The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-06-30

10 tnc young lcllOW VINO hau been try
ing all day to sell me his supcrHuous
pistol.
"smith," said 1, "I think I'll trade
with you after ALL"
"Good for you," said he. "Thc
Fourth amt no Fourth without pistol,
and this is gOin' cheap. a good load in
it too so be careful"
l counted down the money and took
the weapon away with me. Do you
want to know what meant to do with
it? Shoot myself through the heart
The idea Of murder had not crcpt into
my mind then. I'd swear that with my
dying breath.
| only wanted to get rid of my tire
some life. There was nothing left to
live fOr 50 it seemed to me.
At half past ten | got the chance l
wanted, and Slipped out. l was going
to kill myself in Blldwin's Woods, on
the dead log behind which the first
Spring violets grew, and where we had
sat so often since together. The IN oon
was just rising round and yellow behind
the black trees, and the factory windows
were all ablazc. As / SUNK by the office
| saw Mr.. Richard James there alone.
he was standing exactly under n swing
ing lamp. \ trying light for any but
very handsome face, but his was not
hurt by it. Great Heavens! how hand
some he looked, and how happy! My
I1AAI Inilp1 ;n,ln,,,,-
and grief. was aS mad for the moment
as any lunatic could be. Ny hand went
into my bosom and caught at the pistol
hidden there. The next instant I had
! fired, taking aim ut the handsome head.
But ii was not good aim. The ball
passed over its mark and struck the
swinging lamp. I saw it fall, and a
great blaze spring up on the instant, and
knew that the fire work factory was on
fire. That factory filled to the roof with
explosive substances, and with Il hum
dred and fifty men and boys, and pretty,
innocent girls shut up within its walls.
| do not know whether Satan ever feels
rcmOrsc, but if he does it must be such
as | .fclt-hopclcss, maddcning, scorch-
ing.
The next instant there was a horrible
report, and | was thrown into the air.
Not hurt, though. I picked myself
up from the grass nnd stood looking at
my work. The windows were bclChng
forth flame Il? in the air, amidst the
smoke. Hundreds Of rockets, and blue
lights, and Catherine wheels We're toss
, ing and laming--Scarlct, and yellow
and purple, and pink, and green, ant
blue. Hundreds Of cannons seemed tC
be roaring; and over it all you could
hear scrcams-Womcn'S ScreamS-and
went down on my knees and prayed
con, save her, save hcr-to be hi
! wife, to hate me--only save her"'
, People were iloclling III from the vii
, lugc. W0rkmcn, singcd and scorched
forced their way through the flames
and in the midst Of the widest tumult
some one caught my arm. | turncd-i
, was Annie, and beside her, white anC
, trembling, stood Miss Rcdford.
, "Oh, Seth-thank God for this - crict
| Annie; "you are safe. Oh, dear young
lady, try to hope; he may be too"
And then that beautiful Miss Red
ford sank on her knees before me, ant
claspcd her hands, and prayed me t.
save her Rirhdrd!
, 81 should have been his wife in n
hour" she said. con, save my huS
| band-Savc my hu5band-my love, m!
: life, my darling!
The truth rushed into my mind then
I saw all my blind folly. | remembers
ed the feud between the RcdfOrlS an,
, the Williams family, and knew tina
, my Annie had only been helping Mis-
r Redford to meet and correspond witt
| her lover; that it was to her the message
had heard that evening had been sent
, and that it would have been better 70
} me to be dead.
: 500 out of danger' Iponted. "I'l
bring him to you or die with him !" ant
with Annic's scream of terror in my
[ ear, dashed away. They were playins
, on the burning building with the one en-
, ginc they had at hand by this time, an'
| could sec that most of the Workmcl
were alive.
| clutrhed one by the arm rs | wen
, past
Z" Are the women in there yet 2"
: yelled.
r No, thank Heaven" he answered
| Didn't you know the women were dis
+ missed five minutes before the cXplOsio
+ took place? There wasn't one there
. All the men are out too, | guess, bu
+ them that were setting the last show
| piece in the room next the Office: abOu
= Il dozen. The rest jumped out o. tn
| window. There's Il broken limb or tive
1 guess. But that's better than the poo
fellows inside roasting alive or blown
pieces. Young Mr.. James is there too
@ His uncle is offering anything to haV
2 him got out. Lies worth more tha
t money, though, nobody can do it,"
4 He was right. For hours we workc
F. at the fire before it was out; and then
| great heap of lumber was piled over IL
| bodies of the thirteen men who mu
he. in,idc-d"ad, we supposcd-and
q heard some one say that Miss Rcdior
c was going from one ,Wopn into anoth'
: at the Willianscs, and that il had com
{ out that she wa, 10 have cloped Wit
a Mr.. James the night before.
s 1t wa, the Fourth Of Julyi but Il