into one room, then into another, until
they reached Caroline P.'s chamber; her
door was fastened, nnd as all elsewhere
seemed safe, they were convinced that the
mischief originated here. None Of the
oung ladies' rooms were furnished with
locks or bolts, and therefore the fastening
tone Of Caroline's own contrivance) soon
Welded TO the united efF"ris Of the two la
ldies, and the door was wide open. For a
moment notwithstanding the light which
always burned brightly in the hall, the,
could see nothing. SO dense was the smoke
hnt The air from without, rushing in, a blnze
rapidly kindled, md the whole room was
lighted up The first impulse was e.
scream, hut that was repressed, and in a
second Miss Parks had darted into the
room, seizedsa bucket Of water. and dashed
il upon the burning hedclothes. This
checked the progress Of the flames, and
Miss (. immediately adding another, which
she had promptly obtained from neigh
boring ehamber, they were entirely extin-
guished.
The application Of the first bucket. bow
ever, had, naturally enough, aroused Caro-
line. who sprang up with cries Of terror,
which she continued, until the whole house
hold were awake.
"Ah! then and there was hurrying to
and fro;" in moment or two most Of us
had rushed to the scene Of disaster, with
eager questions and loud exclams,ions.
There was Caroline, dripping and shiyer.
Ing, longing to 90 into Mysteries or faint
away but too much frightened to do either.
Her hand still grasped The worn novel she
had been readibe when she fell asleep,
while Miss Parks pointed sternly to the
many others which lay scattered on the
flmr. |, was enough; we all saw in mo-
ment the secret Of Caroline P.'s i'll health.
poor Lessons, and failing temper, and the
explanation Of the scene before US.
II seems she had drawn her table, with
her lighted lamp upon it, close to her bed
side, and while reading, had gradually fall
len asleep-then, in some way, probably
by throwing out an arm, she bad upset the
lamp, extinguishing the flame, but leaving
sufficient FIRE TO communicate to the carpet
and thence to the bed.
"Foolish girl" said Miss Parks, syou
have not only ruined your own health Of
BODY nnd mind, BY this secret indulgence.
which Thave for some time suspected, but
all our lives must be placed in jeop-
ardv by your carelessness. shudder 10
think what might have been the result,
had thiss fire remained undiscovered ior
twenty minutes longer" #
"Lst this" turning to the affrighted
group dTfuHus -,Ict tuiS oc WdtuuS W
von all; these are some Of the frnits oi
novel.re aiding g."--Skesches Of School Days,
BoRRow WHEN YOU CAN, BUY WHEN you
MUST. - wish (says Bill Borrow Of Lend
vile, in the Mass. Ploighman,) 10 eptorce
the above. tex,--Whst is the use Of bu, ing
every thing you wanta It takes gooi
deal Of money 10 do so. II your neighbor
will purchase only some Of the tools and
papers, perhaps another neighbor will buy
some other; so you can manage by borrow
ing of all within borrowing distance. Well
this was nv doctrine-if not in so many
words, ia fact and ia practice.
! Bm before long found farmer A. was
reading the Ploughman just when ! want
ed il, and Jim Jones wanted to chop when
ever wished to borrow his best axe. and
sam Hill WINS Jusr going TO nse his horse
when sent for him, mud Captain Slocnm
was Jusr going to use his planes and auger
when had anv thing to me0d, and Bill
Stub was Jusr going TO use his chain>
when | wanted them. Sam Smith was
JUsT going to get his oxen shod when !
wsnted tn borrow them, and Tim Simkins
Nas Jusr going to digging rocks whsn |
jyanted his har And thinks 10 my self