The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-01-15
u ORLEANS, MORNING JANUARY Is 1871

NEW ORLEANS, SUNDAY 4
might easily nave found out all about her
the shopkeepers, at all events. would ha.uly
be as i'll informed as my landlady; but since
my conversation with Mrs. Brown, had be-
come, know not why, unwilling to speak OF
her. I had grown to look upon her as my Sc
cret, which was disposed to guard pretty Jeai,
ously. A bit of mystery, be it ever SO littie anu
in the world to a young lover, and have al
ways thought that Sheridan displayed great
knowledge of human nature when ne maae
Lydia Languish refuse to be married withou1
an elopement. At some time in our lives Al
most all of us give way to moro or less of the
same sort of nonsense
There came a sudden end at last to my moon
ing and dreaming, and it came in way with
which even Lydia Languish herself could not
have quarrelled. l had been off one day on along
ramble among the hills, and, missing my Way way.
did not get back to Meadowbrook until close
| upon evening. As came near the village
was made aware of some extraordinary com
motion in the place. Men and women were
hurryng through the streets, and vo'ces were
shouting in excited tones. l ran alter Inc
crowd, and as I turned into the main street, q
glance in that direction of the church revealed
bursting through the gallery windows, ana q
| dense smoke poured through the open door.
Nearly the whole population OF Meadow or0oK
| had gathered around the scene OF disaster. ne
men, and some of the women with them. mad
| formed lines leading to one or two of the near,
est wells, and were passing buckets WIN All
! the speed they could but it was too evident
with but little prospects of subduing the con-
| fagration. 1 have already mentioned that
| the building was of stone, so their was little
fear of the walls falling but the aost s;Rs
finder. The organ-gallery was, OF course, fa
| wood, and inside the tosRAE, which seeoa az y4e
front Of the sdifice there was WOODEN ), s't tbs
4 gallery. It was in the tower, saw at onSe'
that the flames were burning most hercely.
The rear of the church was as yet untoacn leu
1 need hardly tell what my first thought was
when saw the cruel glare that l!ghted up
the approaching twilight. A sickenins sensa.
ton crept over me. If the fair musician was
in the gallery when the fire broke out her es-
| cape seemed effectually cut Oft. ran 1orward'
but there was little need to ask qnest'onis.
The distressed expression on every Iace' 1no
eager eyes fixed upon the windows OF the gal
lery the frantic but vain efforts of one OF Two
of the boldest of the crowd to penetrate the
doorway, out of which the smoke was roilihs
in great black clouds, told me that my "ors'
"Ah, sir,~ said one of the men, cts a dread
fal thing to pretty young creature hihe
that burned to death har before our very '''
cold perspiration broke out upon my lore
: head and for q moment reeled !ike q --aruhh
ard "Good heavensw 1 cried' "have 20" nc
, ladders :" .,.r
eyes, we have two but look at the tower
/ sir There's no window except in the perry
| and both the ladders together would h0' ie'''-
that" -, a.,
"Talse the ladders into the church by the
back way" 1 cried, land get up the 1roht VI
! the gallery Here,1<I added, pulling OUT IN.
1 purse, "this for the first man WHO i0"'ne
her" -; g rv
1--WE wouldn't want your money, sir, II w
8 could get at the young LADY," answered on ON
\ or two voices together; "but there's little us us
4 in irving Three men have gone lnto I'LL
: church already" .s.o .s
o stir among the crowd at the side OF the H The;
d ing, and the three men reappearea; A he;
!. clothes were scorched, and even their nal
q | was slightly singed. - ~, e+ ;
Cant do it," said one; "the gallery 1 Iadd.,
" burning like furnace. We got the iaoue m
9 up, but we could not climb them, ana haip
q got them away again" =,
r, "Did you see anything OF her o,o bosno
# "No, and didn't hear sound. 1t she mas mo
% been choked already by the smoke, she hi"e
IS have gone up into the tower" ,. sor,,
1t slight hope yet there .m o was S the,
r was, as knew, door opening INTO q sot ~
IT lumber-room in the tower, from which r4 10
Il flight of steps, terminating in LADDER, " "
# mn to the bell. 1t was possible that when 81
~ fannd the raliery-staircase in flames q afte
n wards learned that it was here the hre pro !,
,e out ; it was supposed to have been caused ,
70 had been repairing the roof that afternoon
it was Just possible, say, that she mighT ha az
ne retreated up these steps, in the hope OF Delt
ia rescued through the belfry window. foT
70 moment or two after the failure to reach
s. through the interior there was pause OF Ia, a,
full suspense. Whatever was to be DONE ho'
H. ever must be done at once.> The flames we
ar making rapid Roadway, and in ten inrnut
~ nothing would be left of the tower but u
IT. bare stone shell. Already it was doubtful
adj apy one could survive even in the upper pc
be tion of it. The men were still throwing bnc
ar etfuls of water into the burning porch W, WI
ut frantic speed; but this, of course, did It'll
Good for the fire was spreading high abo
or Iheir reach. Others were running helpless
';r about with coils of rope. Suddenly o thoug
IN seized me- JUST in front of the church Dut
AZ the opposite side of the road, stood an ent
mons elm-tree. Some of ats upper branch
Ia Teaebed within fifty feet of the top OF the TO
Id er. Was it not possible to bridge across tn
n q ' SIS there any opening" cried, Gin the to
I'D er roofT' -,
- .sC5iye me an axe and some rope"
Iar Two or three axes were thrust at me. TO
i one. and tied it round my waist with n 10
,ar coil of rope. Then chose ont another Ok
81 and. throwing 1t over one of the lower I'm
nd | of the elm-tree, clambered with some difncn
~ into the branches. 1t would have been W
III hard climbing without the rope; but as COZ
'n u | throw it from limb to limb where could
We. reach, and ss was sufficiently expert gymn