Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-06-04
SATURDAY, JUNE A, 1859.

decriptid old lady up in his arms, bed and
bedding, he made one rush for the open air ;
which, with d desperate effort lie gained.
The people were just beginning to arrive at
the scene Of conhagration, when George emer-
ged from his smoky ordeal.
He hastened with all speed Imaginable, to
the nearest neighbours, where he deposited his
sacred charge. ..0
The old lady had been very mnch suffoca-
ted by the smoke but otherwise she was not
physically injured; and upon her recovery a
little she inquired where Ida was.
At the name of Ida cold chill ran over
George and in ali animated tone which betray-
ed considerable emotion he enquired of the
invalid what she had said. Before she had
time to answer the question he continued NUT
tering--lda-Ida Strickland.
" Yes, Ida Strickland said the old lady
with a smile, as il something pleasing had
crossed her memory then thoughtfully she
continued, 81 wonder where she keeps her
self; it is not often she stays away from me
so long but perhaps she is detained about
the fire. | wonder how this fearful accident
could have happened2 II could not have
been Ida's fault, because know she is so very
careful about fire, ami there was no one about
the house last night except Samuel Irving and
he retired before ten o'clock" 'Dear me"
continued the old lady, wonder where Ida
is it may be that something has happened
to my child Could IL be possible that this
fire was nothing more than an ac cident-tlie
mere tossing of candle snuff on the floor
lit is strange-very strange indeed. My
daughter never stays away this long. | dc
wish she would come. Who can that young
man be who carried me out of the burning
house at the risk of himself-I am very much
indebted to him-my daughter i---my daugh-
ter
George stood by the side of Madam Strick
land (for she IL was) and listened with mark
ed attention to every word she uttered. lie
was no little surprised at the manner of hei
gesticulation, and the incoherent manner in
which she spoke. From what he had heard
concerning that lady he was fully persuaded
she was person OF rare accomplishments
with an education that was only equalled by
the sparkling of her wit. Could it be posi-.
Bile that this was the same personP His reason
seemed to doubt IL, but he had heard of nc
other person in the town of that name and
when he came to consider that she had 9
daughter Ida, he was fully assured that she
must be the same person. ,.
If George Raymond hadbeen fully acquaint-
ed with the nature of the rawlings of Madam
Strickland he would not have wondered al
the
she spoke. Previous to the execution of old
Marguerite and Mrs. Bachelors internal scheme
to get in possession of Ida, she was one of the
most amiable, intelligent and accomplishedla'
dies in the borough. Although poor she was
looked on by all her acquaintances as some-
thing superior to the common order OF people
in that vicinity. Being respected by the Who'll,
neighborhood i'm which she resided, it need
not be wondered that all her acquaintance
respected and esteemed her. It was not dis
covered until the night of this disaster that
this estimable lady was deranged. Nor in
fact was it so. Being naturally weak, and a.
the same time indisposed, a shock like that
she had so unexpectedly experienced was
enough to try the nerves of person so deli
cately situated. From the scenes and dan
gers of that night this delicate female was
slow to recover. f,...
After being fully convinced that the girl he
first saw at the fire was Ida, George was moi
long about leaving the mother, to see what
had become of the daughter in whom he was
far more interested.
He left Madam Strickland in the care of a
matronly lady, who promised TO attend to her
wants until he should return with Ida.
This was the proudest hour ofGeorge's life.
He saw the prey within the meshes of his
net, and he fancied that he was well enough
acQuulnteu WIN Ine proper aiuicuiuhtS :"
make sure of his game. How gaily did this
young man trip forth to search for the fair
being who was the last idol of his heart!
When he returned to the scene of the des-
olated home q large number of people had as
sembled, alas but to witness the shoulder
ing ruins of that once peaceful habitation.
In vain did he look among that vast assemb-
age to find the object of his search, but ncl-
ther Ida nor Marguerite were to be found.
He made inquiry of the people present, hut
no one had seen anything of her or her CON
federate. The thought struck him that--as
he had left Ida in a fainting condition-per-
haps Marguerite had conveyed her to some OF
the adjoining houses; but he searched in vain;
making inquiry at every dwelling, in which
he could discovera light, George became wes.
ry of his fruitless efforts, and coming TO the
conclusion that she had been placed ome-
where in safetyhe determined to return home.
1t was near morning when he retired to he'd
and being weary from the excitement OF the
day, slept until a late hour. sils