Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-03-22

the rounding of a curve in the road. "Whosc
can that be ?"
"My old home Oh, what can all this
mean ?" said Mrs. Howard, her lips quivering,
and pale as DEATH
"Howard farm? Yes, it's there" said her
"and almost finished, too "
Faster exclaimed Mrs. Howard. Z" Quick
Oh, how could it happen2"
Got afre, someway; but 'taint your loss,
is it
My loss?'
"Slocum own'd it, supposed" said the
man, " so you wouldn't need to care much
about it, unless you had some stuff lost; but
probably they got that out.''
Mrs. Howard said no more, but feeling
sense of utter desolation, that now she was in
deed dependent on the charity Of the cold
world, she sat in silent impatience, till she was
driven up to the fiery ruins.
The house itself was entirely consumed, and
a smouldering pile of Goals and ashes and char
red brands, thrown here and there, was all that
was left of the HOME. A small shed which
blazed up at just that instant, and as soon went
down again, was the fame they had seen. A
pile of furniture within the yard and damaged
beds, and broken crockery, strewed here and
there around the ruins, constituted all her
earthly possessions. She went round and
round it, without uttering a word, calm and
silent, yet oh, how agitated
Hundreds of people, from the whole region
around, were gathered in groups, talking over
the exciting incidents Of the fire, and conjec-
turing in regard to its origin. They were
earnest and deeply excited, but Mrs. Howard
for time, noticed nothing but the ruins of her
dear old homestead.
cit strange said DR.. Goodman, at length,
leading Mrs. Howard little apart, '' cannot
account for it, don't wonder that you are
speechless -
I" 1t was HOME !" said Mrs. Howard, with an
effort to appear calm. " Is Emma at your
house?"
Would to God she was % exclaimed the
doctor, with much feeling.
&C Is she not, then?"
"Do not ask-you must not know"
"What do you mean? you frighten me. =
Where is Emma p asked Ms. Howard, excit-
edly.
The good doctor turned away to hide his emo
tions, and remained silent.
Where-tOhere is she?" gasped Mrs. How
ard I" Oh, fit should be"
ST is, pronounced the doctor, solemnly, moi
knowing what Mrs. Howard suspected, but feel
ing certain that she could not suspect worse thar
the truth.
" Gomez"
LOST 7"
Mrs. Howard did not comprehend the impor
of the word in all its crushing reality, but sh,
felt that something terrible had happened to hel
daughter, and she wrung her hands and wep
in phrensy of despair
"It pains me to say it, but we could not saw
her. Her room was all in flames when it wa
first discovered, and she must have persisted il
her sleep"
Mrs. Howard gazed with intense interest q
he proceeded, and as the terrible thought tha
Emma-all that was left her, and SO dearl
loved, was burned to death with the homestea
she swooned away in the extremity of he
woe, and was carried Immediately away fror
the scene of the fire, to the residence of Dr.
Goodman.
Everybody supposed that Emma had in fac
perished in the flames. Frederick Stygle, in OF
der to arrest suspicion, and prevent excitemcr
and search, had SO reported, and as the flame
burst from her sleeping apartment, no one doub
ed it, The only man that could have explaine
to the contrary, now lay s9nseless in quite
near the mills of st. Aubin.
All night long, and until late in the forenoon
Mrs Howard lay in death-like swoon, in a
apartment of the doctors residence Sever,
times she had been brought back to sense agai
by the unwearied efforts of the good doctor, bl
only to fall away again, until near morning
sleeping portion was administered, when she la
for few hours in a fttul slumber, and awol
about nine o'clock in the forenoon to consciou
ness, but burning up with brain fever.
} "Oh, this is dreadful" she said to the do
, tor, who watched with untiring interest by h
bedside. F" oh, sohGt has happeaed?"
DO you not remember? You have bet
! sick the whole night-but you must be quie
| hope you are better now, have got son