Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1859-04-30
CONSTITUTED FROM LAST WEEK. |

The scout rushed mp stairs and threw
open door. A dense volume Of smoke,
mingled with flame, met him and drove
him back. Beds, garments, everything
combuslible had been piled in heap and
fired. The straw. the feathers, the linen,
were like iirder i; needed but spark TO
kindle the mad blaze, and !ha. had been
applied some minutes before by cunning
and malicious hand.
Scorched by the furious element, and
half suffocated. Hutter mounted the stairs
again, in hopes to combat the destructive
power by scattering the material which
fed it, bat it was too late. Podijah Make
peace ran after him and dragged him back.
half clroked by the penetrating, hot and
smoke-losded air.
Paul Hazlehurst, in defiance Of the
black aspyxiating vavors, rushed to the
chamber to close the door that had been
left open. but sank blinded and overpow-
cred upon the threshold. 1t was with
difficulty that lie could relrace his steps
He was gasping for breath like drown
ing man whea he rejoned the anxious
group below.
That door must be shet,' said PodJah,
'Or we shall be smoked to death, like rats
in hole III shet it. or sufocate Try
in. Wax my fax, If don'.!'
The tall form Of PodTah disappeared in
the mass Of smoke that rolled from above
like thunderclouds. There was mo.
ment OF intense anxiety, then the door
was heardto close. Almost simultane-
ously Podiah tumbled down the Stairs,
covered with cinders, his face and hands
blstered, and some of his white locks
wiihered TO ashes.
'Bravely done ! cried Jessie. 'If you
have not saved Us, you have a. least given
US reprieve.'
DONE praise me-, returned POdJah.
'Tbs praises of a gal inloxicates me like
arden. sperit-the poOtier the gal, the
drunker il makes me. never shall gll
away from this place alive if there's any
thing desperate can DO
Desperate all is desperate! F! said
Hutter. I'VE might cut our way through
and save ourselves, perhaps, if there was
nothin' Of 4 feminine natur' 10 look siier;
but these gals can'l stan muskel balls. NOR
they can't stan fire.
Heavens = exciaimed Paul. 'Wbal
shall we DO mot for ourselves, but for
these poor girls
Escape as you can through the dark
ness; and as for US girls, we will trust 10
the mercy Of the enemy. and yield our
selves prisoners, answered Jessie, eager
ly.
yes, we will trust ourselves 10 the hu-
mani,y Of The Tores,' said Judith and
Ruth. hurrie6ly.
You will find il poor trust, return.
ed Hutier, looking compsssionaiely at the
three girls. I'LL be miserable mercy
you'll git from them. No, no ! we can't
think Of that
GOD bless you, Tom Huiter, no {! We
can't, indeed. think of that. We will
die, if il be Heavens will, for these dea:
and helpless ones; but forsaks them, nev-
err
A loud shout arose from without. The
Tories were exulting in their success.
what must be done 2 asked Paul, in
an agony OF anxiety.
I'VE can do two things replied Hut
ter. sRemain here and be burnt, or rush
out and be shot
'We'll neither be burnt nor shot J! re-
torted Podijah stoully. I'm bound TO
live as long as uppers and unders'll hold
together. ain, gon' TO knock under IN
the mOrnin' o my days, by gum !
know that sll flesh is grass, but don't
want my grass cut while its so green.
I'll hold on TO existence to the last gasp,l
swow! Tom Hulter, Pm goin' 10 Gu,
jest about my bigness and the bigness Of
one o. these gals through the 'iarnal To.
ries, leetle qnicker'n you can load load
o bay when there's a thunder shower
comm up like race-horse y
Laurelwood House shook with the VIC.
lence of ihe devouring fame. which had
eaten through the roof and now ehvelnped
tile and rafter. While the group looked
up in alarm. red sword of FIRE was thrust
down through the ceiling.
1T is the flaming sword il waves US
from our Paradise + cried Jessie. co.
May said Paul, impressivsly, some
OF US may be going TO an eternal Para
disc t-s. aa ,#! z
The FIRE above growled angrily in an
swer, and the black smoke ppurled into
the room like the rank and destructive
breath Of a demon. . " [