Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-04-19

1
could be. Ny hand went into my bosom
and caught the pistol hidden there. The
next instant had fired, taking aim at tht
handsome head.
But it was not e ood aim. The ball pas
sed over it's mark and struck the swinging
lamp. saw it fall, and 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 hundred and fifty men and boys
and pretty, innocent girls shut up within
its walls. | do not know whether Satar
ever feels remorse, but if he does it must
be such as | felt-hopeless maddening
scorching.
The next instant there was horrible re-
port, and | was thrown into the air.
Not hurt though. Ipicked myself uI
from the grass and stood looking at my
work. The windows were belching forth
flame up in the air, amidst the smoke
Hundreds of rockets, and blue-lghts, and
Catharine wheels were tossing and flaming
scarlet, and yellow, and purple, and pink
and green, and blue Hundreds OF cannons
seemed to be roaring and over it all you
could hear screams-w women's screams
and l went down on my knees and prayed
"Oh, save her, save her-to be his wife
to hate me----only save her !"
People were focking in from the village
Workmen singed and scorched, forcing
their way through the flames and in the
midst of the widest tumults some one
caught my arm. | turned-it was Annie
and beside her, white and trembling, stood
Miss Redford
"Oh, Seth-thank God for this |" cried
Annie "you are safe. Oh, dear young
lady, try to hope-he may be too"
And then that beautiful Miss Redford
sank on her knees before me, and clasped
her hands, and prayed me to save her Rich
ard!
al should have been his wife in an hour, y
she said ooh, save my husband-save
my husband my love, my life, my dar-
ling I"
The truth rushed into my mind then.
saw all my blind folly remembered the
feud between the Redfords and the Will
liams family, and knew that my Annie had
only been helping Miss Redford to meet
and correspond with her lover that it was
to her the message had heard that even
| ing had been sent, and that it would have
| been better for me to be dead.
| "Go out of danger p painted "PI
bring him to you or die with him !" and,
with Annie's scream of terror in my ear,
dashed away. They were playing on the
burning building with the one engine they
had at hand by this time, and | could see
that most of the workmen were alive.
clutched one by the arm as l went
past.
Are the women in there YETI" l yelled
"No, thank Heaven" he answered.
Didn't you know the women were dismiss
ed five minutes before the explosion took
place. There wasn't one there. All the
men are out too, | guess, but them that
were setting the last show-piece in the
in the room next the office--about dozen
The rest jumped out o'window. There's a
broken limb or two, guess. But that's
better than the poor fellows inside roast
ing alive or blown to pieces. Young Mr.
James is there, too His uncle is offering
anything to have him got out Life's worth
more than money, though nobody can do
it."
He was right For hours we worked at
the fire before it was out and then great
heap of lumber was piled over the bodies
of the thirteen men who must be inside
dead we supposed-and l heard some one
say that Miss Redford was going from one
swoOn into another at the Williamses, and
that it had come out that she was to have
eloped with Mr. James the night before.
1t was the Fourth of July but no guns
were fired and no bells rung at Baldwin.
All the people of the town were about the
factory helping as best they could. We
| che nd "a
boards and molten cans, and at last one
sake no noise | hear a voice !" And
then amidst breathless silence we heard
a moan under our feet
We worked with will now, and at last
heard more.
One of the men put his head close down
and cried, "Are any of you alive?" And
some one groaned, "Yes,"
Black with smoke, scorched by the Gin.
ders we handled, we went at it again, and
at last came to a spot where the beams had
made kind of penthouse. There, jam.
med together and half suffocated, but alive,
were four men, And such yell went up
as mortal ears never heard before Four
saved four saved And we drew them
out and gave them over to the doctors
Then there was another shout not so loud
for we bad come to one insensible, Jam,
med between two logs. He breathed
though as soon as we brought him to The
air.
1t was time no one ever forgot. Judge
what it was to me
At last all were out but Mr.. James, and
somebody cried that they could see him
under some beams 1t was dangerous
place to get at but l would not stop for
that. | forced myself into the narrow
aperture, and set to work. | called, but
there was no answer At last came tC
him, lying with great beam across his
chest. His beautiful golden hair and beard
were singed and scorched, and one of his
hands was blistered touched him, ant
screamed in his ears, but they were deaf t.
me- got the log off somehow, and drag
ged him to the light, and then had heII
enough. They took him between them ant
laid him on the grass, and the doctor un
factened his vest.
ais he dead" asked and meant as
truly as live, if the answer were "yes,
to tell the crowd before me what l hat
done, knowing we'll that if did no Law
could save save me.
There was NO ancuar for a moment anf