Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1870-10-26

EaH.ttb 2 =
IF can see those cleaning lights peo-.
pie can see NINE" and she tried passing
her light to and fro, standing herself be-
tween the light and the window, but nat
urally enough her, arm, grew weary
and as she feared some sudden gust of the
light wind might extnguish it altogether,
she set it down despairingly,
Her despondcpt eyes rested on q little
shelf in a recess, on which lay a file of
illustrated papers of the year then draw
ing to close. An inspiration seized her,
in an instant all her energy returned. She
sprang on a chair, she tore down her win
dow curtain, she enveloped herself care
fully in her waterproof cloak, buttoning
it down the front, drawing the hood over
her hair, and putting one hand only through
an arm hole. % ~ Pug ''' ."+''# .''
Preparing for all emergencies, she set
beside her on the floor the ever of water
and the basin ip which she had washed
her hands. Then closing the window, she
rashly took up the first Of the papers,
lighted it and held it close to the window
panes, till the flames neared her hand.
Then she dropped it in the basin, and
lighted another. The hot blaze hared up
and over the window frame, almost scorch-
ing her for the moment Of its life, and
even by her agitated breathing drawn in
angry licks towards herself But impo-
tent Of harm, the blackened fragments
hissed in the basin, till paper after paper
having blazed away, the ever had to give
of its precious drops, to quench the heap
below her knee. .s's '"' "'l' "'.'''
Imagine the strained nerves of the girl,
terrified by the voice of the rufian at her
door, listening for her fathers returning
footsteps, or the sound of wheels if he
had found conveyance, wondering if her
alienation of blaze and darkness, would
fail to catch any eye. Nothing that She
wanted could he heard, no wheels, no
voices, no hqrrying footsteps. only the
wretch going up and down stairs, as il he
had made all ready to go, but wanted
first to murder her father.
She made sure he had murdered Jane,
or help would have reached here ere this
And now her pile of paper was nearly ex'
hausted she was getting exhausted too
she must open her window or she would
faint from heat or fatigue. She paused
to do so-aud out on the still night ali
came clear and strong the clang, clang
clang of the bell of the old meeting house
The fre-bel of all sounds in the world
to have evoked.
! A mortal terror seized her of what
would be done to her for a false alarm
She had never thought about her bright
window creating tic alarm of fire. But
fast and furious rang the bell in the old
fashioned way, never stopping TO count
its strokes, but tolling steadily on for hal
an hour, after all the help that could be
sent had gone to the scene of disaster. %
As she leaned out of the window, she
could now hear sounds enough Tearing
along the main road came the country
FIRE brigade, the men drawing their engine
the lads shouting and cheering, and all the
dogs far and near Ginning into the chorus
She heard them halt at. their very lane
She could hear theiesder say,r'Herea
bouts seemed the hsarning house, bu
where is it now?p ,e1od, ur,.r1d t9a
Hester's high courage returned, twist
ing another papera little to give it weigh
to fall in the yard, she GIFTED it and sem
it out into the darkness. another, and an
other, at the greatest risk to herself fol
the night air blew the flames back ove1
her hand and arm. d dr1g saj aai' '7sHk
Down the lane came the noisy troop
and were gteeted first by the robber from
the window Of the front room, MIR. Stan
hopes. d h'aa6 7d 5i'i d,
He shouted, aWhat do you want here
There's no fire OF with you or | vii
fire."
Avolley Of oaths was his only reph
from the toughest of the fellows, VIII
mistook him for the owner Of the house
while the quiet leaders went round to tn
side window whence Aoated the burning
papers .....-
"Quick, quick,7 whispered Hester, a
she leaned over, The ladder hangs q
the fence beside you. Come up hsre."b
One, two, three gallant fellows Light
obeyed .nioa sd Gov ioauas dsiaa d
"What is it7H said the foremost, look
ing down on the heap Of blackened paper
on which he had stepped. s--
aI"A thief sobbed Hester, "and | al
!, all alone."Ol 9fat 9a~ taf9 a fafp
!, She was 50 afraid of their reproach'
, FIR the false alarm. All her strength