New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-07-12

about patched breaches, and beggars On
horseback, and ether delicate little allu-
sions which l don't remember just now.
The end of it was that Jacob rushed
away from the sehoOlhouse, feeling as if he
would like to kill somebody or other, he
wasn't sure but it was himself, and as if be
coald never lace one Of those boys again
as long as he lived. The more he thought
of it the blacker and bitterer grew his
mood, and the more eager his longing for
revenge, just what revenge he did not know
at first; but just as the sun went down and
gloomy black shadows came creeping
| through the woods where he lay, something
seemed to whisper a suggestion in his ear
which made him start and turn pale, and
then sit up and look all around him to see
If anybody was near enough to suspect the
horrible thought already working in his
mind.
No one was near, no one that he saw, al
though for that matter no one Is ever alone.
| So, although Jacob could see nobody, and
threw himself back upon the grass, feeling
quite sure he was alone, the something
which had whispered the horrible idea into
his mind did not let it rest, but kept urg-
ing it and making it uneasy, and telling
him how badly he had been treated, and
how sweet revenge would be, until in the
end Jacob rose up and went skulking along
out Of the wood lot and across the fields,
looking just like a dog that means to steal
a bone and knows he ought to be whipped
for thinking of it.
The wood lot where he had spent the
afternoon belonged to Squire Vale, and The
fields he crossed after leaving it were Squire
Wales also, and beyond them lay the great
tarm-yard and barns and hay-stacks at the
back of Squire Wales big white house. 1t
was already dusk when Jacob Billings left
the wood where indeed he would have been
afraid to stop any longer, and by the time
he reached the building it was dark, so that
he easily found chance to creep into the
great hay-barn and hide himself there.
Meantime his poor mother at home was
| getting more and more anxious, especially
as she had an errand at the squire's that
could not be put off until morning, and
there was no one with whom she could
leave Nan until Jacob came home. At
last, just before it got quite dark she put
Nan in her little basket carriage, made up
the bundle Of work she had promised to
send home before night, and set off for the
great house. When she reached the door
she took Nan out, put the bundle under
her arm, and so tried to carry both child
and bundle up the steps; but half way up
she tripped and fell, bruising herself con,
siderably, and hurting poor little Nan so
badly that she tainted away, and Mrs Vale,
who had been looking out of the window,
came running down 10 the door, calling
the servants to follow her, and taking up
Nan in her own arms carried her in and
laid her upon bed,
With care and patience they presently
| hay. l,,,f oh
excited with the fright and pain that Mrs.
Vale would not hear Of her being carried
home that night, but kept both her and
Mrs. Billings, and sent a boy down to the
| little cottage to wait till Jacobs return,
and tell him that his mother would not be
home that night The boy went. and as
Jacob did not appear, and be was pretty
tired be lay down upon the seat in the lit
tie porch and slept very comfortably there
until morning,
Ten o'clock struck, and al the sound out
went the last light in Squire Vale's orderly
house, and the Squire himself went, last of
all, to bed. Ten minutes later a great
cloud of smoke, and then flashing, flicker
ing fame and then steady stream of fire
rose all at once from the great hay barn, and
then from the straw shed, and finally from
beneath the wooden steps at the front and
back of the house, and from pile of
brushwood heaped against the end of the
house. By the time the sleepy household
were aroused to the full sense of the dan
ger that was upon them everything was in
a blaze, and burning in the hot, dry air of
the summer night with frightful rapidity.
Hardly anything was saved beyond the
lives of the inmates and few boxes of
papers and valuables in the Squire's study,
and after little while they gave over the
attempt to do anything, and stood out in
the yard in front of the house looking on at
the destruction, dismally enough of course
| But while they looked a window in the
upper part of the house was thrown open,
and womans white, CHASTITY face looked
out, while Mrs. Vale shrieked:
Great heavens That woman and child
They have been forgotten, and now it is
too late y .--
"Too late Little Nam" shouted, al
most screamed Eugene who stood close be-
side her, and without another word he
darted in at the open door and up the
burning stairs, and disappeared in what
seemed nothing less than a sea of roaring
flame. One great cry went up from all
who saw him, but high above it was his
poor mothers shrek as she fell fainting to
the ground. FlaI ....4.5ea 4
The next sound was the squire's voice
calling upon the men to aid him in saving
not only his sons life, but that of the
woman and child he had wished himself to
save, and Offering great rewards to those
who should succeed in rescuing them. Not
that believe the reward made any differ
ence, for all We're ready to do their best
without it, and no one, whether man or
chimney-elf, can do more But before ANY
one could find time or wit to do anything
more than talk, a brave voice from the win
dow called out ol1l 3H IN Is
"All right! Stand by to catch her some
of yoUlp .....-..9ai7 ~
Then Eugene appeared at the window,
conveying a great bundle bound around
with strips Of sheets aud towels tied to
gether until they made rope nearly long
enough TO reach the ground. $50. lsihsls
Quick, now Gut OFF the rope and let
me have 1t for the woman. Mother, see to
little Nan there in the bmdlel,' ipho
So little Nan, safe and sound, was taken
out Of the comforter she had been packed
| in and Mrs. Vale sat down on the grass
and took her in her arms and cried over
her as if she had been her OWN, all the time
keeping her eyes flxed.on the window where
| Eugene now stood with poor Mrs. Billings,
| who, white and trembling and scared,
\ could hardly he persuaded to even let him
tie the rope sround her waist. At last,
however, partly by coaxing and partly
by main strength, he succeeded Ia get
| ting her outside Of the window, and then
\ -1r.I.. L