The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1871-07-20

| wOnted excitement in the house anC
! an unusuHl illumination OUt-Of doors
T ard before she was fairly awake Mr.
: Fletcher's voice outside the door
exclaiming, Dora Dora Mr.. Primes
house is on fire." aroused her Il
immediate action. Hastily dressing
herself, and with but one thought
. prominent in her mind-the inevita
ble ruin OF the manuscripts-she hur-
ried with Mrs. Fletcher to the scene
of the cOnfiagrati0n.
The house was old, aud did not burn
easily; 50 that by the time they reach
Ell the place the flames we're subdued
and the neighbOrs returned to THEN
early morning avOcatiOns.
While Mrs. Fletcher and Mrs. Mat
thewson went over the details Of the
occurrence, as they assisted each other
in restoring order out Of the chaos.
Dora found her way to the study, and
stood hOrrOr-strUck at the desOlatiOn.
Here had the flames done their most
fiery work; holocaust complete. Not
n veStige of the manuscripts could she
find; and those wonderful revelations
I that had been To her as a revelation
were scattered 10 the four winds Of
| heaven.
Tears filled her eyes at the sight,
and, half blinded, she found her way
I 10 the summer house, there to pour
ont her feelings % sympathy and re-
gret.
What will he do : what will he do?'
she would exelaim at intayals, as she
[ glanced toward the house Whose roof
was yet smoking. 1T was cruel, too
cruel y
She had not thought To inquire about
Mr.. Prime, taking it for granted that
he had escaped untouched. In her
absorbed state Of mind the man was
less than his masterpiece; and when
she felt the old familiar pressure OF his
hand, rs it lay upon the rustic table,
she screamed aloud, rs if some ghost
had seized upon her.
q am so sorry . she said, as soon ~
she could find voice To speak. What
will we do?
'NOthingr And there was an ocean
Of despair in the tone.
Nothing. Mr.. Prime? Can you zee
the labor of years annihilated in few
moments, and not feel that something
must be done? Perhaps / can recall
most of the text know / can con-
siderable-and the loss may not he so
great after all said Dora, more hope
fully, and making room for him 10 sit
beside her.
Il shall not trouble you, Dora
certainly not very sOOn,' he replied. /
''The work could never give me the
same interest it once did,
But your friends from abroad will |
still continue To send you specimens
she interrupted.
Yes lie said, abstractedly, fixing |
his large lustrOus eyes on DOra's face, |
all animation and eager interest.
Then my term of service ends with /
to-day" she said, with sigh and a |
sudden change of expression, a. she !
thought of what would he shut ont of /
her life by such a procedure.
Yes said Mr. Prime; there will be
nothing for you 10 do. But,nay not !
lse your friend all the same -
Certainly said Dora, looking up
and honestly in the face other
and starting Ia find il
shadOwed with tears.
Mr.. Prime, We're you injured by the
fire? What is the matter" her heart
keenly alive Ia his suffering, though
of the eause.
These are WOmaniy fears, Dora,
that pride has done heF best To keep
back. Ii pains me to see the labor of
years destroyed much less than it
yrieyes me TO know that Tam shut out
rom future happiness
of what sort" asked Dora, full of
interest
'Of the sort that comes with recip-
'Ocated affection, of the sort that will
never, never come to mep and he
eaned his head upon the table i'm an
agony of tears that was absolutely
certifying to Dora.
There was silence for n few mo-
nents, uRbrOken 10y aught save the
leavy sObs Of the weeping man and ];
he rapid heart beats Of the question .
ng woman.
Suddenly there flashed across Dora's
comprehension one 0f those CLEANS of
evelatiOn that afford an easy solution
o the most difficult problem: and all {
hat had seemed to her mysterious and {
TRANCE became as clear as alandseape '
It MONDAY.
She thought of all that she owed to '
his man, and of the intense admira- {
ion of genius, and it was not grati-
ude alone that occupied her heart
Dear friend, she said, laying her
land upon the bowed head before her /
dear friend, ifthis fire that has in !
errupted our work should be the
means Ofstrengthening our friendship, $
would that comfort your
Her heart had found its voice at $
asst I
Dora r-and he shOwered passion
tie kisses on tie hand whose touch |
lad been to him like benedictiOn-'it q
would be Heavens own reeOmpensen = q
And in the light of that October
morning, and in the midst OF the
IesOlatiOn and destruction of those I
.OusehOld gods, was erected a new
ltar, where Love alone presided and l
he two, whose souls had met in bliss
al recognition, had no speech so t
lOquent rs their silence. :