The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1858-01-28

ed with the rest, and there she stood, stretch.
ing out her hands imploringly for help.
How should that help be giveni The
stairways were all in blaze and impossible I;
she could only be reached with ladder
A ladder was procured and placed against
the window-she had disappeared.
Quick quick! or she is lost shouted
many voices, but no one ventured to risk his
life to save that of another, until the youth
we saw at the inn, pushing his way through
the crowd, ascended the ladder with bold
heart and agile step, and soon disappeared
in the window.
A death.like silence ,eigned among the
persons assembled beneath. A minute,
seemingly an age, had elapsed, and he had
not appeared, and as the flames now darted
like forked tongues from the roof Lost
lost ? came from the lips of many an anx.
ious one. But just then the youth was seen
ct the window, bearing in his arms the
senseless form Of the girl. Pausing mo-
ment on the topmost round, he commenced
the descent; the building was already totter-
ing; down he came, one round after another,
till at length he reached the ground when,
delivering his charge into the hands Of those
near by, lie fell fainting from over excite
ment
A cheer Of triumph went up from the
crowd-the house fell in with crash, while
the flames shot up against the skv as if im-
patient at the loss Of victim.
The lifeless form of the girl was taken TO
a house near by, and the brave youth, at
the direction of his father, was carried to the
inn.
The crowd slowly retired, save a few to
watch the smouldering mass Of ruins that
aow marked the spot where the pleasant
mansion of Judge Hill had SO lately stood.
The next day the Judge made strict in
quiries concerning the youth, who had peril
ed his life to save that of his daughter, but
without avail, for the youth in question had,
with his father, left the place early in the
morning, and proceeded on his journey.
Years had passed away, during which
time our hero had not once forgotten his ad.
venture; though he haG passed through
many scenes, it was still fresh in his memo
ry, and often in his dreams did he see those
arms stretched out for help, and look upon
that face, lovely even in that hour.
Summer reigned. The season at Sarato-
ga had coinmenced-char bellies, atten.
i've gallants--young and old-parson and
statesman-aclor and author-were all rep
resented; the ballroom nightly resounded
to the patter of dainty feet, and the halls
rung with the laugh of mirth and Joy
But, among all the fair ones, there was none
that could compare with the daughter Of
Judge Hill, who had come with her father
to spend the summer at the Springs. An
attempt at describing her beauty would be
fruitless-it WAS of that kind that battles
description-a beauty not only of person,
but beauty of heart.
"W With sylph-like grace was penciled every line
That traced the beauty on her face divine
On her hearts alter peace and love did shine"
A retinue of gallants followed in her train,
and the glance from her deep blue eye had
sent thrill through the heart Of many but
with the dignity Of queen she moved in
the circle of beauty, receiving alteration but
giving none in return-her heart was still
her own, free and untrammeled.
Among the arrivals, few weeks later,
was parsonage who registered his name as
Bernard Lacelle. Though time had more
fully developed the slender form and soften
ed the defiant expression of countenance, yet
one could not fail to recognize in him the
youth we first saw at the country inn. His
stately bearing and bland manners and re.
puted wealth soon obtained for him large
circle Of friends-the reigning bellies smiled
upon him, and the eager swains envied
him. When, a few days after his arrival
his eyes first fell on Clara Hill, his counter.
ance was suffused with JOY, mingled, per-
haps with doubt.