The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1869-07-01

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you, Reichelm, but my sister tainted
In the carriage. Poor Mrs. Millers
shricks overcame her completely. Yo,,
arc deuced brave tellow-give me
your hand"
Paul held up two blistered arms, al
ready bandaged in handkerchiefs by
Mrs. Percival.
Charles started. "Why you arc
burned l had no idea of this-comc
out Of the. crowd to my carriage, I vii.
take you home!
Paul declined there was no occa.
sion for his riding home-it would
alarm his mother. But he gladly left
the scene Of horror where he was nc
longer useful. The fire was under
control, the dead aud injured taken
away, and nothing remained of the ten
ement home but a mass of blazing
ruins.
Miss Hildreth's carriage drove home
as soon as she recovered from a long
swoon. The household servants gath
cred around to suggest restoraives for
her sudden illness, but she refused
them, declaring what sho required vas
quiet and ropose. She would not al
low Miss sprague to remain with
her through the rest Of the nis sht, but
insisted on all retiring. Then Char.
lotte, pale and haggard, sat at the win
dow that overlooked the tenement
house, and mused long and sadly. II
felt my life 60 with him when"-she
shuddered at the thought-"when he
went 50 calmly to risk his noble life for
another. I blush for tho Hildreth
blood, once my boast-it not does make
ue brave, or generous, or honorable
Every one in the. crowd felt Charles Hill.
dreth coward, and Paul Reiehelm q
hero! No wonder he would not Tex.
change his position for mineP How
he must desplse Us for our selGshness,
uselessness, and want Of principle.
God help me ! am beginning to know
myself, or has this strange love be.
witched Charlotte Hildreth into imag.
ining herself unworthy the love of hel
brothers foreman! Oh, if he would
only forgive me, would gladly sacri-
6ce The miserable wealth so long my
bane-gladly share toll aud poverty
with him-lcarn from him true nobili-
ty, and walk close to his ife-faithful
to the end -
Paul found his mother aaxiously
watching his return. She had learned
many particulars of the disaster from
the servant, who told with pride Of Mr..
Reichelm rescuing Mrs. Mlller's son
from death.
"Oh, Paul, my brave boy!' Then
seeing his scorched face and bandaged
hands the mothers spirit quailed at
the thought of her sons peril. "You
have been in great danger, Paul! I
knew from the first you would not be
careful of yourself. Oh, Paul, if you
had perished:"'
Paul sat beside her and drew her
fearful face close to his own. Smother,
who taught me,
'The tlttest place for man to die
Il where he dies for man y
"This woman appealed to me through
you, and though death stared me in
the face, I could not refuse her. 1 did
no more than the rest. All worked no
bly,; Mr.. Percival with his brave little
wife performed wonders. You are
weary 60 to bed, mother; tomorrow
I can be with you almost all day; we
can talk then about this disastrous fire.
Mr.. Hildreth ordered the mill closed
for the funerals, which will take place
at the same hour"
GLOW many were killed, Paul?"
give; two men aod three chill.
dren."
"Had the men families 7" inquired
Mrs. Keichelm.
eyes, mother! John Dean had 9
wife aud six children. Poor fellow J! he
was one of our best puddlers, and only
this morning asked me to have his wa
ges raised if possible. He worked like
slave, he said, but could scarcely keer
soul and body together, with so many
helpless ones. How much misery
there is in the world. John Deans
life Of patient struggling with poverty:
aud his frightful death in striving te
save his family, impress me more pain
fully than all this nights horror. Well,
thank God, he is beyond suffering
now p
Mrs. Reichelm retired. Paul open.
ed the Bible to read chapter, Is usual
but found it impossible. His generous
heart sympathized deeply with suffer
ing, and now that the necessity for ex
ertion was over, the scene lately wit
messed unnerved him by its vivid re
membrance. The crashing timbers ant
binding light-the heat and suffocat
ing smoke-the shrieks for morcy-
the groans Of tho burned-the blaoken
ed faces Of the corpses-the lamentatiol