The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-08-05


the church-yard, wishing was sound
asleep under one of the green mounds,
looking dark rs usual, until / saw her
turn towards me. Then leaped over
the railing and went away.
On Monday / was at work. 1t was
the third of July, and the fourth was
of course, to be holiday. 1t was hard
| to keep the younger hands at work.
They were crazy about the Fourth, and
suppose every one OF them had pis.
tol. l never cared for banging at any,
thing, and should not have had one
even had felt differently.
After supper / was coming back,
when among the shadows, saw two
figures standing together. l felt in a
moment who they must be, and got
close enough to hear their voices. One
was Annie May, the other Richard
James. i heard enough in their parting
words:
"Eleven will be the best time the
moon will be up by then. I'll have the
carriage waiting under the two elms In
Baldwin's woods. Be certain about
the hour, for the down train starts at
quarter to twelve. Goodbye; God
bless you !"
Not another word, but l knew the
whole. She was going off with Rich
ard James; she whom 1 loved so. The
one of all the world who had seemed to
love me. heard his firm tread die away
| heard her light footstep rustic over
the grass, and went back to the work
room, for we were to work until late
hour that night.
wanted TO get rid of my tiresome
| life.
There was nothing left to live for-so
it seemed to me.
At half-past ten | got the chance 1
wanted, and slipped out was going
to kill myself in Baldwin's woods, on
the dead log behind which the first
spring violets grew, and where we had
sat so often since together.
The moon was just rising, round and
yellow, behind the black trees, and the
factory windows were ablaze. AS l
skunk by the office, saw Mr.. Richard
James there alone. He was standing
exactly under swinging lamp. A
trying lamp for anybody but a pretty
face, but his was not hurt by it. Great
heavens! how handsome he looked,
and how happy Ny blood boiled with
jealousy and grief YVES as mad for a
moment as lunatic could be. My
hand went into my bosom and caught
at pistol hidden there. The next in
stant had fired, taking aim at the
handsome head. But it was not good
aim. The ball passed over its mark,
and struck the swinging lamp. 1 saw
it fall, and great blaze spring up on
the instant, and 1 knew that the fire.
work factory was on fire. That factory
filled to the roof with explosive sub
stances, and with hundred and fifty
men and boys, and pretty, innocent
girls, shut up within its walls. / do
not know whether Satan ever felt re.
morse, but if he does it must be such as
l felt-hopeless, maddening, scorching.
The next moment there was horri-
BILE report, and l was thrown into the
air.
No hurt, though. 1 picked myself
up from the grass, and stood looking at
my work. Hundreds of rockets and
bluel ights and wheels tossing and fam
ing. Hundreds of cannons seemed to
be roaring, and over it all you could
hear screams-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 fiocking in from the viii
lage. In the midst of the widest
tumults some one caught my arm. I
turned--it was Annie, and beside her,
white and trembling, stood Miss Red
| ford.
"Oh, Seth-thank God for this ~
cried Annie "you are safe. Oh, dear
young lady, try to hope-he may be
too.n
And then that beautiful Miss Redford
sank on her knees before me, and clasp
ed her hands and prayed me to save her
Richard!
81 should have been his wife in an
hour" she said. sob, save my hus-
band-my love, my life, my darling"
The truth rushed into my mind then
Isaw all in my blind folly. remember
ed the feud between the Redfords' and
Williams family, and knew that my
Annie had only been helping Miss Red
ford to meet and correspond with her
lover that it would have been better
for me to be dead
$50 out of danger !" painted. "I'll
bring him to you or die with him w
and with Annie's scream of terror in
my ear, dashed away.
Are the women in there ?" | yelled.
mo, thank Heaven" he answered.
"Didn't you know the women were
dismissed five minutes before the ex-
plosion took place? All the men are
out too, guess, but them that were
setting the last show piece in the room
next to the oflice-about dozen. Tie
rest jumped out of the window. There's
prohch illhD Ut TWO, L guess. but
that's better than the poor fellows in.
side roasting alive or being 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,"
For hours we worked at the fire be.
fore 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
enc say Miss Rediord was going from
one swoon into another at the William
ses, and that it had come out that she
was to have eloped with Mr.. James the
night before.
! LLa I,.....LI. LII.