The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-11-17


wrote: " 1 shall turn my face home
ward and once more be happy by the
side of my own dear wife"
This letter arrived one clear, colo
Wednesday in March; and, with 6
radiant face and beaming eye, Ids
communicated the tidings to Mrs
Linden, her mother;s then, humming
a lively tune, she proceeded to some
little wifely preparation and surprises
with which to welcome her wander
cr. So the day passed-Mrs. Linden
enioying the rich sallies and little
Lily partaking of the general joy
when suddenly, as they sat at the tea.
table, they were startled by quick
ring at the door-bell, and in moment
a telegraphic dispatch was placed in
the hands of Mrs. LeGrange. With
trembling fingers she opened it, and
read: "AIr. LeGrange lies dangerously
i'll at the Union Hotel. Wife and
partner come Immediately"
With ary of agony the frightened
wife handed the paper to her mother
exclaiming: "Oh mother, what shall
| do? What shall | do?'
"StOp my child; be not overcome.
Tell Margaret torun to Mr.. Tremaine's
house, and ask him to come to us
quickly as pOssibl "
A brief space only intervened be-
fore the partner of Mr. = Grange en-
tered, and was made acquainted with
the sad intelligence. He Immediately
offered to accompany Ida to the side
of her suffering husband; and as we
had some little preparations to make,
it was decided to leave town next day
At eight o'clock, then, the following
morning, Ida and Mr.. Tremaine sat
waiting for the carriage which was 10
convey them TO the station, when,
Just as it whirled around the corner,
approaching the house, another telc-
! graphic dispatch was placed in the
hands of the poor young wife. Turn
ing deadly pale, she glanced at its
contents, then uttered one piercing
cry and sank scnseless 10 the floor
Picking up the paper she had drop
ped, the mother read aloud the fatal
| words, while Mr.. Tremainc raised
! the insensible form before him and
laid it upon the sofa. The words
were these: "1he Union Hotel at
Leeds was burned last night. Two
/ gentlemen pcrished in the flames
! Mr.. LeGrange one of them"
"Heavens.r he exclaimed; "this !.
! too horrible to be true. There may
/ he some mistake. will hasten on to
| see.n Thus saying, the young man
sprang into the carriage and drove
/ rapidly out of sight, while Mrs. Lin
den applied herself to the restoration
| of her child.
Can | see Mrs. LaGrange?" asked
| Mr.. Tremaine, a few days later, as
with a sad cOuntenance he rang the
! bell OF that handsome residence, into
whose Iove-girdicd rooms he was
now 10 bring woe of the darkest
kind.
The first look at the distressed face
of Mr.. Tremaine extinGuished the last
ray OF hope from poor lda's heart;
and, burying her face upon the pillow
of the lounge on which she reclined,
she exclaimed, MY dear, dear Harry.
Oh, can il be possible that he is no
mOre?'
Very tender,y Mr.. Tremaine, amid
her bursting sobs, related all the par
ticulars be could gather Of the dread
ful confagration. 1t seems the fire
broke out in the lower part OF the ho-
tel about > o'clock in the morning,
while the inmates were wraptin their
deepest slumber. With much difficult
ty the inmates were saved, and after
al wee supposed TO be rescued, while
the flames were raging flIriOusly, fear-
| full screams were heard, and then, for
the first time, two very sick men were
| remembered; but, notwithstanding
every effort was made for their rescue,
it was of no avail, and they must have
perished. Many rumOrs, however,
were circulated, and among others,
that a fireman was seen leaving the
building with an inauimate form in
his arms; but az nothing was again
heard to confirm the report, it proved,
of course, to be untrue. Now thestern
reality stared them in the face. Har-
~ LeGrange was dead, and Ida was
desolate widow.
Fourteen months have rolled on
| ward-it is now June-yet Mrs. Le-
Grange still mourned. Nothing that
her mother could think of had been
spared to divert her mind from her
loss: but it all seemed vain, and daily
her sinking frame and languid eye
told of her early death, if not aroused
IIOtl ittI httD-StdAtu S1 Alt
family physician finally had advised
Mrs. Linden to travel with her daugh'
ter, as nothing but an entire change of
scene could save her from settled
decline. Mrs. Linden could scarcely
see how this could be accomplished, as
she felt it impossible for herself to
leave home; she therefore resolved to
consult Mr.. Tremaine, who, through
out their af1iiction, had proved their
adviser and friend.
Mr.. Tremaine called that evening,
and as Mrs. Linden saw him alone,
Ida being too unwel to appear, she
communicated the physicians opinion |
and asked his aivice in regard to fur
ther proceedings.
"My dear madam was his SYM
pathizing reply, 81 think | am just
the person to assist you. / have long
contemplated a tour 10 the East with |
my only sister, whom Mrs. LeGrange |
has often met. If she will Join us it !
will be benefit to Mary and great |
pleasure to myself. We can make |
preparations to leave by the Peninsu- |
lar and Oriental steamer, which sails |
il a fortnight"
Mrs. Linden gladly accepted the !
proposal, and after much persuasion,
Ida was induced to give a reluctant |
consent. Hasty preparations were
made, and by the middle of June the |
farewells had been spoken, and Mr.. |
Tremaine, with his sister and friend, |
were speeding away from Southamp-
ton toward the distant land they |
sought. Their voyage was prosperous |
and pleasant, and the sea atmosphere |
quite refreshed the languid frame of |
our invalid. Mr.. Tremaine proved |
kind and tender as a brother, while |
Mary soon won for herself firm place |
in the affections of the young widow
by her unceasing sympathy and care. |
At length the shores of Egypt appear
ed in sight, and soon their willing feet |
touched the soil made welcome after |
their voyage upon the OCEAN,
We will not linger to describe their |
travels through the East, nor tell of
the pleasure with which they explored
the Justly celebrated scenes of PaIes-
tine, but will only add that the balmy
air of the Iievant fully restored the /
rosy glow of health to the widows
cheek, while he's dreamy hazel eyes
once more sparkled with animation
and hope.
When again, however, they found
themselves upon steamer, gliding
rapidly over the waters toward their
native shores, Mr. Tremaine and Ma
~ felt that they were amply re.
paid for their care by the new-found
peace of mind of their friend.
1t was clear moonlight evening in
September wnen, upon lonely por-
ton of the deck, two young people
might have been seen engaged in ear
nest conversation.
''Nay, do not draw away your hand,
and look 81 pale at my words of love.
Surely you can trust my affection;