The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-06-03

by common impulse, the whole village
started into life. lights appeared in the
houses, and a hundred windows were
dashed quickly up, saw white figures
standing At them, and heard voices crying
"Wherel" Checking my horse with
Jerk, which threw him upon his launches,
! listened for the reply, "Craigside
Housed" ..
Great Heaven my worst fears were
realised. II was my own home. choked
down the ggpny, which almost forced
cry, and pressing onward with redoubled
speed, soon arrived at the scene Of the FIRE.
The house was large old one, and when l
reached It, smoke was issuing in thick,
murky volumes from the windows Of the
second fiat, while fierce tongues Of flame
were already leapng along the roof. A
crowd Of men were hurrying coniusedly
about with buckets and pals Of water. In
the centre OF group of women | found our
maid, Mary, stretched on the grass n
swoon. any wife" l exclaimed, as !
rushed forward, "where Is slieF "God
knows, sir, y said one Of the men; "wc have
twice tried to reach the second fiat, but
were each time driven back by the smoke
and trc.' Without uttering a word |
entered the housc,and ran along the lobby,
rhe stair, fortunately, was built Of stone,
but the woodwork on each side was one
mass If blazing and cracking tlnmc. Before
| had taken three steps ! tell back, blinded,
fuiuting, and half SuAOcAtrd with the
smoke. Two men who lad followed me.
caught me in their arms, and tried to re-
stan me by force from endeayoring to
ascend again. Don't attempt it." they
said "you will only lose your own lie,
and can't save hers "Let 20, you cow
ard !" ] cried as soon as could speak and,
with the strength Of madness, dashed them
aside. rushed up the stairs, and this
time succeeded in reaching the first landing
in safety. The room which we used as orlr
bcdchambcr led oil small parlor which
was situated on this flat. Cropping my way
through the smoke, found the door, but.
to my horror, 1t was locked / dashed
myself against It again and again, but It re.
sisted all my cllorts. To return as had
come was now impossible, and | knew that
tue only hope OF saving even my own lie
was to 90 forward. Despair gave me
strength, and lifting my foot, ! struck it
violently against one Of the lower panels Of
the door. 1t yielded little. Another
olow, ana u ws driven ~ lcfGpt through
tne opening, ouI 30 ln,cS was the slhohe III
mS .i par,or .nat G9uIu uIsinguish nothing
MaSelr, Maeelc y lsnllckeu, wheIea are
you ,'out no 9'lSWcrwastctuI'led. oross
,ns inc pari?t gained cur 1ed,Ioonl door
10 my l9y u was open, any stretched on
'nc noor ! iou1u .heappatSntiy llieleSs iGlm
OF my WE, ! Oent over her' anu on Plac
lhg NY "lnu Vn "T' ,is. neal' lpuhu .has II
was SUI ocat'hs, lllte. ner very 'endef-
" ana grntly' anu carried nc. IN my arms
10 the WINDOW wh'cL broke open: VI
wIat 'oHowee am only uiuly conscious
Daye confused remembrance Of men
bringing ia; iaauGr, .i anu , strong arms helping
Us 9owhi ahu tne PeoPie cnCetlnG out J.
Is Al, very vague anu tlIonStluet' " ',s My next
teSoIlgc'lon u Is 'nat u !lh1'ng nyse.l IN my
~ -" VI, t.'i, "Hn "sn' w"
WIN my own w wlle Denulns over me, shI
tehdins me WIN loving hands. we 1ad
. oeen burned GUY ol mouse anu nome. for'
tuIa,e'y every tnins Tds l,'Iuleui out even
,al m ). = ,loe S oeel' @ 81, nau oeeh content SO
'ous Us sue was sl'a'su % '"e'
On the evening Of the next day, when
the short winter twilight was last closing
round, and the first snowiakes were ialGng,
Maggie drew little stool close to the
cough on which ] 10y, thinking over the
strange events which have related. | ]
had said nothing to anybodyregnrding the
warning which had so mystcriously te.
ceived; and when questioned as TO what
bad caused me TO return SO opportnnely,
had always made some evasive answer, for
feared that the reality would never have
obtained belief.
Willie" said the soft low voice ol my
vile, III you had not come home
Hush, my darling Don't talk like
that, Tor ! can't beareyen to think Of it."
But T. might have been. And do you
know, Willie, had such aStrange dream
on that awihl night f. .,t
a dream, Maggie Tell me what ii
was 'g
"You remember" said she, drawing
nearer to me, "the evening you took Mary
and me into the telegraph Office, and told
US all about the batteries, and magnets and
electricity, aud q great many things which
we couldn't understand at all, though We
pretended TO do so, lest you Should think
us stupid r.
Perfectly"
And You remember, too how, when ]
said that should Ike to send message
win my own hands, you made me take
hold oil the handle, and then you guided 1t,
while | sent message to your brother
Robert VINO was In the office at Lowestolt