The Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1852-1853, 1853-07-13

' art.
| Juba had scarcely, however, placed hi,
mistress safely on the lawn, before she star.
ted up crying, "Where is the baby?--who
hfs seen the child? Oh! it is in the house
yet" And she would have rushed toward
the blazing doorway if she had not been in.
stantly detained.
The servants looked at each other in dis
may. In the suddenness with which the
conAagration had spread, and the excite
ment of their mistress danger, nobody had
thought Of the child. 1t was an only one
boy abought two years old who slept with
his nurse. or "mammy," as she was called
in the household, in the back room of the
upper story. Mrs. Slewarts first thought
on her escape, had been to look for her dar-
ling; but for this the absence of the child
might have been even Longer overlook
ed.
The servants, we say, looked at each 9TH
er in dismav. The hall of the house was
now all in a flame, the fire pouring out
through he door way as from the mouth of
a furnace, SO that lngress by that path was
impossible. Most OF the second story was
also burning, and the entire first floor, for
the confagration had broken out there orig
mally. to reach the apartment where the
nurse, probably paralyzed by terror, was
sill with the child, seemed out of the ques
ton entirely.
Bat there was no one there VINO deter
mined to make The attempt. The sight oF
the mothers face, and the sound OF her
broken means, as she sank into TIE arms of
those who restrained, exhausted by her ef-
forts to escape, determined, Juba to try at
least to rescue his young master.
81 will go, missus," he said, "don't cry
any more
He looked around, as he spoke for some
means of sealing the second story. There
was no ladder ami only one staircase. but
the bough of an ornamental tree, that over
shadowen the house, fortunately held cut
the means of access to u bod heart and
srosg arm. Not stopping even to bear his
mistress thanks, he climped up the tree,
ran out on limb. and dropping on the
roof, and disappeared within the dwell
ing.
How breathless were the moments that
lnsued. The flames were spreading with
frghtful rapidly. The caves of the bull
ding began to smoke, showing that the fire
within had reached the roof, and soon after
the whole line of them flashed into coDfla-
grafton, Meantime the lurid element pour
ed out from the windows, ran upward lick
ing the combustibe front, and steamed in
a waving, dazzling pyramid, high over the
top of the mansion, far into the blue hrma
m@nt. Millions Of sparks accompanied by
volumes of rolling smoke, sailed down the
sky before the breeze, completely obscur-
ing TIE heavens at intervals, though occa-
sionly this thick canopy partially blowing a
side, the calm moon was seen, peacefully
shining down through the rent, in strange
contrast to the terrific scene. The roar of
the conhagration had now become intensely
loud; and, to add to the horror, tn ere began
to be heard the awful sound Of timbers lal-
ling within the house.
Mrs. Stewart bad watched the fire in ST.
lenre her hands cIasped and lips parted .ey-
ersince Juba had disappeared within the
house. Each moment appeared an age to
her. At last the suspense, thus lengthened
out interminably, as it seemed, became in
tolerable.
"Oh! it Is in vain" she said, making
new effort to rush into the flames; 'he can
not find my boy. Let me go myself. For
the love of God -"
Bul at that instant, through tine smoke
that almost hid the only window that was
already on fire, appeared the faithful Juba,
holding aloft the infant. The flames were
all around, and in a moment more would o.
vertake him. He made "a rapid gesture for
some one to approach.
-Four of the males, comprehending his
wish, snatched blanket and rushed prompt
ly forward. The heat was intoerably, but
they disregarded it, and standing beneath
the window with the blanket outsreched,
they shouted to Juba to throw the child to-
ward them. He had, however, anticipated
them, The infant fell while they were
speaking, was caught, safely in the blanket,
and hurried Immediately to Mrs. Stewart,
who clasped it to her bosom with frantic de-
light. The whole was the work Of less
time than we have taken to describe
it.
But simultaneously a terrific crash was
heara mat made the earth tremble beneath
the spectators, large column of smoke
shot upward from where the roof had been
and, as if propelled from force pump,
gush of intense flame followed leaping
far up into the highest heaven
The crowd, one and all, gasped forhreath.
Then came deep, long drawn sigh, for the
roof and floors had evidently fallen in, and
the faithful Juba, alasl was nowhere to be
seen.
A dozen persons rushed toward the bull
ding and until driYen back by the heat,
stood close by the window where he had
been latest visible. They had hoped to find
him there. They had fattered themselves
that there had been time enough for him to
leap,
But was now plain that this had not
been the case. He most probably felt the
floor giving way, before he threw the child
and tso, tLis explained the cause of his
haste. They said this to each other as they
fell back
But there waslittle tilnefor words Scarce
ly had this thought been exchanged before
their was another crash, and, with tromen-
tary waving motion, almost the entire bull
ding tell in, SO that what had been d
stately mansion an hour before was now on
ly q shapelesss pile Of blazing timbers
The shouts, the EXPLANATIONS, the sob
bings, which filed the air the instantbefore,
ceased aOain at this annaIlino snactacle